nvidia / ati combo

ive been reading a steam forum about the new just cause 2 game coming out, and quite alot of people have been going on about how they have an ati card to render the graphics, but they also have a nvidia card for the PhysX. This has really caught my attention as just cause 2 has neat extra features that only a nvidia card can render...

Also a lot of games do this now, were nvidia get all these neat little features, but i just dont like there cards, i personally think there over priced for the performance they give compared to ati.

so my question is if and how is it possible to run the 2 together? i currently have a HD4870. Im sure i still have a 8600gt somewere...

 

g`day silverbullet

I`m no expert but have been keeping an eye on this two. I`ve got a 4870x2 and an old 8800gtx so I`m thimking it`s time to test.

As far as I know from the info I`ve read here and there:

It`s only possible under windows7 as this is the only os that can run more than one graphics card driver at the same time and in order to reap the physX benefits from the nividia card it would have to be at least an 8600gt. The cards can not be run in SLI/CF config at all and for all intense and purposes the cards run as two Independant display outputs.

PhysX cards: http://www.nvidia.com/object/physx_gpus.html

 

ah right, i had gathered that it was possible to do it under xp, and deffo not possible to do it on vista, so glad to know i can on windows 7 as thats what i have. Like i said i have an old 8600gt somewere, but my dad will be replacing his 8800gtx soon so i mite steal it off him

so how do you set it up? install the 8600gt into the second pci e slot, and install nvidia drivers as normal?

how do you make the computer use the ati card as default, as a 8600gt is no were near as powerful as a HD4870

 

come on would be great if someone could shine a light on this topic...

anyway i have the last parts i need for my new system arriving next week so going to format to windows 7 64bit and im gonna give it ago, i mean, i cant do any damage to the components right? right? :cry

 

g`day silverbullet

I would put both cards in the system to start with since it`s the drivers that don`t get along, Put the main ati card in the primary (first) PCIE slot. Then intall the cat drivers and run your display(s) off that card and dont plug anything into the nvidia card. Then if all goes well install a game that installs physX drivers like darkvoid (even the demo) and run the physX app from control panel to see what happens, In the settings tab it`ll display one of the 3 modes as enabled. It will tell you if it`s in software mode as I understand it (no acceleration). If it is then I would attempt to install the nvidia drivers.

 

right okay, i have this thursday and friday off work so this is gonna be my little project lol

It mite not be a case of getting the physx to work to enable nvidia features in just cause 2, for example cuda on nvidia cards enables the extra features in this case... is cuda something else or part of physx?