Asus A8n-sli 6600GT won't run at PCI express x16, MB problem ?

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dansonic

Junior Member
Oct 29, 2003
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I can't get my PCI express video card (XFX 6600GT) to run at x16. I tried friend's PCI-E video card (BGF 6600GT) and same result.
I have tried every combination with sli selector card and it only has screen when it is running at 8x or slower
.
here is what i have tried:

BIOS set sli auto:
sli selector at single and video card at blue slot(first one) -- got posting error "system failed at VGA test"
sli selector at dual and video card at blue slot -- post and load windows run at 8x
sli selector at single and video card at black slot(2nd) --- post and load windows run at 1x
sli selector at dual and video card at black slot -- post and load windows run at 8x

Take out sli selector and both slots run at 8x and it post and load windows

BIOS set sli at normal:
sli selector at single and video card at blue slot -- got posting error "system failed at VGA test"

I am running out of idea....tried different BIOS and same result.

You think I got a defective board ? or the selector card is bad ?



 
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FastEddie

Golden Member
Oct 9, 1999
1,946
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Shut down and follow the manual instructions for clearing your cmos. Afterward, install the sellector card with the single arrow pointing to the top slot, and install your video card in the top slot.
 
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FastEddie

Golden Member
Oct 9, 1999
1,946
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Give me a rundown. What operating system, any service packs, did you install the chipset drivers? What video card drivers, etc...
 
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dansonic

Junior Member
Oct 29, 2003
15
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Windows XP sp1
I installed chipset driver when it is running at x8 (which it post fine)
install latest Nvidia driver for 6600GT ( downloaded today )

When it has screen, it will load into windows no problem at all. But it is running at x8.

I am having problem to get it to post when it should run at x16 where the selector card with the single arrow pointing to the top slot.

 
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FastEddie

Golden Member
Oct 9, 1999
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Don't know if this will make a difference, but you need to install SP2 for XP and also install DirectX 9+ )9.0c is out). Then lets try to work out the 8x -v- 16x issue.
 
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venomtalon

Member
Jan 22, 2005
27
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I'm also having the same problem. It says in my nvidia settings its PIC BUS x8. I dont know if it's really at x8 or what, but my girl's computer hers says x16? but when i right click the desk top and go to the properties in my MSI tab the check mark is on "PCIE 16X". I have the asus A8N-SLI mobo and a MSI 6600gt graphics card.
 
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Insomniak

Banned
Sep 11, 2003
4,836
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Whoa whoa whoa - what driver version?

I had this problem with the 66.93 drivers on the rig in my signature. Updated to the 71.20 betas, and everything was ok. I think it's a driver bug. Try a rel. 70 driver or higher.
 
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Weiman

Junior Member
Jan 17, 2005
20
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Doh. SLI is supposed to run at 8x! The 16 PCIe lanes are split between the two slots. 2x8=16.

 
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imported_slippy

Member
Jan 7, 2005
98
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Hmmm... did you make sure not to plug in to the power next to your graphics card. It is unnessecary if you are running one card. Make sure the single side of the selector is pointed towards the blue pci-e. For some reason your video card is being read as if it were in dual mode.
 
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dansonic

Junior Member
Oct 29, 2003
15
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Initially, I thought it is the video card since everything else is working. I RMA'd my video card the next day. I couldn't wait for my replacement video card to come back, therefore I bought another 6600GT...Guess what?? Same Result. RMA'd my motherboard.

Wait for a week for RMA
I got everything up and running with my original/single 6600gt @16x.





 
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venomtalon

Member
Jan 22, 2005
27
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I figured it out. My mobo has a card selector to go between single video and sli. It says in the manual it comes stock set to single so I thought it was ok, but it was set to dual video so I had to set it to single and clear my cmos.
 
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FastEddie

Golden Member
Oct 9, 1999
1,946
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Originally posted by: venomtalon
I figured it out. My mobo has a card selector to go between single video and sli. It says in the manual it comes stock set to single so I thought it was ok, but it was set to dual video so I had to set it to single and clear my cmos.
Click to expand...

