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Need Help connecting 2 graphic cards for folding

Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2008 1:39 pm
by vbironchef
I can't seem to get my two graphic cards to fold at the same time. Please help. Both cards show in device manager and have latest drivers. I tried to follow directions and when I started second client my computer would freeze up. Tried a differerent way and was running two clients twice as slow. I can't figure it out. I am really scratching my head on what to do. These cards are NOT in SLI.

Re: Need Help connecting 2 graphic cards for folding

Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2008 1:44 pm
by DaIceMan
I haven't had time to write up a guide of my own, but this one works perfectly (it's how I learned to do it). Read it carefully, because I overlooked a step or two along the way and was totally confused for a while.

CTRL + V http://www.hardforum.com/showpost.php?p ... ostcount=5 oops.

Re: Need Help connecting 2 graphic cards for folding

Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2008 2:16 pm
by vbironchef
Thank you DaIceMan, I will give it a try a little later. I am very close to a wildfire in CA. maybe you saw it on tv. I will let you know how all turns out. Give me some time to try it out. I am doing my best to fold right now, we are running one card as much as we can do to the fire. Also trying to deal with something called CCcommon. I believe it is something to do with Norton security suite. What a day. Thanks again.

Re: Need Help connecting 2 graphic cards for folding

Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2008 2:53 pm
by DaIceMan
be safe and good luck. I haven't had time to watch TV the last couple days... are you near the Montecito area they were talking about?

Re: Need Help connecting 2 graphic cards for folding

Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2008 4:58 pm
by Mad_Goku
Good Luck with the wildfires. Hope they don't come your way.

Re: Need Help connecting 2 graphic cards for folding

Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2008 10:48 pm
by vbironchef
Still not having any luck with folding 2 cards. As for the wildfires, so far so good. Have gone through all different drivers. Almost ready to give up. SMP client is way easier to work with than this. I must be missing something but I don't have a clue. Maybe both slots have to be 16x. My Intel badaxe2 motherboard only has one 16x slot the other one is 8x. Maybe the motherboard doesn't like nvidiva 280 graphic cards. Maybe the MB can only handle one card. Right now I am trying 178.24 drivers. I think that it has CUDA already so I don't think I need to install another CUDA version. Anyway I don't know what else to do.

Re: Need Help connecting 2 graphic cards for folding

Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2008 11:19 pm
by DaIceMan
If you go by the guide I linked, you should be able to get there. Are you using vista or XP?

Did you extend your desktop to the second display adapter?

Re: Need Help connecting 2 graphic cards for folding

Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2008 11:29 am
by vbironchef
I am using XP Pro 32 bit. How do you extend the desktop? What does that mean?

Re: Need Help connecting 2 graphic cards for folding

Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2008 12:16 pm
by martini161
do you have a monitor hooked up to the second graphics card?

Re: Need Help connecting 2 graphic cards for folding

Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2008 12:51 pm
by DaIceMan
As stated, read the guide carefully. The second bullet item, in BOLD states...
If you are running multiple GPU cards with SLI or Crossfire, you need to unlink the cards by disabling SLI or Crossfire in the driver control panel. Also, you need to extend the desktop for the client to recognize the cards.
Right click on the desktop, properties, settings tab. Click on "monitor" #2. You should see a check box to "Extend my Windows desktop onto this monitor". Check that.
martini161 wrote:do you have a monitor hooked up to the second graphics card?
Not necessary in XP... at least it wasn't for me to get both my cards Folding.

Re: Need Help connecting 2 graphic cards for folding

Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2008 2:28 pm
by vbironchef
I do not have a second monitor. I believe the problem is that my old XFX280 card is now bad. I am just using the new XFX280 card now. I guess I will have to send the old card back for replacement. When I was using 2 cards my rig was complaning of unstable machine. Also my rig would freeze up. I also went back to stock speeds on my cpu. Just to be on the safe side for now. I also broke both retention clips on the motherboard for the cards. I could not get to the clips to take off the cards. Is that a big issue? One other question I have is when two XFX280 cards are in place, how does the top card get any air flow from the fan? The bottom card is so close to the top card.

Re: Need Help connecting 2 graphic cards for folding

Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2008 3:15 pm
by DaIceMan
have you tested the card to be bad, or just speculation because you can't get it to Fold with both cards in place? I have my cpu and both gpu's running at stock speed to be able Fold. Once in a while, I'll get an unstable machine as well.

Re: Need Help connecting 2 graphic cards for folding

Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2008 3:22 pm
by DMB2000uk
What make and size PSU are you running vic?
(do you mind being called vic? 8-[ )

Dan

Re: Need Help connecting 2 graphic cards for folding

Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2008 3:49 pm
by DaIceMan
vbironchef wrote:Edit: 11/07/08 I didn't want to take a chance with the 750 watt power supply so I just ordered a new power supply from the egg. Corsair HX1000, and I ordered a second XFXgtx280. That should give me a few extra PPD.
Pretty sure it's not a power issue. :)

Re: Need Help connecting 2 graphic cards for folding

Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2008 4:12 pm
by DMB2000uk
Yeah, probably not with that beast in there :P

Dan

Re: Need Help connecting 2 graphic cards for folding

Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2008 4:31 pm
by vbironchef
[quote="DaIceMan"]As stated, read the guide carefully. The second bullet item, in BOLD states...
Right click on the desktop, properties, settings tab. Click on "monitor" #2. You should see a check box to "Extend my Windows desktop onto this monitor". Check that.

I will try that, Should I connect the second graphic card to the monitor? I will try the old card to see if it works in the top slot and take out the new card that is there now. Thanks again for all you help. I just want to fold with two cards. The team is getting stronger every day and I would like to add to our team points.

Re: Need Help connecting 2 graphic cards for folding

Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2008 4:54 pm
by DaIceMan
I never connected a 2nd monitor to my machine. I just disabled SLI (enabled to game for a few minutes), extended the desktop, and followed the guide.

Re: Need Help connecting 2 graphic cards for folding

Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2008 5:16 pm
by vbironchef
I don't see You should see a check box to "Extend my Windows desktop onto this monitor". Do I need both cards installed to see that check box?

Re: Need Help connecting 2 graphic cards for folding

Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2008 5:20 pm
by DaIceMan
yes. you will need both cards installed, as well as drivers for both cards (device manager showing the name of both cards with no errors).

Re: Need Help connecting 2 graphic cards for folding

Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2008 8:22 pm
by vbironchef
DaIceMan you are the man! :) We now have another XFX280 folding for Legit Reviews. I am so happy \:D/ What I thought to be a bad card was actually a loose monitor cable screw from the graphic card. I must not have been paying attention to it becoming loose. I think one screw is stripped so I just have to be carefull or just use the other jack, no big deal. Without your help DaIceMan I would have given up for sure. Thank you and warm regards. DaIceMan, you can call me anything you want from here on out. :lol: The wildfires seem to be under control for the time being because the wind has slowed down a bit and the firefighters were able to get their fixed-wing aircraft flying today.