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5870 crossfire success stories? (for windows side)

OMGWTFBBQ

OMGWTFBBQ

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 5, 2007
89
21
Hi MacRumor members,

Now that the Mac 5870 version is shipping, has anyone found or personally had any installation success stories? I am interested in running two 5870 cards in crossfire in order to increase gaming performance when booted into windows.

I am aware that there would be no increase in performance in os x.

I have been reading through the threads in this forum (and others), but there seems to be disagreement of: a.) whether the current power supply in the 2010 Mac pro (and late 2009) can support the two cards, or if installing another power supply in the optical bay would be necessary, and b.) whether there are two pci x16 2.0 slots that can be used concurrently, or if one or both will be x8, which would be no good.

So, has anybody successfully implemented a crossfire? If so, how?

Also, would it be possible to instead install a single card (ultimately more powerful than two 5870 cards in crossfire) that has recently been released; to be used as a dedicated card for windows, connected to some sort of DVI switch box for my single 30 inch Cinema display-- allowing for easy switching between the os x and windows card?

Thanks so much for any help, I really appreciate it.
~Jake

As a side note: apparently those who have already received their newly shipped 5870 cards have found two power cables
 
Last edited:
OMGWTFBBQ said:
As a side note: apparently those who have already received their newly shipped 5870 cards have found a crossfire cable included with the card.
Click to expand...

People have received two power cables, no crossover cable. The card has a crossfire port, however.
 
Crossfire under windows should be attainable. I remember a user by the name of matthewrusso who was able to achieve crossfire with two Apple 4870s with the use of a second power supply that fits in the optical drive bay.
 
ildondeigiocchi said:
I have two 5870s coming in tomorrow. All I would need would be a OD power supply and I'd be tempted :D
Click to expand...

Oh man, you should definitely give it a shot. It would be awesome to definitively put this question to rest. How much money is the necessary power supply?

On a side note: Are you using these two cards for different computers?
 
I am planning to test this configuration out as well. I have a 5870 on order and an optical bay aux power supply. I hope to receive them before the weekend.
 
I got it working great with a 5870+5970 trifire set up in windows, with an optical drive PSU :)
 
Awesome!

neckarb said:
I got it working great with a 5870+5970 trifire set up in windows, with an optical drive PSU :)
Click to expand...

That is fantastic! I didn't know that you could do a crossfire with two different cards. I appreciate the response. Cheers.
 
As I posted in another thread, this is my only question but its rather important:


I'm getting both cards today and really want to try crossfire but before I go ahead and order a second modular PS I want to know if this poses any danger to my system like can it short circuit and ruin all components. I don't get how the second power supply will work. When the computer turns off will it do so as well and when I press the power button on the mp will it start both ps at the same time?
 
ildondeigiocchi said:
As I posted in another thread, this is my only question but its rather important:


I'm getting both cards today and really want to try crossfire but before I go ahead and order a second modular PS I want to know if this poses any danger to my system like can it short circuit and ruin all components. I don't get how the second power supply will work. When the computer turns off will it do so as well and when I press the power button on the mp will it start both ps at the same time?
Click to expand...

Well I can't see any issues with mine, it turns off when the computer turns off as it is partially powered by the computers PSU, as it's essentially just an optical drive. I really havent had any problems with it, as it only draws the same ammount of power from your PSU as an optical drive would and the rest comes from a socket.
 
neckarb said:
Well I can't see any issues with mine, it turns off when the computer turns off as it is partially powered by the computers PSU, as it's essentially just an optical drive. I really havent had any problems with it, as it only draws the same ammount of power from your PSU as an optical drive would and the rest comes from a socket.
Click to expand...

But don't you need to plug it into a power outlet via the power cord?
 
ildondeigiocchi said:
As I posted in another thread, this is my only question but its rather important:


I'm getting both cards today and really want to try crossfire but before I go ahead and order a second modular PS I want to know if this poses any danger to my system like can it short circuit and ruin all components. I don't get how the second power supply will work. When the computer turns off will it do so as well and when I press the power button on the mp will it start both ps at the same time?
Click to expand...

The modular PSU is powered externally. It has a connector for the same 4-pin power connector that an optical drive uses that it uses as a trigger to turn on-and-off (i.e. when there is power on that when you turn the computer on it switches on). There is no danger of a short circuit other than the same danger you have for anything connected electrically to your computer (such as your monitor, ethernet cables, etc.). I would plug it into the same surge protector or UPS that your computer is connected to though.
 
crw said:
The modular PSU is powered externally. It has a connector for the same 4-pin power connector that an optical drive uses that it uses as a trigger to turn on-and-off (i.e. when there is power on that when you turn the computer on it switches on). There is no danger of a short circuit other than the same danger you have for anything connected electrically to your computer (such as your monitor, ethernet cables, etc.). I would plug it into the same surge protector or UPS that your computer is connected to though.
Click to expand...

Yep. I should really get a UPS, what's the point of a surge protector, I've never seen the value?
 
I just ordered the modular power supply, SATA to MOLEX power cable and the crossfire bridge. We shall know if Crossfire works within the next few days.
 
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