workstation (ATI V7100) + gaming card (ATI 3870) in one case?

[kansur0]

Do you think it would be possible to have a workstation card and a gaming card in one case? I have the ASUS P5K Premium Black Pearl Edition. It has Crossfire. Now...I am pretty sure you could not link these two cards together BUT what I was thinking is that you could have both cards in the system and just alternate the power plug in each card and physically change the DVI cables then you wouldn't actually have to swap out cards. If a card is seated in a slot but there is no power running to it then the motherboard shouldn't see it right?

I am just running this buy the tech gurus. What would be amazing is if you could just select which card you wanted to be detected on reboot. But that only eliminates unplugging the power physically from the cards. You would still have to swap the DVI's...unless you use a KVM switch (two cards = two inputs switchable).

Your thoughts? Possibilities? Utilities that exist? Don't bother? Asking for trouble? Hey that's cool?

Cheers.

 

[Raviolissimo]

it should see both cards. thinking that you'll install
the drivers for both cards.

PCIe cards get some power through the bus.

are you trying to run 2 monitors, or to switch
back & forth between the 2 graphics cards,
using the same computer, and the same monitor ?

it sounds like you're talking one monitor. a KVM
switch will work for that.

 

[Can Not]

Good luck, dude. I think most of us have never tried that.

 

[CNeufeld]

As previously said, many cards get power through the bus... So I would be concerned that unplugging the power will cause more problems than just leaving both cards configured properly. You should be able to run two (or more) cards at the same time, both connected to separate monitors. Or the same monitor, for that matter. Many people have done the dual cards, and so long as you don't have driver issues, you should be fine.

I'd also be hesitant to be plugging/unplugging the power on the cards all the time due to wear/tear/flexing of the cards. Plus the hassle of taking the cover off, etc. Really, that that point, you're just as well off to remove the sucker entirely and plug in the other card.

My Viewsonic monitor has a DVI and VGA input, and a button on the front to switch. I use this as a poor man's KVM with my laptop and desktop. Long story, don't ask. You might be able to find one with dual DVI inputs, or find an adapter.

Clint