Dual Video Card causing lock-ups

Before I attempted having dual video cards this was the situation with my X1000:

- RadeonHD 7950 in the primary PCI-E x16 slot (the slot at the top of the motherboard closest to the memory modules)
- RadeonHD.chip 3.7
- PCIGraphics.card 53.18
- ATIRadeon.chip 53.29
- Graphics.library 54.248

Then I attempted to set up dual monitors:

- I inserted the "stock" HD 4650 (RV730) into the secondary PCI-E x16 slot.
- I powered on the system (noticed that the beginning AEON logo and loading bar was BLUE instead of RED).
- I ensured that the system could detect the RV730 using sysmon.
- I then followed the "Dual_Graphic_Card_Rev1.2_X1000.pdf" which meant:
- I copied my existing "Devs/Monitors/Radeon HD 7900 Series" to "Devs/Monitors/PCIGraphics and I made the change to the string length in the INFO file (11 string length); I made the changes to the BOARDNAME
- I copied "Devs/Monitors/Radeon HD 7900 Series" to"Devs/Monitors/Radeon RV730" and I made the changes to the string length: 12. I made the changes to the BOARDNAME.
- I rebooted the machine.

I noticed a lockup at first. I rebooted and this time it was okay. I messed around a little bit with DOPUS and generally putting things onto the other screen. I left it for the night.

Today I have started the machine twice and both times I got lockups after the Workbench showed up.

For now, I have just reverted back to having 1 video card and physically removed the secondary stock card.

FYI: When I first got the 7950 card I did have it installed into the secondary PCI-E x16 slot and I did notice I used to get freezes even then. Once I moved it to the primary slot there was never a problem.

So, I am wondering if there is a problem with the secondary PCI-E x16 slot in my machine? Whether this is an issue anyone else has come across? The lockups do not seem to always happen and when they do they are early on.

Well, I see also this post:https://forum.hyperion-entertainment.com/viewtopic.php?t=2749.

In my case I am doing something quite different from the PDF written by Hans. It is two HD cards and I get a little instability which comes in the form of a full system freeze at the beginning of starting the machine. But, if the machine can get passed that potential early freeze, then it seems I can use it for hours and generally even perform warm reboots. It just seems to be an issue very early on.

I'll continue testing this dual pcie x16, dual HD experiment.

Hi,

i am trying to get this working on my X5000... but pcigraphics.card seems to crash at boot everytime i try...

Its working fine with my Linux distros.

I was using a PCIEx1 to X16 adapter at first but now switched to a X4 to X16 cable.

More info can be found here.

https://forum.hyperion-entertainment.c ... wtopic.php?p=55237#p55237

Hi,
I have on my X1000 two cards also:
slot #1 (PCI-e x16/x8): two slot size HD7970 - for AmigaOS (3D capable)
slot #2 (PCI-e x16/x8): single slot size HD6670 - for linux (3D capable)

I have the same issue with RED to BLUE loading bar. And I read about it somewhere before. Strange
I have second card mainly for linux, where everything works OK with xorg.conf settings to second card.

I tested in past also dual monitor in AmigaOS.
- dual monitor setting according to manual (three monitor icons) works for me.
- some programs runs on secondary monitor only if workbench set too to secondary. But it is normal and as expected.
- SDLbench I cannot run from secondary monitor. Even if in preferences I set workbench to secondary card, SDL opens always on primary.
- no problem with opening screens on both of monitors. And run program like OWB on selected monitor.
- in my case with secondary card I have much better SDL results: Hunno 1941 160 FPS on primary vs 325 on secondary! But it is only for curiosity.
- I also mentioned lockups, mainly when blanker was activated or when I play something long time on secondary monitor.

My testing was short, because I have no space for computer with two monitors on my tables, often I have three computers connected do one monitor.

Primary card speed notes:

Primary card have 16 PCIe lanes when is single,
Primary and secondary cards have both 8 PCIe lanes with dual card setup.

I measured speed of primary card in both cases.
- SDLbench and other gfx tests were little slower with dual card setup
- but every real game have the same speed with single and with dual card setup.

So in real there are no slowdown with using only 8 PCIe lanes in dual setup.

@sailor

I can confirm that there is no slowdown.
In my x1000 the first (16 lanes) pcie port is blocked by a huge heat spreader, so I'm using the second one (8 lanes).

Update:

Radeon 7950 in primary, Radeon HD 5450 in secondary.

Fresh boot.
- Open Odyssey
- Close Odyseey
- Open Odyssey
- Click on button that would normally allow me to ICONIFY odyssey: ARTIFACTS with drawings. Cannot close it.

Not good. I think I will just keep one video card in the X1000. Just too many issues running dual HD cards with one in each PCI-E x16. A real shame.