2 5970's, cannot tell if Crossfire is working

[themarshall]

I'm running a Windows 7 system with (2) 30" monitors at 2560x1600 and recently upgraded from a pair of GTX295's to a pair of the 5970's. I had not been running fraps or anything to determine my FPS previously and the only benchmark I had really was a Windows score of 7.9 (which i believe is as high as it goes currently) with the 295's. When I put the new 5970's in I benchmarked a 7.7 (the 295's were a 7.5 without SLI) so I started to wonder if these 5970's were really using a quad-way Crossfire. This was really straightforward with the Nvidia SLI tool, but when I open the ATI tool there is no option for Crossfire so I can't tell if it's configured. I read somewhere that they disable the Crossfire option with the 5970's so you don't accidentally uncheck it (since the 5970 is using crossfire by design.) I did look through the 'hardware configuration' and see all 4 GPU's with none disabled. But seriously why can't I just see if/where Crossfire is enabled. If it IS enabled, I'm wondering why the score is lower (Granted it's just a Windows 7 score, but still shouldn't be lower.)

Please help!

Thanks!

 

[SiRkIt]

If it does then dell most of modified the bios. I can't see nVidia doing it there worse than most about limiting or crippling rivals products when they can.

http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/download.aspx?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&releaseid=R202604&SystemID=XPS_730&servicetag=&os=WLH&osl=en&deviceid=15363&devlib=0&typecnt=0&vercnt=5&catid=-1&impid=-1&formatcnt=1&libid=1&typeid=-1&dateid=-1&formatid=-1&fileid=281868

the bios update for that computer does say that it
1. Enhanced Nvidia workaround.
2. Change incorrect memory information in BIOS.

does Nvidia workaround = CrossfireX support ?

 

[bystander]

I wonder if his mobo lacks the bios change that allows CF to work, if that's what it takes.

 

[themarshall]

interesting find. It is indeed an Nvidia motherboard and I'm wondering if this is the problem. I am running the latest BIOS. One more datapoint. CPU-Z says Crossfire enabled (2GPU) when I cable one monitor to each card. If I cable both monitors to one card it says Crossfire is DISABLED. I find it frustrating that the instructions say to go to the "Graphics menu" of the Control Center and select Crossfire. Well I don't have Crossfire as an option in the menu. I'm not impressed with ATI's drivers/software. I was looking forward to getting EyeFinity working as well but that's a nice-to-have. Getting Crossfire is more of a should have.

 

[bystander]

This one sounds more likely a problem with the mobo. I wouldn't blame the drivers on this one. Crossfire is only shown/availible when it see's two cards in crossfire configuration. SLI is the same way.

 

[sabot00]

nVidia mobos don't CrossFire.

 

[themarshall]

certainly not if they're from Nvidia, but if Dell modifies (or has Nvidia modify in as a part of the contract) them I don't see why they wouldn't work? Even many of the new gaming systems that offer ATI cards use Nvidia chipsets.