PCI express x8 instead of x16

[Dragotan]

Hi there!

I have search the Net but could not find info anywere regarding this anomaly.

My displaycard's properties (Sparkle GeForce 7800 GTX 256Mb) shows a bus of only x8 when it should (as far as I know) show x16. I am using an Epox EP9NPA3-SLI motherboard.

There are no switches or toggles to switch or toggle on the mobo. I have the latest mobo, displaycard and bios drivers installed. Have tried every available setting in the bios as well, still no joy.

The displaycard is fitted to the primary PCI express slot on the mobo.

CPU-Z reports the following under the tab Graphic Interface:
Link width: x8
Max Supported: x8

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Christo

PC Specs:

AMD Athlon 64 X2 4800+
2x 1 Gb DDR400 memory (pc3200)
Sparkle GeForce 7800 GTX (256Mb)
Epox EP9NPA3-SLI
PSU: Antec SP-500 (500w)
SATA-2 160Gb HHD
Windows XP Pro (build 2600)
Nvidia Forceware 81.98

 

[Crashman]

Is there a place in BIOS to select SLI or single mode?

Have you tried the other x16 slot?

 

[Heyyou27]

You might need to place a shadowed card in the second slot.

 

[Dragotan]

Thanks for the replies guys!

Nope, no place in the bios to change anything. I have even updated the bios and have read the motherboard's manual over and over again. They don't give much info. I have tried various setting as well in the bios to no avail.

The card is in the primary slot, as indicated on the motherboard. I haven't tried it in the secondary slot yet, that sounds like a plan.

Not familiar with a shadow card. Maybe I should live like a vagrant for a month or two, save up some money and buy a second card.

My pc is working fine with excellent graphics, I am just curios over the x8 I saw...

Regards
Christo

 

[tsf]

look what i came across:


http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products...iew.aspx?ProductID=1955&ProductName=GA-G1975X

notice no.3 on the features. (thinking:'what the hell!' right?)

can someone plz explain this to dragontan as well as me!!!

 

[Crashman]

The Gigabyte board you referenced seems to have fixed pathways at x8 times two, rather than flexible pathways (x8 times two or x16 times one).

That Gigabyte board also have open-ended x4 slots, so a user could have four x16 cards installed, two running in x8 and two in x4 mode.

 

[Dragotan]

Well slap me silly!

There you go, my mobo suffers from Dissociative Identity Disorder...