Setting up Sli

[RickRuski]

Last ime I checked both cards were up around 95% ( within 1% of each other) and running temps were about 58--59 deg. The EVGA GTS 450 is the hotter of the two, and the Asus GTS 450 runs slightly cooler. As I have said I use EVGA Precision tool to balance both cards and find this helps. Don't know if you noticed in the above reply to "Purg" I have set Physics processor to CPU. Maybe if we all try optimising the profile settings we could get one that will work for all. Takes about 3--4 min for both cards to reach normal running temps. and I am getting good playable fps over ground cockpit "on" (London raid 45--60fps depending on activity ) with all setting on "High" except buildings and forests "Med" Very happy with the performance of the 450's would love to go to better cards but after a major rebuild the dollars ran out. Next upgrade I hope.

Also I detuned my O/C cards back to stock freq and voltages through "Prcision Tool" and "Nvidia Inspector", found they became better balanced

Cheers

Rick

[EZ1]

I was told by EVGA suport that the cards will balance themselves. I have 2 EVGA 480s, one superclocked the other is standard. They work very well in other SLI applications, especially IL-2 classic. I may try your setup today.

Thanks.

[katdogfizzow]

Originally Posted by RickRuski

Last ime I checked both cards were up around 95% ( within 1% of each other) and running temps were about 58--59 deg. The EVGA GTS 450 is the hotter of the two, and the Asus GTS 450 runs slightly cooler. As I have said I use EVGA Precision tool to balance both cards and find this helps. Don't know if you noticed in the above reply to "Purg" I have set Physics processor to CPU. Maybe if we all try optimising the profile settings we could get one that will work for all. Takes about 3--4 min for both cards to reach normal running temps. and I am getting good playable fps over ground cockpit "on" (London raid 45--60fps depending on activity ) with all setting on "High" except buildings and forests "Med" Very happy with the performance of the 450's would love to go to better cards but after a major rebuild the dollars ran out. Next upgrade I hope.

Also I detuned my O/C cards back to stock freq and voltages through "Prcision Tool" and "Nvidia Inspector", found they became better balanced

Cheers

Rick

really wow...looks like I may have to give it a shot again, thanks. q= any reason why you have triple buffering off? My cards are from Gigabyte...cant use Precision Tool but Ill assume everything the same out of box..no oc here

[katdogfizzow]

Originally Posted by RickRuski

Although I have only recently gone Sli I feel that I have found some things that help to get it running reasonably well.

(1) make SURE that all settings are the same in all adjustments (control panel, Invidia Inspector, etc) sometimes I have found that they aren't.

(2) Try and get all cards balanced so that voltages, frequencies, etc are the same. ( I use EVGA precision Tool for this purpose available at EVGA , my two cards are from different stables and therefore not the same clocks etc.)

(3) Overclocking sometimes has a negative effect (although my cards are factory O/C I have turned them down to stock settings and find them more stable)

Hope these few things that I have found during testing help others who might be struggling.

Here are my new "Profile" settings applied after 285.27 beta driver.

Sli compatibility bits (DX10) = 0x00000011
Sli compatibility bits = 0x00000011
AA-mode = override any application setting
AA-setting = 2x (2x Multisampling)
AA-Transparency Multisampling = Enabled
AA-Transparency Supersampling = Off/ Multisampling
Text filtering-Anisotropic sample opt.= OFF
Text filtering-Negative LOD Bias = Clamp
Text filtering-Quality = Quality
Text filtering-Trilinear opt. = OFF
Max pre-rendered frames = 3
Multi-display/mixed-GPUacceleration = Single display performance mode
Power management mode = Adaptive
Treaded optimization = Auto
Triple buffering = OFF
Vertical Sync = Force on

Sli : -

AA-SliAA = AA MODE SELECTOR SLIAA ENABLED
Number of GPU's to use Sli = SLI_GPU_COUNT_TWO
NVIDIA predefined No.GPU's = SLI_PREDEFINED_GPU_COUNT_DX10_TWO
NVIDIA predefined No. GPU's = SLI_PREDEFINED_GPU_COUNT_TWO
NVIDIApredefined SLI mode DX10 = SLI_PREDEFINED_MODE_DX10_FORCE_AFR
NVIDIA predefined Sli mode = SLI_PREDEFINED_MOED_FORCE_AFR
SLI rendering mode = SLI_RENDERING_MODE_FORCE_AFR

Other : -

Do not display this profile in the C/P = CPL_HIDDEN_PROFILE_DISABLED
Enable application for Optimus = 0x00000011 (Il-2 Sturmovik: Cliffs of Dover)

In the "Nvidia Control Panel" Sli setup RH panel I have set "PhysX settings" = cpu

Now have smooth play after cards reach operating temps.
Get EVGA "Precision" tool to show fps and card temps, also to balance frequencies and voltages. These will display on screen instead of using "Fraps".

My latest screen shot from "London Attack" after applying 285.27 and "Profile"update

I have had some feed back from the members at "Nvidia Sli Club" on my profiles, they seem to work ok with dual cards but not with 3+ cards in Sli. Those who are using 3+ cards all I can suggest is try different things in "Nvidia Inspector" to get the best results you can until an official release for Sli is done. (17/9/2011)


RickRuski

Didn't work with my Gigabyte 460s. Still the slow and jittery fps mess. Also did C/P = CPL_HIDDEN_PROFILE_DISABLED, Enable application for Optimus = 0x00000011 and "PhysX settings" = cpu

thanks for sharing, looks like my hardware is a no go with this profile

[EZ1]

I just got it all set up and and running per instructions from RickRuski. Results: Yes, it runs evenly on both GPUs. Yes, it is pretty smooth but not quite as smooth as single GPU. But, I don't see any performance improvement. I would think SLI isn't going to give us much until they get AA working right.

Thanks again for the info.

[snwkill]

Very well done, noticed a bit of improvement but I also fly with grass off because it is easier to see runways. Thanks though, only time it pauses is when I am looking around like a mad man trying to find my pursuer

[RickRuski]

Hi Snwkill,

I am at the moment trying to get the best I can from the current situation with "Dover", that means I will accept advise and or sugestions from all. We will all have some input that we can try, and the more that try with Sli the better we could achieve with our performance until an "offical" profile is provided.

I also fly with Grass and Shadows "Off", cant see any sense in having a performance hit from 1500 mtrs up.

My setup that I have posted is what is working for me, I realise that it won't for everyone but lets keep at it, then the developers will see that there is enough of us using Sli to warrant some effort there.

[RickRuski]

Hi Katdogfizzow,

Sorry for the slow reply, I have tried "Triple Buffering" but found no visible difference on my system so I left it "OFF'.

[EZ1]

I forgot to mention. I have all vedio settings at highest, except grass and SSAO are off and Landscape shading is medium. The only time my frame rates are in the unacceptable range is when I am flying low over a lot of buildings and when there is a lot of smoke in the field of view.

[katdogfizzow]

Originally Posted by RickRuski

Hi Katdogfizzow,

Sorry for the slow reply, I have tried "Triple Buffering" but found no visible difference on my system so I left it "OFF'.

Ok, just wondering as they supposedly work hand in hand. Thanks again for the feedback and the info.

I did notice my voltages fluctuate a bit, but I believe its from one card being idle when Im monitoring. Not sure what else I could try. I'll have to just wait for the profile I guess.

Getting 35-40fps over London so Im quite happy as is....I am SLI enabled, but the second card isn't working to capacity...~10%