Troubleshooting SLi

[skace]

Ok So I've got 2 8800GTs running SLi. Right now LOTRO causes my system to crash hard after several hours. I've watched heat and it hasn't really spiked to any concerned level.

What I'd like to do is troubleshoot this without having to pull cards out, I realize I could just set everything back to non-SLi and pull a card out, but they are such a pain to get back in because of those stupid power connectors on the end that I'd rather just do this from software if there is a way.

So what I'd like to do is disable SLi and then pick from the driver which card will run the game when I open it. Does anyone know if this is possible? I'm hoping to find out if one card is more stable than the other. The weird thing here is that this same system played Crysis and a whole load of other games fine. But LOTRO is killing it and I'm not sure why. It could be the length at which I've played LOTRO in game sessions. Which brings me back to heat, but heat monitors aren't going off. Now, that could still be heat, I guess the memory chips aren't particularly monitored? So that could be another issue and I don't know how to really attack that one.

Any thoughts? Thanks.

 

[nRollo]

Originally posted by: skace
Ok So I've got 2 8800GTs running SLi. Right now LOTRO causes my system to crash hard after several hours. I've watched heat and it hasn't really spiked to any concerned level.

What I'd like to do is troubleshoot this without having to pull cards out, I realize I could just set everything back to non-SLi and pull a card out, but they are such a pain to get back in because of those stupid power connectors on the end that I'd rather just do this from software if there is a way.

So what I'd like to do is disable SLi and then pick from the driver which card will run the game when I open it. Does anyone know if this is possible? I'm hoping to find out if one card is more stable than the other. The weird thing here is that this same system played Crysis and a whole load of other games fine. But LOTRO is killing it and I'm not sure why. It could be the length at which I've played LOTRO in game sessions. Which brings me back to heat, but heat monitors aren't going off. Now, that could still be heat, I guess the memory chips aren't particularly monitored? So that could be another issue and I don't know how to really attack that one.

Any thoughts? Thanks.

I don't think there is a way to pick which card it uses in the CP or with any tool, at least not that I've heard of.

If you want to eliminate the heat element of the equation, you might try taking the side of the case off, using some canned air to blow out the heatsinks, and then just point a big household fan in the case and blast air onto your whole rig.

I kept three 8800GTXs sandwiched together in the mid 70s doing this to look into a heat issue I was having with my old case, so my thought is if it can keep the GTXs cool it will cool the GTs.

From what you say it sounds like it almost has to be heat.

 

[Engraver]

Originally posted by: Rollo

Originally posted by: skace
Ok So I've got 2 8800GTs running SLi. Right now LOTRO causes my system to crash hard after several hours. I've watched heat and it hasn't really spiked to any concerned level.

What I'd like to do is troubleshoot this without having to pull cards out, I realize I could just set everything back to non-SLi and pull a card out, but they are such a pain to get back in because of those stupid power connectors on the end that I'd rather just do this from software if there is a way.

So what I'd like to do is disable SLi and then pick from the driver which card will run the game when I open it. Does anyone know if this is possible? I'm hoping to find out if one card is more stable than the other. The weird thing here is that this same system played Crysis and a whole load of other games fine. But LOTRO is killing it and I'm not sure why. It could be the length at which I've played LOTRO in game sessions. Which brings me back to heat, but heat monitors aren't going off. Now, that could still be heat, I guess the memory chips aren't particularly monitored? So that could be another issue and I don't know how to really attack that one.

Any thoughts? Thanks.

I don't think there is a way to pick which card it uses in the CP or with any tool, at least not that I've heard of.

If you want to eliminate the heat element of the equation, you might try taking the side of the case off, using some canned air to blow out the heatsinks, and then just point a big household fan in the case and blast air onto your whole rig.

I kept three 8800GTXs sandwiched together in the mid 70s doing this to look into a heat issue I was having with my old case, so my thought is if it can keep the GTXs cool it will cool the GTs.

From what you say it sounds like it almost has to be heat.

Another vote for heat. Even though the cards can run hot, the stuff they touch/connect to/etc might not be.

 

[skace]

Ok so maybe it's heat but not something the readings are displaying, so I guess I need some sort of 3rd party cooling on them. Thanks guys, I'll look into it and maybe post my findings once I decide what I'm going to get.