x58 Chipset SLI PROBLEMS

[Dwnldedskill]

I was wondering if anyone has had any problems with SLI with your rig. Running an EVGA x58 SLI Mobo, 2x BFG GTX280 OC cards, 3x2GB Corsair XMS3 ram. I have a 1000W Corsair PSU, but whenever I enable SLI games or 3D apps crash within 1 minute of launching. It WAS working fine with my 8800GTX cards with SLI enabled, so the GFX card manufacturer RMA'ed both my GTX280's. Now the SAME problem is happening with my 8800GTX's. I can't figure out WTF is going on. I get a BSOD saying hardware malfunction, but it goes away so fast i can't get anything else off it. There is no information in the event viewer, and the system has not successfully created a .DMP file for any of the BSOD's. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[xorbe]

I definitely sounds like a hardware issue ... check the caps on the motherboard? Nightmare scenario you've got!!

[Dwnldedskill]

I definitely sounds like a hardware issue ... check the caps on the motherboard? Nightmare scenario you've got!!

yeah its turning into a nightmare. I contacted BFG first (GFX card manufacturer) they said its a mobo issue, mobo people ran 3 hours worth of tests with me on the phone, they said its a GFX card issue. I RMA both GFX cards, throw the old 8800GTX's back in the machine and BOOM same problem as with the GTX280's BUT the 8800GTX's were working fine before i put the 280GTX's in the machine and NOTHING has changed. I have tried 2 different versions of the chipset software, every available release and beta version of Nvidia GFX card drivers from 178.24 until 185.XX. Nothing works with SLI on. Now the mobo manufacturer has RMA'd the Mobo, so i won't have a computer for atleast 2 weeks. This is getting silly. I don't even know what the problem is cause no one i have talked to has a f'ing clue. Even the level 3 tech support at EVGA was like hmmm WTF.

[starchaser]

I'm having the same issue with my ASUS P6T mainboard and two 8800gt's in SLI. After about 2 minutes the game will freeze. I've tried running games in both Vista and XP, but they still crash after a few minutes. I decided to take the ASUS board back and exchange it for a GIGABYTE EX58-UD4P, but the exact same thing still happens. I know the video cards are good because they worked perfectly for 2 years with my old board, so I definately say it's a chipset issue. I hope there's a fix for this soon.

[bob saget]

wow bummer

[xorbe]

bootable ISO run 2.11 overnight:

http://www.memtest.org/#downiso

[Revs]

Try playing a game for a while on one card at a time (removing the other) and try them in different slots. It might help track the problem down :). I'm assuming you're keeping an eye on your temps and you've un-overclocked everything ;).

It sounds eriely like a good old 680i NB problem to me.

[Dwnldedskill]

Try playing a game for a while on one card at a time (removing the other) and try them in different slots. It might help track the problem down :). I'm assuming you're keeping an eye on your temps and you've un-overclocked everything ;).

It sounds eriely like a good old 680i NB problem to me.

Runs fine with 1 card (with both in the PC or 1 removed from PC) No memory errors from a 18 hour test. I got a new Motherboard from EVGA, tossed the cards in, booted fine turned on SLI fine, loaded a game, played for 3 hours BOOM graphics lockup. Restart computer, computer wouldn't post. removed gfx cards reseated them computer posted fine booted into game lock after a little over 6 hours. Restart same lockup after about 2 hours. Anyone have any ideas what i can do here?

[saturnotaku]

Try running the 180.48 Forceware VGA drivers. Hardlocks with SLI and the X58 are typically an issue with the video card drivers and not the hardware itself.

[Dwnldedskill]

Try running the 180.48 Forceware VGA drivers. Hardlocks with SLI and the X58 are typically an issue with the video card drivers and not the hardware itself.

Still getting lockups even with the new GTX280 cards, and a new mobo. I have tried everyone on of the versions of forceware that support SLI i can get my hands on INCLUDING beta versions up to 185.XX from driverheaven. Anyone else got any ideas?

[XxDeadlyxX]

No problems here with eVGA X58, GTX 280s and 180.48.

[Revs]

What about your GPU temps? Have you got enough air flow in your case?

[Dwnldedskill]

What about your GPU temps? Have you got enough air flow in your case?

The GPU's are at 64C and 60C everything in the PC is under 65C. I don't think heat is an issue.

[Revs]

The GPU's are at 64C and 60C everything in the PC is under 65C. I don't think heat is an issue.

Is that load temps, if so how are you loading the GPU's while reading the temps? With a game or with something like FurMark?

[Blacklash]

Bizarre.

Sorry you're having trouble. I've run GTX 260 SLi and mixed GTX 260 Tri-SLi without problems on the Evga X58 mobo and with a healthy overclock. I was using 180.48, and now I'm using 181.22.

If I think of something for you to try. I'll let you know.

I had a lot crashing with games on 790 Ultra and I never did figure that one out. I think 790 Ultra was under volting my Q6600 which made it unstable.

Make sure your BIOS didn't reset your ram voltage or CPU voltage too low. A lot of performance ram needs on the order of 1.60v to be stable. The Evga mobo will default to 1.5v for the ram, I believe.

[LBJM]

I'm getting no scaling with my SLI 285s in ETQW.

[starchaser]

I'm having the same issue with my ASUS P6T mainboard and two 8800gt's in SLI. After about 2 minutes the game will freeze. I've tried running games in both Vista and XP, but they still crash after a few minutes. I decided to take the ASUS board back and exchange it for a GIGABYTE EX58-UD4P, but the exact same thing still happens. I know the video cards are good because they worked perfectly for 2 years with my old board, so I definately say it's a chipset issue. I hope there's a fix for this soon.

So after more troubleshooting, I discovered the freezing issue was actually caused by one of my video cards, and not the mainboard. After RMAing the bad card, it no longer crashes in SLI. However, now I'm seeing horizontal flickering lines in all games that run in SLI , which I'm pretty sure has something to do with vsync. The new card is slightly overclocked from the factory, but automatically downclocks to match the speed of the reference card.

[DarthBeavis]

Try a different PSU. Corsair 1000 watt pSUs suck with EVGA boards from my experience.