Dual 3870x2 thread

[purecain]

OK first of all i'd just like to say, that the build quality of these cards is remarkable..... they truely are quality...
also i just found out that the gddr4 version will be out middle of april... (typical)

once i was able to pri them from the clutches of the delivery company and get them inside i soon realised the size of my case, for the first time ever was going to cause me a problem...
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>4 hours later and one hard drive relocated the cards went straight in....

i've let vista Ultimate 64bit redetect the cards in install the catalyst 8.2



so now i'm dllin the new RC3 beta CrossfireX drivers...correction just finished dllin the new drivers... will update with results asap...


ok i'm having serious problems updating the driver through device manager... i simply cannot get the driver to appear when i deselect the compatible hardware check box....
if anyone knows why i'd appreciate any advice on this matter..................

[Waymon3X6]

Have you tried the 8.4 betas?

Chaos has 2 3870x2's workin, maybe he can help./

[xMrBunglex]

why do you use the device manager? i've owned ATI cards for years and always used the control panel to uninstall old driver and double-click the new driver to install it.

[jimmyz]

why do you use the device manager? i've owned ATI cards for years and always used the control panel to uninstall old driver and double-click the new driver to install it.

these drivers do not have the proper ini for 3870x2 so you have to install as another card which is supported. I have it seeing my cards as 3450's and now i have an option for crosssfire in ccc but all of ccc is greyed out. no overdrive no options in crossfire, though there are options for diagnostics and config. but no way to use them yet. I am gonna fool around a few hours but so far no- go. benches are fine but not using the second card. although I thing 23,500 is probably a world record for a 3450.. gpu-z and futuremark both show it as that now.

[purecain]

thats funny man... well its interesting to hear about the options your able to use with it installed.. so this isnt the test driver thats going around.... or is it....?

[jimmyz]

8.451.1 is what everest says

[Waymon3X6]

why do you use the device manager? i've owned ATI cards for years and always used the control panel to uninstall old driver and double-click the new driver to install it.

That's what I do too. It is a lot easier. All you do is select the "ATI -Software Uninstall utility" to be uninstalled - and it completely removes everything.

Also, these drivers are said to work with Crossfire-X

http://phyxion.net/cat_view/2-drivers/3-ati.html

I may try them - even though I dont have 2 3870x2's but they might give my 3870s a little extra power.

[Waymon3X6]

Here's someone who got them to work in CF-X

http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1280499

[purecain]

well thanks to some of the greatest tech people on the net here at xtremesystems i have managed to get it working... heres my first run....
http://service.futuremark.com/compare?3dm06=5571527

[EvilBellyLint]

I still have the 2 HD3870's I purchased the day of Release,
but have yet to build my MSI K9A2 rig (waiting on my new
WD6400AAKS drives) but will try and post some results
once I have it up and running.


EBL

[road-runner]

well thanks to some of the greatest tech people on the net here at xtremesystems i have managed to get it working... heres my first run....
http://service.futuremark.com/compare?3dm06=5571527

Wow, not much better than a single card. Are you sure they are both working? If they are I see no reason to get a second card. I get 19,300 with one card...

[EvilBellyLint]

Wow, not much better than a single card. Are you sure they are both working? If they are I see no reason to get a second card. I get 19,300 with one card...

eventually I may see how 3 or 4 do in the MSI K9A2 Platinum


EBL

[Waymon3X6]

Wow, not much better than a single card. Are you sure they are both working? If they are I see no reason to get a second card. I get 19,300 with one card...

Well keep in mind that those are beta drivers, and although I dont own a 3870x2, I own 2x 3870s and score 20k with my setup and Quad @ 4Ghz - that 22k score was with their quad at 3.8 I believe. Seems about right...

[purecain]

the 8.3 cats scale much better... so that is not an issue... i had 19700 with one card...

i was just pleased to of gotten them working...

but even with these drivers i'm sure that an extra 400mhz on the core would give a massive improvement....

