Disabling PCI-E slot - why not?

[ggdh]

Are/were there motherboards which allowed for complete disabling graphic cards by disabling PCI-E slots? I remember reading years ago about it: a physical switch next to the x16 slot which would allow to cut off current powering PCI-E slot and making it completely inactive / invisible for the system.

Virtu in new motherboards is not solving the problem entirely - it's just downclocking video card.

I use PC for 30% gaming and 70% browsing/music. I would be happy to have an option of switching the graphic card(s) before powering on the PC. And having that kind of switch on 3.5" bezel makes me wet

Any thoughts?

[hiwa]

Evga E760-759-762 1366Socket
Asus R3E (1366) R4E (2011) M4E(1155)

mobos i used with the option u are looking for.
there is a switch or jumper to disable all PCI ex slots.

[ggdh]

Am I missing something? There is no video output on backplates? Meaning that there needs to be at least one auxiliary GPU active which is not what i'm asking for...

[RCG_Bex]

He means there's a switch for all the PCI-E lanes. On the Asus RIVE there's a switch for all the lanes.



I personally don't know if it provides any benefit other than power saving / testing of multiple cards?

[ggdh]

Yes, for me it's about power saving. What I meant was to use onboard GPU while browsing/listening music with beefy and power hungry GPUs disabled. If there is no video output (z68 without video output? Than what's its advantage over P67) it doesn't really serve my needs...

[CrazyNutz]

You are aware that modern GPUs throttle down very low when not play games right?
http://benchmarkreviews.com/index.ph...&limitstart=15

Your 5870's in CF use 48w while surfing.

[ggdh]

Indeed interesting. Even though these reading are for log in screen.

[zir_blazer]

Your 5870's in CF use 48w while surfing.

That is still quite a bit for something that you are not using, right?

The idea is interesing, is basically how AMD PowerXpress and nVidia Optimus work by switching to IGP for low loads while disabling the GPU, but you want to implement it in a manual way and in a Desktop. However, it wouldn't work nowhere near as effective as it. First, the Monitor should be connected always to the IGP display output on the Motherboard, and the Video Cards should somehow be able to route rendered graphics though it (Basically, as Optimus works), otherwise, it forces you to manually change the Monitor from display output plug everytime you switch modes. You also need Hardware support for hot plugging as you are going to be physically disconecting a Card then enabling it again, and while supposedly PCI Express supports this, you would also need Software support. At least there is OS support because it works on Mobile platforms, but how you make this work on Desktop without Drivers support? Also, add in that having a Crossfire should had it some extra complexity over IGP and one Video Card.

[ggdh]

Hot plug? No one really mentioned about it.

1. If i know that i am going to play games i move the switch before powering PC. This is why I mentioned switch on 3.5" bezel

2. Handling the monitor connection? Each screen has "source" button/option easily available. I see no inconvenience here. Example: DVI cable for on board GPU, HDMI/DP for auxilary GPU. Other issue is changing in BIOS which is preferred output source. But I guess it shouldn't be that difficult to handle.

[zir_blazer]

Hot plug? No one really mentioned about it.

I said that the idea is interesing, but not effective. The less manual hassle, the more seamless it is, the better. If you requiere a restart, it would add an inconvenient annoyance.

1. If i know that i am going to play games i move the switch before powering PC. This is why I mentioned switch on 3.5" bezel

And if you stopped playing games then want to browse or hear music, and want the power savings to kick it, I wouldn't really enjoy shutting the machine to use the switch then turn it on again, wait for Windows to load, etc. This is why I would be interesed on such a feature, but done on the fly.

2. Handling the monitor connection? Each screen has "source" button/option easily available. I see no inconvenience here. Example: DVI cable for on board GPU, HDMI/DP for auxilary GPU. Other issue is changing in BIOS which is preferred output source. But I guess it shouldn't be that difficult to handle.

Assuming you have two video cables connected to the same Monitor to both IGP and GPU and the Desktop is cloned I suppose it should work.

[ggdh]

Manual handling would be a good start if it would work in a real world than there is room for further improvement.

I have to say that I hoped for solution like this when s1155 and z68 was announced. Sometimes I have weeks without gaming and no need of using 5870cf (i.e. Diablo 2)

[CrazyNutz]

Yeah if you take 1 5870 out then your only using 24w when not gaming.

If you had a gtx560ti you would only use 17w when not gaming.

EDIT: One other thing you can do is turn aero off, just use basic desktop that way you should remain 2d most of the time.

[sin0822]

I don't think you can just turn off the GPU like that whenever you want man, i am pretty sure the system needs to be off to turn the GPU back on and have it detected and work.

BTW MSI bigbang also has that feature.