SLI requires a 2nd CPU Processor?

Happy Hopping

Happy Hopping

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I am reading the pdf file in HP XW9300, which is a SLI capable workstation w/ AMD 64 CPU..

On page 13 of their PDF, they say "Must order matching video card and a second processor"

I call them, they said w/o a 2nd CPU, the 2nd SLI slot will not be enable (active)

I don't believe SLI motherboard requires a 2nd CPU, is this the way HP make money?

http://www.hp.com/workstations/pws/xw9300/smartbuys.html
 
Happy Hopping said:
I am reading the pdf file in HP XW9300, which is a SLI capable workstation w/ AMD 64 CPU..

On page 13 of their PDF, they say "Must order matching video card and a second processor"

I call them, they said w/o a 2nd CPU, the 2nd SLI slot will not be enable (active)

I don't believe SLI motherboard requires a 2nd CPU, is this the way HP make money?

http://www.hp.com/workstations/pws/xw9300/smartbuys.html
Click to expand...

HP is yanking you. SLI doenst require two cpus. Hell, 99% of all SLI boards are single socket. Tyan has a few SLI, Dual-socket 940 boards, but thats it.

Of course, dual optys would be nice ;)
 
wow... that's rich. you certainly do -not- need a two cpu system for SLI.
 
check the hp documentation, they could have changed something in the BIOS to make it require a 2nd CPU. It shouldn't, but just in case.
 
Talk about horrible misinformation. You should write them about that.
 
Every poster so far is wrong. You guys need to make sure you know what you're talking about before you post. What HP tells you is true. On dual opteron mobos that have two x16 slots for sli, each x16 slot is tied to a cpu. (well, really, each one is tied to one of the controller chips for the chipset, one for each cpu) If you only have one cpu, you only have one pci-e x16 slot. In the case of that workstation, yes, two cpus are required. This is NOT a basic NF4 sli mobo like most of you guys are used to. This is nforce professional, and the second cpu IS required for SLI.
 
I've heard of this being done on Opteron boards before. A lot of northbridges don't have enough PCI-e lanes to run 2 16x slots, so to get 2 full 16x PCI-e slots they use two completely separate northbridges, one attached to each CPU.

I'd assume this is because of a shortage of HT links on the CPUs. While desktop boards are usually one or two chip chipsets, that HP's is probably composed of 3 or four. 2 northbridges, a southbridge, and perhaps a 64-bit PCI bridge chip. If either of the last two can't be daisy-chained off of one of the northbridges it would have to be plugged into a CPU's HT link. It's also possible that everything could be connected to one CPU, but the Northbridge's HT link intended to attach to the southbridge isn't fast enough to be used with a PCI-64 bridge chip without bottlenecking it. The second northbridge for the 2nd graphics card slot is the only one you can really do without, so it gets attached to CPU1.
 
As already said, yes this is true.

if you look at this block diagram of a K8WE you will see how this can be true. (the HP is setup in a similar manner) http://wwww.legitreviews.com/images/reviews/152/block.jpg

If the 2nd CPU is not in there, you do not get all the features of the motherboard as the chips that proved those features are not connected to anything but the 2nd CPU.

==>Lazn
 
Lazn_Work said:
As already said, yes this is true.

if you look at this block diagram of a K8WE you will see how this can be true. (the HP is setup in a similar manner) http://wwww.legitreviews.com/images/reviews/152/block.jpg

If the 2nd CPU is not in there, you do not get all the features of the motherboard as the chips that proved those features are not connected to anything but the 2nd CPU.

==>Lazn
Click to expand...


Damn... I've never seen that before.
 
Happy Hopping said:
I am reading the pdf file in HP XW9300, which is a SLI capable workstation w/ AMD 64 CPU..

On page 13 of their PDF, they say "Must order matching video card and a second processor"

I call them, they said w/o a 2nd CPU, the 2nd SLI slot will not be enable (active)

I don't believe SLI motherboard requires a 2nd CPU, is this the way HP make money?

http://www.hp.com/workstations/pws/xw9300/smartbuys.html
Click to expand...

EDIT: I didnt read far enough to see all the correct answers...so my post is almost duped many times above.

Anyway, just to add a little: Each northbridge controls a dedicated X16 PCI connector.

I know on the Tyan you can run SLI without the SLI bridge adaptor on the card connectors (Obwando has that system) but it does run smoother with the SLI bridge. The problem is the board does not ship with a bridge, so to get optimum SLI performance you have to beg/borrow/steal the SLI connector, or buy one off the web.
 
BBA said:
The problem is the board does not ship with a bridge, so to get optimum SLI performance you have to beg/borrow/steal the SLI connector, or buy one off the web.
Click to expand...

Not too much of an issue anymore. Quite a few sites have them readily available now.
 
BBA said:
EDIT: I didnt read far enough to see all the correct answers...so my post is almost duped many times above.

Anyway, just to add a little: Each northbridge controls a dedicated X16 PCI connector.

I know on the Tyan you can run SLI without the SLI bridge adaptor on the card connectors (Obwando has that system) but it does run smoother with the SLI bridge. The problem is the board does not ship with a bridge, so to get optimum SLI performance you have to beg/borrow/steal the SLI connector, or buy one off the web.
Click to expand...


I am currently building a dual Opteron system with a Tyan Thunder K8WE. I received the board 2 weeks ago and it DID come with a SLI bridge.
 
Well, we have some experts on this thread. Thanks for the reply.

Looking at that block diagram, it's clear ea. Nvidia nForce Professional chip set is controlling and communicating w/ each of the PCI Express x16 lane, indepedent of the other nForce Professional chip.

In that sense, say if I don't need to go SLI Enable, i.e., different monitors gives different output, can a Nvidia nForce Professional chip set support an ATI card? Say the X1600 or X1800, knowing that I don't care about SLI enable for performance gain, but just the ability to generate 2 - 4 output to 2 - 4 LCD screen.

Anyone?
 
Kugar said:
I am currently building a dual Opteron system with a Tyan Thunder K8WE. I received the board 2 weeks ago and it DID come with a SLI bridge.
Click to expand...


Thats good news then, they finally are shipping them with the boards. The one Obwando bought did not com eiwth one, but that was back toward teh beginning of 2005..
 
Happy Hopping said:
Well, we have some experts on this thread. Thanks for the reply.

Looking at that block diagram, it's clear ea. Nvidia nForce Professional chip set is controlling and communicating w/ each of the PCI Express x16 lane, indepedent of the other nForce Professional chip.

In that sense, say if I don't need to go SLI Enable, i.e., different monitors gives different output, can a Nvidia nForce Professional chip set support an ATI card? Say the X1600 or X1800, knowing that I don't care about SLI enable for performance gain, but just the ability to generate 2 - 4 output to 2 - 4 LCD screen.

Anyone?
Click to expand...
Yes, nVidia's chipset will work fine with an ATI, nVidia, or even Matrox card plugged in. PCIe is PCIe, regardless of vendor.
 
mavalpha said:
Yes, nVidia's chipset will work fine with an ATI, nVidia, or even Matrox card plugged in. PCIe is PCIe, regardless of vendor.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I always wonder because I never seen anyone post their SLI mobo w/ ATI x1800 gear on it. Hopefully w/ the upcoming X1600 release, there'll be more people posting their mobo w/ ATI so we know the pros and cons.
 
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