Patch Makes Nvidia Play Nice With ATI
Hacked patch saved the day for multi-GPU PhysX fans.
Last week we talked about a Nvidia drivers, starting with version 186, that disable GPU PhysX acceleration when ATI hardware is also present in the system.
Nvidia gave several reasons of why it decided to cripple its own hardware when in the presence of competing hardware, but in the end, it was just about business.
"For a variety of reasons – some development expense some quality assurance and some business reasons NVIDIA will not support GPU accelerated Physx with NVIDIA GPUs while GPU rendering is happening on non- NVIDIA GPUs," Nvidia's customer service wrote to a user. "I’m sorry for any inconvenience caused but I hope you can understand."
Of course, the setup of having both Nvidia and ATI GPUs in one system are exceptionally rare, making this a very special case – but still a very annoying one, especially for those hardcore enough to employ an Nvidia GPU just for PhysX.
Luckily, someone has created an experimental patch at lifts the handcuffing of Nvidia GPUs when an ATI Radeon is in the vicinity. Those with such specialized systems can thank GenL of the NGOHQ Forums.
This patch, of course, is for Windows 7 users as it's the only platform that'll support configuration for multiple GPUs. Check it out here.
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Of course, the setup of having both Nvidia and ATI GPUs in one system are exceptionally rare
I disagree. I am currently using a 8800GTS, and am planning on getting a 58XX in a month or so, and was going to keep by GTS in my system for PhysX processing. I imagine many people may do the same also.
Strike 1 for the Good Guys!
Back to the Time out bench for nVidia
I agree with Ace I don't think this is as rare as you think. I know for one if I had a nvidia card, and upgraded to ATI, but knew I could still put the nvidia card to use I sure in the hell would.
I had no doubt somebody would do this.
Well Im in the market to get a new PC and I was going to go with a 4GPU Nvidia System but now I just might go with ATI, I just might get 2 or 3 ATI GPU's and get a PhysX card just to handle the PhysX.
I also agree with ace. I think Nvidia knows alot of people will upgrade to the new 58X cards from Ati & will keep their old NVidia card for PHYX since win7 supports it. This is really not smart of Nvidia from a business standpoint because alot of people that already have Ati cards would probably buy a supplemental Nvidia card just for the PHysX if the driver didn't block it. Way to go Nvidia.
If Nvidia was smart, they would join with ATI to develope a high end, combination Nvidia/ATI GPU video card.
Now that is something I would like to see and I think everyone else would too.
Just think of the possibilities if they would combine their efforts.
"Of course, the setup of having both Nvidia and ATI GPUs in one system are exceptionally rare"
yeah, I think this is exactly the point. what a massive coincidence that nvidia does this just after the ATI 5870 launches and takes the performance crown from them? there are alot of people using nvidia gpus, specially the awesome 8800gt like me that will be looking for an upgrade, and nvidia is trying to give us a reason for holding off buying this new shiny ATI card dumped in front of us, and wait for their new cards. it would almost be commendable if it wasn't for their Dick Dastardly way of doing it!
All they have actually managed to do is piss everyone off, and not actually succeed from blocking ATI users from nvidia physx. and it would so obviously be hacked too. I mean it may have worked if your market was mainstream n00bs, but its not, its hardcore users like us who will have no trouble using this hack.
silly nvidia.
lolWindows 7 only patch
),i bet Microsoft has something to do with it ...
at renegade worrior im sorry to say but they would make a monopoly and charge us a hella amount for that ati/nvidia card. by the way i like competition it keeps them on their feet like amd and intel. We all know i7 is just a better phenom!!!
More I think about it and more I find Nvidia to be really cocky with their PhysX stuff. I really wonder why it still being used for development. Havok do the same things and doesn't pull half of the market away for a business matter.
Not only they disabled their GPUS but also the PPU. What's the point in having a PPU if you can't use it unless you are using NVIDIA GPU's? What's the point in having a PPU IF YOU HAVE AN NVIDIA CARD THAT CAN DO JUST THE SAME AND FREE A PCI-E PORT?!
So, in the end, Ageia and ATI users are utterly *bleeped* by a completely monopolistic decision.
ATI should make an anti trust sue against NVIDIA! Hell, I would buy a PPU just to have a chance to sue them too!
What NVIDEA cards support PhysX?
what a massive coincidence that nvidia does this just after the ATI 5870 launches and takes the performance crown from them?
The article states "Nvidia drivers, starting with version 186" which were out back in May. This problem has existed well before the 5870 launch.
What NVIDEA cards support PhysX?
vote him down for asking a valid question? wtf?
the 8 series and above I think. dx10 and above.
Doesn't Nvidia realize this is just hurting them?
Since nVidia doesn't have a DX11 card out yet they need to give people an incentive to stick with them. If a gamer appreciates physX then this is one. I'm pretty sure that with DX11 we'll start to see physX fade away in favor of something more open.