[darkorb]

Those cards will mainly shine when u up the RES and the AA/AF

Why test a Formula one car in a school zone?

[road-runner]

Debating on buying another 3870x2. I already have 2-2900xts that will do 22,300

[Waymon3X6]

Damn roadrunner, 4.2Ghz on the quad??? What was your cooling solution? I see you have your stuff under water, but is it all under 1 loop? What were your temps and what was the Quad at?(Volts)

If you get a 3870x2, I believe you could crossfire that with a 2900XT, just so you know... You would need a new waterblock for the 3870x2 though.

Anyways, If you could overclock the 3870x2 to the speeds you had on the 2900s then there might be a slight improvement, but not by much.

[road-runner]

Damn roadrunner, 4.2Ghz on the quad??? What was your cooling solution? I see you have your stuff under water, but is it all under 1 loop? What were your temps and what was the Quad at?(Volts)

If you get a 3870x2, I believe you could crossfire that with a 2900XT, just so you know... You would need a new waterblock for the 3870x2 though.

Anyways, If you could overclock the 3870x2 to the speeds you had on the 2900s then there might be a slight improvement, but not by much.

No, I have two loops one for the video cards and one for the quad and northbridge. I had to quad set on 1.65 in the bios for that run, temps hmm, I did not look. It never runs over 51c-52c at 3.96 full load folding or running WCG. I do not run it that speed all the time that was just for to run 3DMark06. My 24/7 is 3.96.

[Waymon3X6]

Ok, I was just curious as I would like to gain a few points with my setup. Currently we have fairly cool weather here (about -2C) so I am thinking of putting my rig outside and overclocking the Quad to 4.2Ghz+.

What were your 2900XT's at?

[road-runner]

Ok, I was just curious as I would like to gain a few points with my setup. Currently we have fairly cool weather here (about -2C) so I am thinking of putting my rig outside and overclocking the Quad to 4.2Ghz+.

What were your 2900XT's at?

My 29900xt is at 940/970, the other is a 2900 pro card flashed to xt and its at 960/1050. I flashed the bios on both and there running at 1.35v on 3D clocks...

[Waymon3X6]

Wow, insane clocks!

Well... Tomorrow I will attempt 4.5GHz on the Q6600. I will try to get my 3870s to a decent clock as well.

Reading up a bit, I will need a huge 1.8v on the quad - but a person on another forum got to 4.5 with water, so it is possible.

I am just worried about the ram and northbridge. I have 4GB of Patriot sticks DDR2 800 @ 4-4-4-12 @2.2v

I believe I will have to bring them to 5-5-5-15 to keep a stable clock @ 4.5Ghz.

Any other tips/ideas?

[road-runner]

Wow, insane clocks!

Well... Tomorrow I will attempt 4.5GHz on the Q6600. I will try to get my 3870s to a decent clock as well.

Reading up a bit, I will need a huge 1.8v on the quad - but a person on another forum got to 4.5 with water, so it is possible.

I am just worried about the ram and northbridge. I have 4GB of Patriot sticks DDR2 800 @ 4-4-4-12 @2.2v

I believe I will have to bring them to 5-5-5-15 to keep a stable clock @ 4.5Ghz.

Any other tips/ideas?

I think we are derailing the OT. 1.8 is a lot of volts, I wont go over 1.65 just for a short bench then I put it back down to 1.5. You will just have to try different settings and see...

[Waymon3X6]

Kinda scared... 1.8 is a hell of a lot. I also never go over 1.6.

One question, can I fry the quad the first time @ 1.8v?

[road-runner]

Kinda scared... 1.8 is a hell of a lot. I also never go over 1.6.

One question, can I fry the quad the first time @ 1.8v?

Man I do not know, I would be scared myself unless I had extreme cooling...

[0ut0fstep]

http://www.directx10-games.com/2008/...t-83-released/

If you dont want to wait till march 5th for the drivers