GPU placement on motherboard

TheMawn · 2013-08-16, 00:46

With my new GPU coming in soon, I've been giving a bit of thought as to how I will arrange them inside my case. I have plenty of room for both.

Motherboard:

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product...82E16813131854

GPU used for my monitor, and mfaktc while I don't need the GPU for anything else:

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product...82E16814130787

New GPU used solely for mfaktc:

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product...82E16814121656

My case mounts the PSU at the bottom which unfortunately interferes with the bottom slot as I would have to have a 1.5 slot card. Beside the PSU, there's just barely room for a 120mm fan which I have installed, which blows a bit more air up into the GPU area.

It would be best for me if the ASUS card could go in the top slot and the EVGA in the bottom one. I've heard of some issues where the motherboard will refuse to boot if the top slot isn't populated with a GPU, but mine will be. It just won't be displaying anything.

Note, I am perfectly okay with my display video card only getting x8 bandwidth.

I will be trying this myself when I get the cards but it would avoid a good bit of hassle if anyone could confirm right away if I can have my non-display video card in the top slot without any issue.

kladner · 2013-08-16, 01:43

I just moved my monitor cable from the GTX 570 (top slot) to the 460 (third slot). After a brief blackout the monitor came back up with exactly the same screen. Nvidia Control Panel added the 460 to the Multi Display page.

Motherboard. As with TheMawn's board, the bottom slot crowds against the PSU in a mid tower. I guess it could be used by a high-powered RAID card, or something.

TheMawn · 2013-08-16, 02:29

Thanks, Kladner. I almost went and complained that this isn't what I had in mind, but in fact, yes it is!

kladner · 2013-08-16, 02:54

YW. I actually misstated slightly. All my open, minimized browser windows resized smaller. I suspect there was a brief moment of some low resolution while the monitor went to sleep and woke up.

TheMawn · 2013-08-17, 01:58

I've just gotten my new GPU (660Ti) and installed it in the top slot (I assume this is going to be GPU 0?) and the GPU I want for my display (670) is now in the slot below (GPU 1).

When first turning my computer back on, the display was black and the monitor's power button was glowing yellow indicating it was getting no input signal. I plugged the monitor into the 660Ti and got the display to pop up. I needed a driver update so I got that, though the GTX 670 and GTX 660Ti use the same drivers. After installing them, I switched the cable again and got a display, but it was only showing an extension of the desktop.

The computer somehow thought two displays were active, which might make sense since each video card was reporting its own display. I told windows to "make this display my main one" and it gave me my desktop back. After a reboot, the computer only thinks the one display exists and everything looks fine.

The only problem I now have is that my monitor will only "wake up" on the Windows welcome screen. The whole boot process (short, mind, since I have an SSD) occurs "through" the GTX660Ti as it is in the main PCI-E slot.

Is there something I can do to tell my computer that the GTX 670 is the main display?

sdbardwick · 2013-08-17, 02:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheMawn

Is there something I can do to tell my computer that the GTX 670 is the main display?

A quick look through the user manual's BIOS options suggests not. It allows you to set PCIE as the first adapter, but not which slot, so whatever is in the first PCIE slot will be primary until Windows boots.

TheMawn · 2013-08-17, 04:24

I'll take a look at the manual myself too. I was sort of hoping I wouldn't have to go so deep to find a fix. Thanks.

kladner · 2013-08-17, 04:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by sdbardwick

A quick look through the user manual's BIOS options suggests not. It allows you to set PCIE as the first adapter, but not which slot, so whatever is in the first PCIE slot will be primary until Windows boots.

Yikes. Didn't think of that. I just swapped the cable in Windows.

2013-08-16, 00:46	#1
TheMawn May 2013 East. Always East. 11×157 Posts	GPU placement on motherboard With my new GPU coming in soon, I've been giving a bit of thought as to how I will arrange them inside my case. I have plenty of room for both. Motherboard: http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product...82E16813131854 GPU used for my monitor, and mfaktc while I don't need the GPU for anything else: http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product...82E16814130787 New GPU used solely for mfaktc: http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product...82E16814121656 My case mounts the PSU at the bottom which unfortunately interferes with the bottom slot as I would have to have a 1.5 slot card. Beside the PSU, there's just barely room for a 120mm fan which I have installed, which blows a bit more air up into the GPU area. It would be best for me if the ASUS card could go in the top slot and the EVGA in the bottom one. I've heard of some issues where the motherboard will refuse to boot if the top slot isn't populated with a GPU, but mine will be. It just won't be displaying anything. Note, I am perfectly okay with my display video card only getting x8 bandwidth. I will be trying this myself when I get the cards but it would avoid a good bit of hassle if anyone could confirm right away if I can have my non-display video card in the top slot without any issue.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Motherboard for Xeon	ATH	Hardware	7	2015-10-10 02:13
Help choosing motherboard please.	Flatlander	GPU Computing	4	2011-01-26 08:15
Motherboard Temperature	lycorn	Hardware	1	2004-09-04 16:44
Motherboard Selection Help	jugbugs	Hardware	13	2004-06-04 15:59
Silicone on Motherboard?	clowns789	Hardware	6	2003-06-23 01:57

2013-08-16, 01:43	#2
kladner "Kieren" Jul 2011 In My Own Galaxy! 10011110101110₂ Posts	I just moved my monitor cable from the GTX 570 (top slot) to the 460 (third slot). After a brief blackout the monitor came back up with exactly the same screen. Nvidia Control Panel added the 460 to the Multi Display page. Motherboard. As with TheMawn's board, the bottom slot crowds against the PSU in a mid tower. I guess it could be used by a high-powered RAID card, or something.

2013-08-16, 02:29	#3
TheMawn May 2013 East. Always East. 6BF₁₆ Posts	Thanks, Kladner. I almost went and complained that this isn't what I had in mind, but in fact, yes it is!

2013-08-16, 02:54	#4
kladner "Kieren" Jul 2011 In My Own Galaxy! 2·3·1,693 Posts	YW. I actually misstated slightly. All my open, minimized browser windows resized smaller. I suspect there was a brief moment of some low resolution while the monitor went to sleep and woke up.

2013-08-17, 01:58	#5
TheMawn May 2013 East. Always East. 11×157 Posts	I've just gotten my new GPU (660Ti) and installed it in the top slot (I assume this is going to be GPU 0?) and the GPU I want for my display (670) is now in the slot below (GPU 1). When first turning my computer back on, the display was black and the monitor's power button was glowing yellow indicating it was getting no input signal. I plugged the monitor into the 660Ti and got the display to pop up. I needed a driver update so I got that, though the GTX 670 and GTX 660Ti use the same drivers. After installing them, I switched the cable again and got a display, but it was only showing an extension of the desktop. The computer somehow thought two displays were active, which might make sense since each video card was reporting its own display. I told windows to "make this display my main one" and it gave me my desktop back. After a reboot, the computer only thinks the one display exists and everything looks fine. The only problem I now have is that my monitor will only "wake up" on the Windows welcome screen. The whole boot process (short, mind, since I have an SSD) occurs "through" the GTX660Ti as it is in the main PCI-E slot. Is there something I can do to tell my computer that the GTX 670 is the main display?

2013-08-17, 04:24	#7
TheMawn May 2013 East. Always East. 1727₁₀ Posts	I'll take a look at the manual myself too. I was sort of hoping I wouldn't have to go so deep to find a fix. Thanks.