It depends. With current drivers, it's very important to install both cards at the same time...so if adding a card, remove the drivers before installing the second, boot with both cards installed, install the driver, and then reboot, even if not prompted to.

Last year, you'd want to add each card, one at a time. I dunno why it's so different now, but I've had far less issues doing it the way I described.

i didnt remove my drivers before switching the 5770s out with 4850s, no problems

Single monitor, perhaps? Or perhaps the 4850's had been on that windows install before?

I'm using, typically, 3+ monitors, and going to the 5-series I had a few issues getting things just right.

Playing with eyefinity has been an unwelcome reminder for me of how important monitor config is on possible issues. :laugh:

nope i just got them yesterday, or was it thursday, but anyways, i had only the 5770s on that windows install before, i just plugged in the cards, windows installed the rest and i restarted and using them now

remember så have an active display port adapter or a display with 1 display port, but i guess you know that, but only in order to get eyefinity to work i think

I'm using displayport monitors. I had to install the drivers properly to get rid of flicker on the secondary monitors(DVI), and issues running 1920x1080(really weird flicker with one image much smaller than the other) in 3D, but desktop OK. Also, secondary card wouldn't like any overclock at all.

Then, I had to make sure to have the displayport monitor on the far left to prevent weird dropouts when switching from 2D to 3D.

But everything is working great now, had some fun benching with both cards @ 1ghz, and 4ghz cpu.

I've already had 4-series on this wondows install, so I know it will work fine, but getting the 5-series going was a huge pain. I played with a 5970, and Crossfire wasn't even an option until screwing around with re-isntalling the driver.

woot that sounds pretty annoying, but good it turned out good in the end:D

weird, but i havent tried from 4xxx to 5xxx on same install only reverse

Well, I went from 2 4890 cards, down to a single 5870...that was OK. Updated driver. No problems, monitors were just set up that way.

Moved monitors to do some 2560x1600 benching.

Swapped for second identical card. Card was dead.

Swapped for third identical card, everything was ok.

Swapped back to eyefinity monitors, displayport in the middle.

Tested card, everything was OK.

Added the very first card as secondary. Problems ensued.:laugh:

AOD didn't work, Everest stopped working(still doesn't, but i know why), flicker, 3D issues, etc...uninstalled driver, re-installed, and it was fine.

When I first tried 5870 Crossfitre eyefinity, it didn't work at all. :laugh:

woot i had given up on that hahaXD

but 1 question, i have my 2 5770s,

if i want eyefinity, can i put 2 monitors on the 2 first DVI's and the 3rd monitor on the second cards dvi? or wont that work?

I'm running a P5K-E w/ wifi now and it being a p35 board only supports 1 pci-e = 16x ,2x = 8x + 8x. I want to test them with it first. Then after a few test and benchmarks, I plan to put a P5Q pro P45 board in to replace it. Just wondering how big of a difference it will be.. you know?

I like my P5K-E board because of the extra stuff. Hopefully with in the next few months I'll be moving over to i7.

the black pci-e port only supports 4x maximum, and the blue 16x according to asus http://www.asus.com/product.aspx?P_ID=dFAMIWrZWGgB1GuJ

so yeah you should get a bit of performance increase by switching to the other board i guess, just ask ColdStom, he ran 16x4x on he's p55 board untill he got a long cf bridge and he got a decent increase afaik.

you wont really get THAT much performance increase by moving to i7 platform, thats more if you do editiong and stuff like that, (and that comes from me who is switching from AMD to x58:laugh: )

Ahh yea that's right.. I couldn't remember if it was 8x+8x or 16x+8xor4x.. but yea I hope to see a big gain over my GTX285. About the I7 i would just be switching to help out my fellow crunchers.

well one 5850 is about as strong as a 285, so you should have a CRAZY increase:D
thats noble of you :toast: also the main reasen for me, + i like the i7 capabilitys more than the amd

actually a 5850 is about 15% faster then a 285 more so when u overclock them like mad :toast: so it should be a healthy increase none the less

Won't work. Otherwise, Eyefinity would work with earlier cards in Crossfire pairs.

i read that in a eyefinity config pdf from ati's homepage, it should only be a driver issue afaik, lets hope they fix that shit,

cause i have a 22" 1680x1050 now, and can get 2 more for 120$ each, but no DP on them, only DVI, and i dont wanna pay 130$ for an active DP adapter,

but maybe i should just get a grip and order a monitor with DP in it? should be like 350$

I paid like $229 a peice for Dell P2310H's @ 1920x1080.

yeah and you prob live in the US somewhere, take that amount, and add at least 20% + some weird taxes and other shit so it'll end up with 35%

yup, plugging it in is all you should need to do.

i add/remove my second card all the time, and dont do anything special whatsoever.

and Don, remember, there is (almost) no stupid questions, only stupid answers bro:toast:

once upon a time, a friend of mine screwed that up. we told him he'd asked a stupid question, and he replied "there are no stupid questions, only stupid people."

we just stared at him, he never got it.

ROFL, he def got that one wrong:roll:

Dude, how many Dons are in this clubhouse? I'm so confused:laugh:

well you're the only other Don in this thread afaik so must be you i mean hahaXD

Oops, I completely glossed over the fact that Mussels quoted me and my question. Reading fail.

haha shit happens man! :roll: