Installing Crossfire

[technicks]

Can you?

Last week i tried everything outside the case. Installed all the mobo drivers, added 1 card + 1 bridge. Installed Catalyst 9.2 drivers with ccc added second card. Did not work.
Kept in both cards while removing driver again.
Reboot, both cards are in device manager. Installed driver again. Reboot. Success.
Enabled Crossfire in ccc and everything worked.

Since i had to return a psu. And get another one, i disconnected everything and let it rest for a week.

So yesterday i started on the Crossfire thing again. Still on Vista 32. Could not get it to work.
I tried one card, then adding a second. Tried both at the same time but nothing.
Removed drivers and ran driver cleaner in safe mode.
So i tried to install the graphic drivers again and then i got the message ''inf file not found''
Did not know how to fix it so i decided to install Vista 64.

At one time i got to the point that i got 2 cards in device manager but when i try to install the drivers again then it hangs on Vista booting up.

Could you give me some advice on how to get this working.

Btw. I can feel that 1 card is warm and the other stays cool. And i can only boot up with the DVI cable connected to the Club3d card if i try the Sapphire. It won't boot.

I really hope that the Sapphire card is not dead.
Because when it comes to bad luck on hardware, i had my share for this year.

 

[ShadowFold]

1.) Start by removing the drivers first with the ATI Uninstall Utility via the Add/Remove Programs of the Control Panel.
2.) Then uninstall the current Display Adapter(s) via the Device Manager.
3.) Power down and remove second card (if applicable).
4.) Boot into “Safe Mode” and use Driver Cleaner Pro to remove misc. drivers & registry entries. Follow up by using “Search” in the “All Files and Folders” with “ATI” as the search criteria for “All or part of the file name”. This will help clear any stragglers.
5.) Boot normally and install Catalyst flavor of choice.
6.) Power down and install second card (do not install Crossfire bridge at this point!).
7.) Boot and CANCEL out of Hadware Installation Wizard.
8.) Find second card in Device Manager (the Display Adapter with the yellow triangle) and right-click to “Update driver”. Use specific location and browse to original Catalyst install folder. (Normally C:/ATI/SUPPORT/8. xxxxxxx.xxx/DRIVER/(select folder based on current OS). This should install the driver on second card.
9.) Power down and install Crossfire bridge.

http://forums.techpowerup.com/showthread.php?t=51219


This always works for me. Also might want to try reinstall windows or doing a driver sweep.

 

[Wrigleyvillain]

You say that you hope 1 card isn't dead. Did you try them both by themselves? If you did you never specifically said so. And full specs always helpful. I don't have my sig to show off tho that much should be obvious

 

[technicks]

Sorry i did not state that. Specs are on the left btw.
Still no success. I tried separately booting up the cards but the Sapphire card wont boot.
Stays cold. I can boot up with 2 cards but only when the cable is connected to the Club3D card and there is only 1 card in the device list.

When i boot into safe mode both cards are available but 1 card has a problem and is not fully recognized.
So i think it's dead. Tried in my friends pc, also nothing. Really strange because 2 days back it worked just fine.

That's so fucked. I've been waiting so long to go Crossfire and now it doesn't work i feel like shit and i am fed up with this. Think i'm gonna buy a new MSI HD3870 on Ebay.
But i am also tempted to buy a new Asus EAH4870 DK that a friend got back from rma. I can buy that one for €150.

But then my whole idea of getting a X38/X48 board and going Crossfire is gone.
What's even shittier is that the store i bought it from is out of business.
What must i do with the card to rma?
Just call Sapphire or something?

 

[ShadowFold]

Try and RMA with the store you got it from first, it's usually faster. And yea call/email sapphire and they will RMA it.

 

[Wrigleyvillain]

Specs are on the left btw.

Oops I'm used to XS

Sorry to hear you need an RMA.

 

[technicks]

I know that a 3870 even in Crossfire wont do good. This was more the score then for gaming.
But since i need a new card if i get a 4870 512 with HDMI would this do, or do i need a 1Gb card?

 

[ShadowFold]

You don't need a 1gb but the 1gb card will only use 512mb.

 

[RevengE]

it's normal with a crossfire setup for one card to be cooler than the other. Check the to see if the fans are spinning.

 

[technicks]

Yeah well but if i have only one card installed and i get no screen. Fan is spinning . Like normal.

 

[technicks]

Could use some advice on which card to get now.
Still want Crossfire but a Asus EAH 4870 DK for €100 under its price is a very sweet deal.
But then i have a 3870 that i could not use.

