EVGA 9800GT SLI Issues - Games Crashing

[BigBeef]

So I just built this rig and I'm new to SLI. Games seem to run fine on default clocks but with little OCing, games act weird and usually end up crashing. Default clocks are 600/1500/900. I upped it to 650 core 950 mem and games crash. Games like Bioshock, COD WAW/4, Fallout 3, Prey, HL 2/ep1/ep2, Crysis (<---no surprise there). The games will load and play but will soon crash. It's not the games because I've tried this on all these games. These games get 50-60 FPS consistently with Vsync and up to 200 on Bioshock/Prey/HL2 without it.

Pretty much the game will take a poop and then colors will die then 'memory dump' appears on the screen and it reboots. I have the clocks on defaults now and so far everything seems to run just fine, but hey, I want to OC em! After all, OCing is what gets me [H]ard!

Everest and Ntune show both cards working and are running no hotter than the 'SLI Guide's' 'normal load temps'. CPU runs 25 to 44 C loaded and all other components run at nomal temps and all fans show proper speeds. I have used EVGA Precision to OC the cards.

Here's my rig:
Q6600 (2.4 ghz - OC in the future)
Gigabyte EP45 UD3P mobo
Arctic Cooling Freezer 92 mm
8 GB Corsair Dominator
EVGA (dual) 9800GT SLI
ABS Tagan 700W PSU
3 SATA Seagate HDD's
1 Lite On SATA Optical CD/DVD
Antec 900 case
Vista 64 bit Home Premium
Using Asus SLI bridge I found, I have a Gigabyte bridge on the way (Does it matter?)

Here's my beef....I'm new to SLI and honestly I don't know if I have SLI set up properly. I mean, when I OC the card, games crash, but works fine on default clocks. 181.22 drivers (most recent).

I believe that's everything. I'm new to [H] and this is my first post. BTW I did read the SLI guide already. LMK if anyone needs more informations.

 

[godfetish]

Try taking one card out and OCing the other. See if the stability issues show up in either card. I'm thinking it's one of two things: 1) one of the cards can't handle the heat/speed caused by OC - which you said you ruled out, but testing individual cards might show you a problem, or 2) the Power Supply isn't strong enough - just cause ABS slapped 700W on it doesn't mean it. You could be trying to run both off the same 12v rail too, so try switching power connectors might do it. Not that anyone labels wtf rail you are using anyway...

I'm running 8800GTS's in SLI on a 500W Antec, and it's just fine. My 9600GT's are on a 750W from Best Buy and has 2 TB of storage minimum at any given moment and that's fine. If I pop in one of my more expensive power supplies that are rated 700W in either system I crash during any gaming, let alone OC'd. I'm gonna try one in my wife's PC and see how it runs. Every PS is different too...some just perform like a champ and other work fine for mild use but fans scream or they choke on high demands, but they are still the primary cause of my PC headaches.

 

[BigBeef]

Thanks I will look in to this tonight. I believe the PSU to have 4 separate rails. I bought the PSU over a year ago and I remember specifically buying it with separate rails in mind so I can build a monster rig in the future. According to the PSU here it looks like I have 4 separate 12v rails. I know that some companies cut corners and cut costs by splitting a rail. ABS is well rated and I would hope they are separate.

Tonight I'll try each card, one at a time, on each rail I have plugged in. I have 4 modular ports but I'm only using 2 so if I have time I might try the other 2 ports not being used.

I have 2 more things to say. I'm not sure if both cards are 100% the same. They are both EVGA 9800GT's with the same clocks but I originally bought only 1 that was HDCP ready. It's discontinued from Newegg but it's probably similar to the one here but with the slower clocks. The other one is this. They both are the same but are different model #'s. I don't see how this would cause an issue, but could it?

Also, my mobo obviously has 2 PCIE slots but one is x16 and the other is x8. I would assume the x16 would just do more work than the x8 instead of them both trying to do the same work and getting bogged down. My monitor is plugged in to the x16 card. My mobo is here.

If the different model #'s is an issue, my bro has the exact same card so I could always take his by force and give him my HDCP. If I conclude it's the PSU I'm gonna be pissed. There's not much of a point to only be able to run 2 cards at default clocks because the PSU chokes, when I could just run 1 OC'ed. My bro runs 1 card at default clocks and already gets great performance with a Q9300 that he bought for $190 (Same price as my Q6600!!! But that's another story).

