[SOLVED] To use PCIe x16 slot, must the 2nd GPU be physically removed?

[Gcs_deV]

I have an MSI x370 Gaming Plus mobo with 2 GPUs, 1st in the x16, and 2nd in the x8. In this case both slots become x8 as normal.
Is it enough to disable the 2nd GPU in Device Manager to get the 1st slot to run at x16, or does the GPU have to be physically removed from the mobo slot?
Thank you!

 

[Lutfij]

If you're disabling the GPU in Device Manager, why not just remove the GPU physically and not have the PCIe lanes detected to bifurcate the lanes being fed to the first PCIe slot?

 

[Gcs_deV]

If you're disabling the GPU in Device Manager, why not just remove the GPU physically and not have the PCIe lanes detected to bifurcate the lanes being fed to the first PCIe slot?

The plan is to be able to switch between the two states quickly and easily. It would be Single GPU @x16 for gaming, and Double GPU @x8 for 3D and video rendering.

 

[kanewolf]

The plan is to be able to switch between the two states quickly and easily. It would be Single GPU @x16 for gaming, and Double GPU @x8 for 3D and video rendering.

Have you tested if your gaming performance actually changes in an x16 vs x8 situation ?

 

[Zerk2012]

What video cards? You can enable and disable SLI

https://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch001167.htm

Have not used SLI in so long not sure if it will change the main card back to X16 but it should not really matter since it takes the latest high end cards to saturate a PCI-E 2.0 X16 lane a 3.0 X8 lane is very close to the same thing.

https://www.techpowerup.com/review/nvidia-geforce-rtx-2080-ti-pci-express-scaling/6.html