MSI Big Bang-XPower Multi GPU issues.

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CrazyRob

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Aug 26, 2004
Messages
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Issue: System performance degrades with 6 sticks of RAM and multiple GTX500 series gpus.

With multiple gpu's running independantly (not in SLI), the issue manifests itself as sluggish overall performance. Memtest86+ 4.2 passes all tests, however runs slower than normal. Specifically, it breifly hangs while testing the 12GB to 13GB range (adjusted for PCI address space I assume).
In Windows, desktop perofrmance is sluggish, and single gpu performance in 3DMark11 is reduced by approximately 1000 points. Attempting to run the cards in SLI results in even lower performance than a single GPU and usually causes the system to crash.
Removing a GPU or removing two of the sticks of ram alleviates the issue.

System 1:
i7 965
Corsair H70
6x 2GB Corsair DDR3 1600 (2x kits of 3x 2GB) TR3X6G1600C8D
3x EVGA GTX580 1.5GB 015-p3-1580-ar

OCZ Vertex2 120GB SSD
Seagate 1TB SATA HDD
LiteOn DVD-RW
LG BluRay/HD-DVD

Corsair Obsidian 800D
Corsair AX1200

System2:
i7 920
Custom Water Cooling
6x 2GB OCZ DDR3 1866 (2x kits of 3x 2GB)
2x galaxy GTX570 1.25GB
Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium HD

OCZ Vertex 2 90GB
Corsair Force 120GB
3x Seagate 500GB in Raid 5
LG BluRay/HD-DVD

Corsair Obsidian 700D
Corsair HX1000


Both Machines are running Windows 7 Ultimate x64 SP1, but as the problem also presents itself outside the OS, that is not part of the issue.
The unusal thing about this issue is that System 1 has the problem with three gpus, but not two. System 2 has the issue with two GPU's but not one. System 1 has had it's motherboard RMA'd for this issue, but the replacement board has shown the exact same problems.
For testing, cpu's are running at stock speed and settings. Memory speeds have been decreased to 1066 and voltages tested at their rated 1.65v and at default settings.

As I work in a computer shop, I have done some testing with other components available:

Running with 4x4GB sticks the system works fine, indicating the problem is not related to the overall quantity of memory. I do not have 6x 4GB sticks to test all the slots with unfortunately.

Replacing the 3rd GTX580 in system 1 with a 8400GS, the problem continues exactly as if the 3rd card was still a gtx 580.

With 3 Radeon 5450's, memtest runs normally. If I add any one of the GTX580's, however, the problem returns. I tested all 3 GTX580's this way, and they all performed identically.
I have tried several bios versions (1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, and currently on 1.7B2) and several beta version inbetween. I contacted MSI tech support regarding system 1. initially they were concerned the PSU wasn't big enough. I provided a link to nvidia's page indicating the AX1200 is certified for 3 way sli with GTX580's.
They then immediately issued an RMA without any other suggestions. After I got the replacement board and found it has the same problems, they suggested that the problem is with the video cards, but provided me with the beta bios anyways, which still made no difference.

I have tested all three GTX580's independently in each of the slots used in a 3 way SLI configuration. I have also tested two way SLI with every combination of cards possible, also without issue. These cards have also been run in 3 way SLI on an EVGA classified board without issue. This indicates to me that the cards are not malfunctioning and working as they should.

After all this testing, and repeating the same problem on 3 different boards in two unique systems, my conclusion is that there is currently a compatibility issue between the Big Bang-XPower and some 500 Series multi-GPU configurations. I'm hoping a BIOS update can correct this, but as of my last communications with MSI tech support, MSI does not recognize the issue as they have not produced it in their labs.

Has anyone else seen a similar issue? Am I totally blowing some BIOS setting like a noob?
 
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Nearly 100 views and no comments about how I'm off my rocker or nailed the issue on the head? Is anyone else out there using this board successfully with a multiple GTX500 series cards?
 
definitely a board issue. Sounds like you're having an awful lot of trouble. Whynot just go back to the eVGA? There has to be a reason you're dealing with this crap... what is it?
 
