8800gtx + 7600gt in same system. Possible or driver issues?

[MoobyTheGoldenCalf]

For running 3 monitors. Can you run the 8800 series and a 7600gt together or do I need to get a non-nvidia card for the 3rd monitor? I'm using Vista btw...

 

[Elfear]

My buddy is running that exact combo so that he can run 3-4 monitors. He just barely go the rig together so I can give you more updates as he gets more experience with it. I'll find out if he actually got 3 monitors working yet.

 

[MoobyTheGoldenCalf]

Cool, thanks.

 

[krotchy]

you dont need an identical card for the 3rd/4th from what I understand, however if you went SLI then added another for the 2nd/3rd monitor it has to be ATI I think. This is because SLI doesn't allow more than 1 monitor.

 

[Skyguy]

BUT.............

Assume you're not going SLI.....just 3 monitors over 2 cards.

What do you do about drivers? 8800 drivers are a completely separate download than 7xxx series. So which do you install? How does that work?

 

[aka1nas]

Originally posted by: krotchy
you dont need an identical card for the 3rd/4th from what I understand, however if you went SLI then added another for the 2nd/3rd monitor it has to be ATI I think. This is because SLI doesn't allow more than 1 monitor.

I thought Crossfire didn't either. Also, doesn't the 8800 series not have the monitor limitation in SLI?

 

[Skyguy]

AFAIK, SLI is still limited to one monitor, even with the 8800 cards.

But the OP didn't mention SLI. Seems he's more concerned about mixing DX9 and DX10 cards. So therein lies the real question:

Can a DX9 and DX10 card operate together in the same system? What drivers to use?

From what I understand, you can't. They don't play nice together. You have to go both cards DX9 or both cards DX10, not both together.

 

[MoobyTheGoldenCalf]

Originally posted by: Skyguy
BUT.............

Assume you're not going SLI.....just 3 monitors over 2 cards.

What do you do about drivers? 8800 drivers are a completely separate download than 7xxx series. So which do you install? How does that work?

Exactly. That's what I want to know. I'm not going to be running SLI, just 3 monitors over 2 cards.

 

[Skyguy]

I was told it's not possible by someone more knowledgable than me. I didn't verify because I wasn't about to buy another card and mobo to try it out for kicks. Could try posting this question at Nvidia forums if nobody here knows definitively.

I'm also curious, for argument sake, if you have 2 8800 cards, not SLI, over 3 monitors. Can you run any games (non SLI) over the 3 monitors together by spanning or using UltraMon or something like that? Basically use the power of 2 8800's (or 8800/8600 mix) across the 3 monitors without going SLI??? Now THAT would be a very good solution.......I'm not entirely convinced about the Matrox TripleHead2Go solution........

 

[Skyguy]

It *seems* that the NV drivers released last night for Vista x86 might appear to be unified, regardless of card type. If that's the case, that would be awesome because there'd be one driver set for DX9 and DX10 cards!! Which would seem to make this possible.........?

Assuming that's the case (can anyone verify?), would the 650i be capable of this? It's ALOT cheaper here in Canada than the 680i. Keep in mind I wouldn't be doing SLI.....just the 8800 for the 22" LCD, and the 7600 for the other 2 19" LCDs.