Multiple GPU (non-SLI): Anyone Else Seen This?

[Sovereign]

OK so y'all are probably familiar with my rig, which has one of the weirdest configurations ever. I have a 9800GX2 driving a single 22" display and a 7900GTX driving two secondary displays. Driver installs have been a major pain until the last two driver releases, in which for some reason not only does installing the driver installer not crash, but it properly recognizes that I have two cards and three monitors, setting resolutions correctly! However, a couple updates ago, I noticed performance in games and OpenGL CAD apps (Rhino 3D) getting hitchy. Also, trying to play video (through VLC or iTunes) on screens other than the primary resulted in horrible hitching. Tonight, I changed the setting in the NVIDIA Control Panel from Multiple Display Performance Mode (NVIDIA recommended) to Single Display Performance Mode. Now everything works like butter. What gives?

[DMB2000uk]

Sounds like they really haven't cracked the multi card driver issue yet then

Maybe you should go back to one of the drivers that were a PITA to install, but worked better for you I presume?

Dan

[Sovereign]

No no I guess I wasn't clear: switching from "Multiple Display Performance Mode" on the current driver set actually returned performance to previous levels. It was only in the last couple driver installs that either:
A. The driver install switched my setting from "Single Display Performance Mode" to "Multiple Display Performance Mode" which caused performance drops
OR
B. Multiple Display Performance Mode got really crappy in the last couple driver releases

I'm not sure which because I don't know when (or if) the setting from Single to Multiple occurred.

[DMB2000uk]

Oh, so you didn't actually need to use that Multiple Display Performance Mode setting then?

I thought you meant you did and the only way it would work properly was to change it to the single.

Dan

[Sovereign]

Argh I fail at explaining things.

NVIDIA defaulted to Multiple on the newest drivers. I had it set on Single several driver installs ago, NVIDIA changed it. Performance goes down the tubes. I noticed the change and put it back to Single, and now everything works. Semantically, you'd expect Multiple would, you know, be the best setting since I have three monitors. However, this is not the case.

[kylepaddock]

email me [email protected] i have LOTS of questions how how to have 2 GPU's non-SLI.

[wollyka]

i guess it is the 9800GX2 since it is like a SLI in one card and the driver is having issues with it maybe ?!