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Hardware Installation- 17 -
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1-6 Setup of an SLI (Scalable Link Interface) Configuration
The nVIDIA
®
nForce 650i SLI chipset offers blistering graphics performance with the ability to bridge two
nVIDIA
®
SLI-ready PCI Express
TM
graphics cards! The SLI design takes advantage of the increased
bandwidth of the PCI Express
TM
bus architecture, features hardware and software innovations within
nVIDIA
®
GPU (graphics processing unit) and the nVIDIA
®
nForce 650i SLI chipset. Together, the nVIDIA
®
SLI technologies work seamlessly to allow two graphics cards to operate in parallel and share the work
and deliver heart-pounding PC performance. This section introduces steps to configure an SLI system
on the GA-N650SLI-DS4 motherboard.
Before You Begin--
I. Understanding the components:
The SLI bridge connector
The SLI bridge connector is used to bridge two SLI-capable graphics
cards to enable SLI operation.
The SLI switch module
Normal Mode (default): In Normal Mode, the first PCIe x16 slot
(PCIE_16_1) operates at up to x16, whereas the second PCIe x16
slot becomes unavailable.
SLI Mode: In SLI Mode, you may use the two PCIe x16 slots for the
following functions:
1. SLI Configuration: Install two SLI-capable PCIe x16 graphics cards of the same model to
enable SLI function.
2. Independent PCI x8 slots: Use the two PCIe x16 slots as two independent PCIe x8 slots.
SLI Switch Module
SLI Bridge Connector
II. Power Requirements:
Before installation, assure that the power supply you use is able to provide sufficient power to fully
support an SLI configuration and other components in your system. We recommend a power supply
that provides at least 20A 5V and 12V current and a minimum of 400W wattage. Note that the exact
power requirements will depend on your overall system configurations.
III. Supported Operating Systems:
Only Windows XP operating system is currently supported by the nVIDIA
®
SLI technology.
Enabling SLI Operation
Step 1: Gently spread the retaining clips of the socket and the module
will be released. Hold the module by the edges and lift it
away from the socket.
Setting the SLI switch module:
The SLI switch module is set to Normal Mode operation by factory default, so the first step is to take out the
module from the socket, turn it around and insert it in the SLI Mode direction.
Both of the PCIe x16 slots will be unavailable when the SLI switch module is removed from
the motherboard.