The EVGA is in another machine. And with all the issues I've been having with multiple RMA's with EVGA, I'm probably going to be avoiding them for a while.
I was hoping to find others in a similar position as myself so I could point that out to MSI in an attempt to get them to recognize the problem. Or alternatively, someone to smack me up the back of the head and say "hey dummy, you forgot to flip this switch" or whatever the solution could be. Looks like I'm gonna run these boards in a limited capacity until they get replaced with the next gen stuff this winter.
 
This is a problem with the MSI board. It's a POS. I've had the same problem, and other problems as well with it.

MSI won't acknowledge the problem and I've been through every possible solution with their tech support. It only happens when you use SLI.
 
I am not running the 5xx series, but my GTX460's in SLI mode are running fine. My bios is the latest at 1.6
 
I'm running 3 x GTX 580's 3 gig with no problems but I only have 6 gigs of memory installed. The problem you are describing affected the Nvidia 400 series cards when they first came out but MSI came out with a BIOS update that resolved it. I believe they need to do the same with the 500 series.
 
Just a follow up, MSI has not yet acknowledged or resolved the issue. I'm currently running the latest beta BIOS 1.7b2. I "fixed" the issue in system 2 by replacing the ram with 3x4GB modules. Doing that does not fix the issue on system 1 however. Replacement motherboard is on it's way. It's a shame that MSI won't do anything about this for their highest end motherboard :(
 
Running 6 DIMMs has always been problematic on X58 boards. I've been using the XPower for over a year with SLI / Xfire setups and never had a problem. I've actually never heard of this specific issue before. Honestly RAM is so cheap right now I'd just sell the smaller kits and buy a 12GB kit and save yourself the hassle.
 
I had a problem on my BB X-Power with 6 mem slots used (6x4gb Corsair Vengeance) and my gtx580's (ASUS, ref. design) in SLI. Exactly like you described & using your same troubleshooting steps.

Very slow booting, and the GFX performance in test benches were worse than a single 8800gt.

I used the MSI LiveUpdate utility to update the bios to the latest version (at the time of my problem), and no help. I went to the MSI forums, and downloaded a beta bios, used their utility to update my board and everything was fixed. I think it was 1.4-ish bios version, and at the time the MSI utility said 1.2 was the newest.

Only problem now is the stupid high NB/IOH temps, even after i reseated it with new paste, and have a Antec spot-cool right over the fins of the heat sink for it.
 
This happens at stock settings. The MSI board cannot run my 580s SLI with 6 DIMMs (6 x 2GB) OR 3 DIMMs (3 x 4GB) at 12GB. They won't acknowledge this problem, but plenty of people have run into it. There's something fundamentally wrong with the design of this board, and the CPU activity maxes out when the memory configuration is anything but 3 x 2 GB DIMMs. It's the last MSI motherboard that I will ever buy.

I went back to an older and much cheaper Gigabyte board and I've had no problems since. It has less features, but it's stable and OC well. MSI is an unstable POS.
 
I've been involved with them both through their customer support and their beta bios forum thread. They still do not acknowledge the issue. As an update, I've replaced the board with an EVGA FTW3, which works fine in 3 way sli with all the ram, further proving my theory the issue is with the board and not any of the other components. MSI's support of this issue makes me :(
 
For those who ran this board, I tried to get some low end nVidia cards to run. I had 3 8400GS and 3 210's. I managed to get the 3 8400's and 2 of the 210's to come up when I first built the system. However, when I added the last card everything went out of whack. Resource sharing became an issue until I took all the cards out except 1. Now if I put more then one card into the system, Windows states that I would need to disable other devices to open up resources as if they were conflicting. It doesn't matter which card I use or what slot I use, I can only use one card at a time. The BIOS version is 1.6 and I'm running 7 Pro X64 with 12GB ram (3X4GB). Only changes made since running the five cards was swapping and pulling video cards. I even tried a complete clean reinstall again after the incident and that did nothing to help. Also, the devices that are conflicting are the PCIe devices themselves. Windows will not try to detect the video cards at all because of this.
 
Since my last post, I went ahead and popped an nVidia 520 in the machine. It now will detect the 520 and one 8400 or one 210 for a total of two cards. I find this odd.
 
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