This is still unacceptable from Nvidia's end not to officially support physx.
As far as suing nvidia because one of their core technologies is not compatible with a competitor, well... too bad. nvidia should be able to do whatever it wants with it's intellectual property. PhysX is just another feature of nvidia cards now days. There could come a point where intel disables your ability to have PhysX engines working when on their hardware because they support and own Havok, since those two technologies compete and we know intel likes to drive the competition into the dust.
at renegade worrior im sorry to say but they would make a monopoly and charge us a hella amount for that ati/nvidia card. by the way i like competition it keeps them on their feet like amd and intel. We all know i7 is just a better phenom!!!
Never said the company's Should merge to create a monopoly.
Just that they should cooperate to create a special edition card containing both Nvidia and ATI GPUs.
Although a better choice would be for both companies to cooperate so ATI cards and Nvidia cards could be bridged together sorta like Crossfire or SLI.
The whole point being better performance.
Have you guys seen this? *drool*
http://anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3646
i don't know how long you people have been in the computer building thing but i mean its common sense not to use 2 different products when your trying to do something like SLI/crossfire i mean its like if your buying a set of speakers for your stereo where you buy a Kenwood for the left channel and a Sony for the right channel. there not going to have the same quality and possibly may not sync up correctly.
so it is RARE cause only people with no common sense or people who desperately want to have a good system but no money blindly do this
i don't know how long you people have been in the computer building thing but i mean its common sense not to use 2 different products when your trying to do something like SLI/crossfire i mean its like if your buying a set of speakers for your stereo where you buy a Kenwood for the left channel and a Sony for the right channel. there not going to have the same quality and possibly may not sync up correctly.so it is RARE cause only people with no common sense or people who desperately want to have a good system but no money blindly do this
Please enlighten us with your "common sense," o' mighty one.
as usual, it takes a smart independent programmer to undo the stupidity of a corp. too greedy to realize that in the end they're harming their own consumer base...
Oh please, all you ATI guys can put down your BURNING Dirext 11 crosses. It's not a holy war Mr. Jahad. Because it is so important to the 1% of ATI owners who can actually afford the 5870 to play the less than 1% of games available with DX11.
Somebody wake me up when DX11 becomes relevant.
i don't know how long you people have been in the computer building thing but i mean its common sense not to use 2 different products when your trying to do something like SLI/crossfire i mean its like if your buying a set of speakers for your stereo where you buy a Kenwood for the left channel and a Sony for the right channel. there not going to have the same quality and possibly may not sync up correctly.so it is RARE cause only people with no common sense or people who desperately want to have a good system but no money blindly do this
One tard mentions being able to mix-n-match for multi-GPU and you want to target everyone.
What most of us are talking about is owning G80/G92 cards and upgrading to 48xx or 58xx cards and now not being able to use the old card as a PhysX accelerator.
Acecombat up above has it right on the head with this issue. The same can be said for those that had say an ATI X1950 and bought up say a GTX 285 as an upgrade. If it was ATI that snatched up Physx and the tables were turned, it would be the same scenario. People switch sides all the time for their next upgrade. In this example, that X1950 would still be plenty powerful for some things, and selling used cards really doesn't put much money back into one's pocket. So it makes better sense to put it towards a beneficial use. So what it really boils down to here is if you show your loyalty to the green team, then you will be officially rewarded and allowed to continue to use their older cards. I totally understand Nvidia's move, but you the consumer forked over the money to buy their card, so you should be able to do what you want with it.
Many thanks to GenL of the NGOHQ Forums, that is until the big N and the lawyer team make contact with the guy.
Oh please, all you ATI guys can put down your BURNING Dirext 11 crosses. It's not a holy war Mr. Jahad. Because it is so important to the 1% of ATI owners who can actually afford the 5870 to play the less than 1% of games available with DX11.Somebody wake me up when DX11 becomes relevant.
First of all, it's "Jihad." Secondly, what makes you think DX11 is the only reason anyone would want a new ATI card?
Why don't you pull some more fake statistics out of thin air to help lend credence to your perceived point? Anyone can make up statistics to serve their own ends. Fourfty percent of all people know that.
Who do they think we are, babies?
Is it true that 8xxx series NVidia cards work for PhysX? I was under the impression it was only newer cards but I have to admit I never really paid much attention. I have a 8800GTS 320MB card sitting in a box literally doing nothing. If this patch works and I can use that card for PhysX that might be exactly the reason I've been looking for to get Windows 7.
@purplerat: Yes, all GeForce series 8 and newer card can take advantage of PhysX.
@purplerat: Yes, all GeForce series 8 and newer card can take advantage of PhysX.
Thanks. Right after I wrote that I went to check and found out it would work. Now it's just a matter of seeing if this patch works (I have a 4870) and if it's actually worth the hassle + the possible need for a new PSU.