I just built a new computer with the following specs: Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 2.4 Ghz MSI 975x Platinum Power Up Version (v7.4 BIOS) 4 x 1GB Corsair XMS2 DDR800 150 GB WD Raptor 2 x Sapphire Radeon X1950 Pro (Catalyst 7.3 Display Drivers installed) OCZ GameXstream 700W Power Supply Windows XP SP2 (Updated) Samsung 226BW Monitor Viewsonic VX2245wm Monitor The computer works fine with just 1 video card plugged in. However, once I try to crossfire the 2nd video card, the BIOS and windows XP screen boot up, but when it comes time to loading the desktop, the screen goes blank or a bunch of black and white squares with colorful dots appear. Can someone help me troubleshoot this problem, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks in advance.
Can you use the second card on it's own? If not then it's faulty. If so then the bridge may be damaged, can you run in non-crossfire?
The 1st and 2nd cards work individually, so it doesn't seem like the cards are faulty. However, the blank screen and checkerboard effects appear when I connect the bridges and boot up windows xp to enable crossfire mode. I have not yet made it to the point where ATI Catalyst asks me if I want to enable crossfire nor the the desktop yet with bridges connected and both video cards powered on.
It may be a faulty bridge or motherboard. The problem is that there's nowhere that I can find which has the board running in Crossfire. Can you boot with the bridges in safe mode (F5/F8 on boot)?
Nope, it doesn't seem like I can boot with bridges in safe mode as well. Perhaps it might be a mobo problem. Thanks for all your help so far though.
The only thing I can perceive it being is a problem with the bridges or the motherboard. But I'm wondering if it's worth you stress testing the system, including the graphics cards. May be worth you contacting Sapphire and/or MSI as well/.
Okay, sorry to interupt with another question. I have a ECM Extreme ATi Crossfire board and only 1 Radeon X1950 PRO. I wanted to upgrade my graphics card, but the price seems far to steep to have better performance than the X1950. What if I just add another X1950 ? Will it make such a big difference in the performance in the games? And can I just add a normal X1950 PRO or must it be a crossfire main card or something like that? Oh, and where do yo get this bridge thing you keep talking about?
The bridge is the communication between the two cards, if you're doing it via drivers, there may be a problem with the currently installed ones, if you're using the external dongle (bridge) then there could be a problem with that. The X1950s don't have a master/slave combination anymore I think (don't quote me on that) if there are master cards, and you don't have one, I'd advise that route, but try and get as close a match to your existing card as possible (i.e. same manufacturer, RAM, and PRO)
Thank you so much!! Okay, so where does one get this bridge connector thingie? And the biggest question of all: Is it worth it? My X1950 is a 256mb, 256bit gpu, if I had to add another X1950 with the same specs, would it give me the performance of..lets say, a 384mb,384bit gpu?
Nope, it gives you the power of two 256MB, 256bit GPUs Means that both cards can work together, can't remember the exact figures but it is a significant improvement. The question is though: DO you need more power?
Well, I actually would love more power at my disposal. For instance, playing a game like ARMA or call of juarez, i would like to be playing it with all options on and graphics set to the highest with the highest AA. So, can I then take it that one 384mb, 384bit gpu will outperform two 256mb,256bit gpu's? Any idea where i can maybe read up on crossfire stats on the net?
One more powerful card usually beats two weaker ones in crossfire. An 8800GTS/GTX of any type should outperform dual x1950pros in crossfire in most games, and have DirectX 10 capabilities. If you can only afford another x1950pro, then that will offer a performance boost, but not the same as buying a more powerful(as well as more expensive) single card. In response to DougEdey, x1950xt/xtx need a master edition card, but for x1950pros a normal card can function as either master card or slave card, which removes the need for a specific crossfire edition model. All of the HD 2000 series cards feature that form of crossfire as well.
Okay, but now, my mobo is ATi Crossfire edition board - would I not be causing **** if I then place a nvidia 8800gts in there?
Nope, I think it was tom's hardware a while back that compared using ATI cards on nVidia and Intel chipsets, and nVidia cards on ATI and Intel chipsets. The result was that there really isn't a difference. You just have to be sure you remove the ATI video card drivers before you go to install the nVidia ones to avoid driver issues.