For this, you get to be placed in the town square stocks for the weekend. :roll:

I'm glad you caught this, it's been the major part of our discussion. :laugh:



:beer::thumbsup:
 
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imported_slippy

Member
Jan 7, 2005
98
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Aah... the manual. You've gotta love how they screwed up the first picture on 6-2, confusing people to no end, and nowhere in the manual do they give a diagram that concretely defines the matter of which way exactly the thing should be pointing. Let's add to that the fact that the majority of the boards are coming set to dual rather than single, opposite of what the manual said. I think they are secretly preparing us for the olympic selector card mental gymanastics competition.

Run when I say sit, sit when I say run. Some lab geek at Asus is getting a good laugh from this.
 
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Insomniak

Banned
Sep 11, 2003
4,836
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I think the assumption is that most people purchasing an SLI motherboard are planning an SLI system. I think this is in error. If I had to bet, most of the people purchasing SLI motherboards are doing it for one of two reasons:

1) They want PCI Express for AMD and they're tired of waiting.

2) They want the option to upgrade to SLI, but they want to wait and get the kinks worked out, they want to wait until the second card is inexpensive, they want to wait until it's no longer CPU bottlenecked, etc.


I personally bought an A8N-SLI Deluxe for both of these reasons.

This would explain why the connector comes from factory in dual mode - and why that's not what's needed. The manual guy had it right. The guy in QA and packaging is confused.
 
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seattledesi

Member
Nov 16, 2004
87
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i'm getting the same issue.. my xfx 6600gt is being displayed as running on a 8x bus in the nvidia props. The selector card is in the right place..

however, i'm not running the 70.x beta drivers as suggested..

I'll try that out..
 
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seattledesi

Member
Nov 16, 2004
87
0
0
there's definitely something wrong here.. can some other Asus SLI board owners comment?

If you go to the nvidia display properties for the card , and read the "bus" information.. does it report 16x or 8x?

Mine reported 8x on all the driver versions.. the latest forceware release, 67x, and 70x betas..

to repro
========
right click desktop.. choose properties
click settings, then advanced
click the nvidia graphics card tab
the first entry on the left menu tree is the name of the card, like GeForce 6600 GT
the right side pane shows info like "adapter information"
the bus reads as "8x"??
 
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Insomniak

Banned
Sep 11, 2003
4,836
0
0
Originally posted by: seattledesi
there's definitely something wrong here.. can some other Asus SLI board owners comment?

If you go to the nvidia display properties for the card , and read the "bus" information.. does it report 16x or 8x?

Mine reported 8x on all the driver versions.. the latest forceware release, 67x, and 70x betas..

to repro
========
right click desktop.. choose properties
click settings, then advanced
click the nvidia graphics card tab
the first entry on the left menu tree is the name of the card, like GeForce 6600 GT
the right side pane shows info like "adapter information"
the bus reads as "8x"??
Click to expand...



Check your BIOS settings and make sure SLI is disabled. Make sure your driver settings have SLI disabled. Make sure the EZ selector card is set for a single GPU. Get back to us.
 
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seattledesi

Member
Nov 16, 2004
87
0
0
the ez-selector card is set to single gpu.
my BIOS hangs if i try changing the sli settings from its "auto" setting.. btw, there is no "disable" for sli in the bios.. its choices are "auto", "normal", and "sli".
where in the driver do I disable sli? The only place I do know of (display properties for the card) doesn't say that its been enabled.

Does your mobo show 16x for your single card? Post a screenshot?
 
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quattro1

Member
Jan 13, 2005
111
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0
Guys, that SLI paddle card is what determins how fast your PCIE bus is. Not the drivers. Those of you who have your cards running at x8, switch that paddle card around and try that. This is the only thing that it could be. When it is flipped in single card mode, your main PCIE slot is x16. When switched to SLI, it splits it in 2 to make those 2 lanes at x8 each.

Some of you have this card flipped the wrong way. Check this first.
 
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seattledesi

Member
Nov 16, 2004
87
0
0
Originally posted by: quattro1
Guys, that SLI paddle card is what determins how fast your PCIE bus is. Not the drivers. Those of you who have your cards running at x8, switch that paddle card around and try that. This is the only thing that it could be. When it is flipped in single card mode, your main PCIE slot is x16. When switched to SLI, it splits it in 2 to make those 2 lanes at x8 each.

Some of you have this card flipped the wrong way. Check this first.
Click to expand...

Dude!
please read what I wrote.. the sli paddle card / ez-selector card / whatever you want to call it is set to "single gpu".

I'm still getting 8x only..
 
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