So the options are:

Asus EAH 4870 DK for €150
MSI HD3870 for Crossfire for €80
Asus HD3870 X2 also for Crossfire with my HD3870 that i still have. for €140.

btw. I just got a new psu . The Corsair HX620.
Since i do want Crossfire, if i buy a HD3870 to Crossfire with my HD3870 or buy the HD4870 and get one for Crossfire later on. Will my psu be good enough?

So what should i choose.

 

[TRIPTEX_CAN]

I would go for the 3870x2 to run with the 3870 you have... I don't think i would use a 620HX for that though.

 

[technicks]

Thats it. I really don't want to buy a heavier psu. Gotta think of the power bill.
And since this one is brand new. Well, you get what i mean.

Those 3870's are very power hungry. Does the same count for the HD4870?
I have read that the HD3870X2 uses 200w at top load and the HD4870 will use 130w.True?
So 2 HD4870's in Crossfire would easily do with this psu.

 

[DrPepper]

Yep an RMA is in order. Happened to me with an 8800GT.

Also a more powerful psu does not increase your power bill. Example a 1300 watt psu that is only using 100 watts of its potential power is more efficient than a 150 watt psu. Although if the 1300watt psu was using 1300 watt then it would increase your bill.

 

[nafets]

From X-Bitlabs

The HX620W would be fine for either a HD3870X2 + HD3870 CF or HD4870 CF setup...

 

[technicks]

Yep an RMA is in order. Happened to me with an 8800GT.

Also a more powerful psu does not increase your power bill. Example a 1300 watt psu that is only using 100 watts of its potential power is more efficient than a 150 watt psu. Although if the 1300watt psu was using 1300 watt then it would increase your bill.

Yeah but i don't feel like spending 1300w money on a psu.
But thanks for enlightening me.

So if the psu is not really a problem what would be the most bang for the buck?
Als i would like to ask if there is very much difference in visual performance between the HD3870 and HD4870.

 

[DrPepper]

Yeah but i don't feel like spending 1300w money on a psu.
But thanks for enlightening me.

So if the psu is not really a problem what would be the most bang for the buck?
Als i would like to ask if there is very much difference in visual performance between the HD3870 and HD4870.

Just spreading a bit of knowledge Don't get a 1300watt psu though your hx620 should be fine.

 

[nafets]

...Example a 1300 watt psu that is only using 100 watts of its potential power is more efficient than a 150 watt psu...

That's far from true. Every PSU has a certain efficiency which varies depending on it's output. This usually falls along the lines of a common bell curve. A 1300W PSU would usually be less efficient outputting less than 10% (100W) of it's maximum wattage, compared to a smaller PSU, in the range of 300W to 450W. The 1300W PSU would operate at maximum efficiency at the top of the bell curve, mainly between an output of 600W to 900W (approximates).

The benefit of the larger PSU obviously is that you can hook up more stuff to it. Ideally you want to choose a PSU that will be operating in it's peak efficiency range (at the top of the bell curve), for a majority of it's time.

Using a too large PSU for a small load system, can actually cost more money (power bill-wise) than a properly sized smaller PSU.

This is all common knowledge stuff for most people, but I thought I'd elaborate a bit, as off topic as it may be...

 

[DrPepper]

I used 100 watt and 1300 watt as examples. They were the first numbers that popped into my head. While you gave a more accurate explanation than me they are pretty much saying the same thing.

Oh and OP I just recently made a xfire 3870 machine and it worked fine from a brand new copy of winxp. Just installed catalyst and enabled xfire and it was fine, Maybe you should try that.

 

[technicks]

I hate XP. That OS will never ever run on my pc again.
I tried the card in different pc and no luck.

But my question was what would be the best choice and if there is much visual performance between the HD3870X2 and HD4870?

 

[DrPepper]

I think a 3870X2 will perform better but I don't like the experiences of dual cards. I've used a 4870X2 and some games had issues with it even though it kicked thier arses performance wise. A 4870 will play any game on the market at highes settings and it will be playable without any rediculous issues. However if you don't mind that get a 3870X2

 

[technicks]

Also considering that i want HD4870 in Crossfire?

 

[DrPepper]

Also considering that i want HD4870 in Crossfire?

I don't actualy have any experience running 4870's in crossfire so I think someone on here might be able to tell you what its like.

 

[erocker]

Uninstalling/Installing Video Drivers
CrossFire and Optimization

If those are followed and things still aren't working, use a different version of Catalyst drivers, and make sure your motherboard chipset drivers are up to date.

*I'm a little confused with your PSU. I didn't know that Corsair made a 650W modular PSU. Mine is a 620 watt and is modular. It also only has two 6 pin pci-e connectors. How exactly are you powering both cards?

 

[DrPepper]

Hendrix is probably right follow his advice.