What makes SLI happen, hardware or vBIOS?

I'm wonder what would happen if I tried to run SLI on to cards with the same vBIOS. The vBIOS would be standard 9800m GT. But the cards would be different.
One would have 32 less shaders.
What do you think would happen?
I feel like it would definitely try to run it, because the 64 core 9800m GT (8800m GTS) runs perfectly as a 9800m GT.

 

Notebook right? I don't think it's going to work unless both cards are exactly the same. Someone else might be prove me wrong but I've not seen any successful examples among forum users here of linking two different cards together for SLI/Crossfire.

 

hybrid crossfire was touted as possible with IGP ATI 3200 and a dedicated card.

ATI Hybrid Graphics - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I think it's highly possible to crossfire two different cards together using hybrid crossfire. Must be supported by mobo-bios though I believe.

 

OP has an nvidia card though...

 

Yea.

Literally the only difference from stock 9800m GT SLI setup would be the 32 missing shaders.
I really need to find an SLI system to test this, 3700m and some 9800m GS I have. Anyone have recommendations?

 

Sli happens only when the hardware is the same, the bios doesnt really count, althought its faked to be the same card.

The hardware architecture that requires SLI need the same shaders count/chipset, so a modded bios will not do the trick.

Also, the memory interface needs to be the same, as well as the bus width.
Hybrid sli, before anyone asks, is the same as Hybrid Crossfire which came later. Basically it takes an IGP and uses it in conjuction with the discrete card.
The technology eventually didnt quite delivered, and the evolution is actually Optimus, althought optimus takes care to switch cards when needed instead of using both (mainly because its an intel).
On second gen m17x equipped with GTX280m SLI, theres a possibility to enable tri-sli because the IGP is a Geforce 9200/9400m and it uses an Nforce chipset.

 

Well all I'm thinking is that the system will make an attempt. I'm hoping to see something SLI rendered if only for a second.

Am I the only one who finds artifacts to be exciting sometimes?

 

Sli will not be available under nvidia control panel with that setup as the card are different. You will end up with two cards installed.
SLI isnt a thing that enables automatically, so i guess its a no go.
Feel free to try

Long time sli user and nope, Artifacts arent welcome here, at all lol.
And btw, its nice to talk to you again niff The FX 3700m is well alive and kicking, you have to see its performance in Black Ops, outstanding.

 

Don´t you need an SLI chipset also? Else SLI won´t be visible in the Nvidia Control panel.

 

When Dell was kind enough to replace one of my 280m GTX units with a 260m GTX, I lost the ability to enable SLi.

 

Yes, obviously I need a system with full SLI support. as if there are any laptops without an SLI chipset that can still have 2 cards?

Good to hear your 3700m is doing well kingpin The thing here is that the 2 cards are detected identically, same device ID with all software. I think it will make some crude attempt at SLI.

I love artifacting. I flashed a 9600m gt to a bad acer vbios once, and the laptop started up with the most interesting pattern of colors I have ever seen, which slowly faded into white from the middle over a few minutes.

I'll have to test it, I have higher hopes than before. in fact, Kade Storm you reminded me I believe the_moo got sli to work on one 260m and 280m. You could try to flash the 280m to a 260m.

 

I see.

Thanks for the advice. My issue was resolved since I wasn't going to tolerate Dell's botched replacement attempt -- downgraded video card. However, it was an interesting two-day period in which I messed around with both cards on the same system.

I do realise that you've probably got extensive experience with vBIOS modding, so I'll leave you to that and keep track of this thread because the idea does sound interesting.