PCI-E gfx card which slot to use?

jozi

I posted in the 3dmark thread about this but rather than hijack it i'll start a new thread, might be of use to someone else to.

I have a dfi nf4 ultra d (non-sli) mobo and a HIS X800XL IceQ II Turbo that has a very large hsf (arctic cooler).
Problem is in the top slot the hsf and the southbridge ( ) are in each others way so i moved it down to the next one.
So i was wondering am i not running at 16X?
Someone posted i was prob running it at 8X and i had to move sli jumpers???

Hope someone can clarify this for me and help me get a higher score (better performance over all)

Jozi

Inquitus

I thought a non SLI mobo only had 1 PCI-e slot...no?

Ciaran500

There will be SFA difference between running the card at 16x and 8x.

jozi

The Dfi nf4 ultra-d is the same as the sli board only without sli bridge and maybe something else missing/disabled, you used to be able to mod the board to be a sli one.
It also takes the same bios as the sli version.

So no performance is lost then. Can the slot be made 16X? Is it a bios setting?

Jozi

astrofool

I think that slot may operate at 2x by default, and moving the sli jumpers should change it to 8x. I'm not sure if its "smart" and recognises that the first pci-e slot is empty, and automatically does this. I'm sure there'll be some tool that can check. Do the pci-e radeon's give the bus info in the control panel like the AGP ones do?

jozi

like this: PCI Slot 9 (PCI bus 2, device 0, function 0)

astrofool

I think its the gart tab that has it, i'll look at a PCI-E ati card we have at work on Tuesday (firegl, same drivers tho)

jozi

I dont see a gart tab but under options then detail i find the following:
Bus Type: PCI Express x16
Current Bus Setting: PCI Express

Doesnt say what bus speed its at unless its at 1

Jozi

WizZard

You have to change the jumpers on the board to let the slot run at 8x. I think it runs at 2x if the jumpers are not set.
Any pics of why it won't fit? The HSF should not interfere with the nF4 chipset cooler really.
The GART(Graphics Address Remapping Table) tab is only for AGP AFAIK.

jozi

I got the his x800xl which comes with a arctic cooler on it.
The end of the cooler has screws round it to hold it together and its one of them screw points that sits on the nb heatsink not letting the gfx card be pushed down far enough.
I would make pics but im in work now, not sure if i can get a pic either with the mobo in the case.
Them sli jumpers i think i have them on my mobo (non sli dfi) but not sure, is it them big black square blocks?

Jozi

WizZard

Yep, that's them. The board layout is the same for all models. The jumpers are those between the top two PCI-E slots. The manual shows where to move them to, think it's 1-2, but can't be sure.
Can you remove the screw and replace it with a flat headed one?

jozi

WizZard wrote:

Yep, that's them. The board layout is the same for all models. The jumpers are those between the top two PCI-E slots. The manual shows where to move them to, think it's 1-2, but can't be sure.
Can you remove the screw and replace it with a flat headed one?

I'd have to dremel the whole srew of.
Its not the screw as such thats sticking out, dunno how to explain it
Here's a pic anyway

See them things sticking out round the fan they hold the whole thing together and 1 sits on the nb hsf.
Anyone know where i might be able to get a arctic cooler for my card, i rather dremel that than the one that came with the card in the event the gfx dies and needs to be send back.

Jozi

WizZard

Ah, now I see what you mean. It should work perfectly in the second slot. Did you try that yet?

jozi

Oh yeah works grand.
Was just concerned about what speed the card runs at, 1x 2x 8x 16x
I may just get a new arctic cooler to mod so i can use the top slot and freeing up a pci slot.
Cheers for the replies to all

Jozi

EDIT: Thats not my card or cooler above btw just first pic i could find

WizZard

There's a setting in the Genie BIOS which sets the speed of both slots, LDT/???. It should be at 16↓ 16↑
But I think it is by default anyway

jozi

WizZard wrote:

There's a setting in the Genie BIOS which sets the speed of both slots, LDT/???. It should be at 16↓ 16↑
But I think it is by default anyway

Yeah i remember seeing that (at work now) and it was at 16/16, no jumper changes required then is there?

WizZard

Sorry, that is in addition to the SLi jumper change between the two PCI-E 16 slots. Check the manual for the correct jumper positions