 

[Dangman]

Just in case you missed it Bigbeef:

YOU CANNOT USE SLI WITH MOTHERBOARDS BASED ON INTEL CHIPSETS!

So remove that SLI bridge, remove one of those cards, and test the remaining card with Furmark.

 

[BigBeef]

Just in case you missed it Bigbeef:

YOU CANNOT USE SLI WITH MOTHERBOARDS BASED ON INTEL CHIPSETS!

So remove that SLI bridge, remove one of those cards, and test the remaining card with Furmark.

I don't know what the hell happened to my thread but there's a whole other page of posts missing....

Edit: yeah nvm, I read the announcement about 5 days of data loss...

Anyways, I was just about to say that I did some digging and realized that this board clearly not only doesn't support SLI, but no Gigabyte board does. What a fail for me.

So I thank you for your simple and straightforward answer. It's unfortunate that no one else here knew that, like myself. I think it's quite unfortunate that Gigabyte specifically says 'supports Crossfire' but does not state anywhere what so ever that this board does not support SLI. It's my fault for not knowing but it's Gigabyte's fault for not informing.

So what I'm going to do is return one card and step up the other to either a 260 or a 285. Suggestions on which card?

I would also like to know why EVGA doesn't produce a 280, but BFG, for example, does.

 

[Dangman]

I think it's quite unfortunate that Gigabyte specifically says 'supports Crossfire' but does not state anywhere what so ever that this board does not support SLI. It's my fault for not knowing but it's Gigabyte's fault for not informing.

I disagree: It's totally your fault. If you had done basic research, that info should have popped up. Many people here did know that. It's just that everyone assumed that if you have a SLI setup, you'd have a mobo capable of SLI. That's what I assumed and many others did since this is common knowledge.

Another lesson for everyone: Don't assume

So what I'm going to do is return one card and step up the other to either a 260 or a 285. Suggestions on which card?

I would also like to know why EVGA doesn't produce a 280, but BFG, for example, does.

What size monitor do you have? Do you need near max settings?

Oh and you should do a little research: eVGA did make a GTX280 card but they've either switched production to the the 285 or totally sold out:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130365

 

[BigBeef]

Many people here did know that.

I disagree. Tons of people here have SLI and would know about SLI-supporting chipsets or not, but after two weeks no one has even said the word 'chipset' in this thread. Also, tons of people here have the same board I do and I'm sure at least a few of them have an excellent understanding of this board, but still no one came forward. So I don't think that many people knew THIS chipset doesn't support SLI...unless many people did know, they just wanted to hide it and watch me fail... Most of the guys running SLI here seem to buy very high end boards anyway and skip over lower end boards like mine.

What size monitor do you have? Do you need near max settings?

I have a 24" Asus running 1920x1080. Most games should be able to be played maxed at that native resolution getting 40-60 FPS+. Crysis is acceptable on medium unless I can run it high with a GTX285. Basically I want to have at least the same peformance as the SLI 9800GT's would of had. I'm pretty sure that the 260 will at least perform as well, more than likely better because those 9800GT's don't OC for SHIT.

Oh and you should do a little research: eVGA did make a GTX280 card but they've either switched production to the the 285 or totally sold out:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130365

Exactly. Unfortunately that bad boy sold like hot cakes. This is the one I would have stepped up to but as Newegg clearly shows, it's deactivated which pretty much means they won't be getting more of that specific model. Also the 280 is not available for the EVGA step up program as listed on their website. So it doesn't even matter if they still produce it, I won't be getting one from their step up program.

Thanks for the help.

 

[Dangman]

GTX260 at a minimum. But if you have cash to burn/waste/spend and want max settings at high FPS, then get the GTX285.

 

[BigBeef]

GTX260 at a minimum. But if you have cash to burn/waste/spend and want max settings at high FPS, then get the GTX285.

I'm always burning/wasting/spending.

I have to enter my 9800GT to EVGA and see what the step up prices would be. If it's reasonable I'll probably take the 285. Plus I'll be returning the other 9800 for about $130.

The original plan was around $300 but what SLI 9800GT's should have performed I picked them up for $260. Plus I wanted to try SLI for the first time. So by returning one and stepping up the other, if the total price comes to $300 then I'm satisfied. It's not like I have a money cap I just...want to be reasonable. I better hurry up and do this or I'll convince myself to buy a 295.