EVGA step up program

[Caddys83]

Just want to let people know who ever bought a EVGA GTX 480 recently and registered within the past 90 days can now get a GTX 580 as a step up. I have 25 days left and I still am debating because I will have to remove the GTX 480 back plate and the High Flow bracket. Finding the original screws for the back will be somewhat a task. If you dont send in the GPU card as the way you bought it and with the accessoies, they will add 15% (Arr I threw away the CD)


Some info from EVGA about the step up program:
EVGA | Support | Step-Up Program

EVGA | Support | Step-Up Program


Here is the step up for my GTX 480



The thing is some people have said it can take up to 2 weeks (for you to ship, they get, they review and then they ship.) You can over night next day from UPS but UPS wants $54.00 hell no Right now I have some days to think about it. I dont know if I can last 2 weeks with my gaming pc down. Another thing is.... I kinda like the way the GTX 480 heat pipes looks in my case. But then again, GTX 580 512 cores and vapor chamber cooling sounds interesting

[Duke{CLR}]

Upgrading for that low cost is a no brainier to me. Now did that high flow bracket come from EVGA? If so, I would think that it would be OK to keep it on.

[Caddys83]

Yeah I bought the High flow bracket from EVGA. Infact I bought 2 of em in hope that my GTX 280 (my physx card) would work but the plug in for the DVI's were offset. I am seriously thinking about the upgrade. The thing is mine is a Super Clock version and the EVGA step up GTX 580 is the standard. And the GTX 480 looks so purty

[paceman]

Caddy -
How does having a separate video card for Physx work? Where would you tell Physx which card to use? I just replaced my 8800GTX with a GTX460. It would be nice if I could use my old card for something.

[Duke{CLR}]

Caddy -
How does having a separate video card for Physx work? Where would you tell Physx which card to use? I just replaced my 8800GTX with a GTX460. It would be nice if I could use my old card for something.

You will find this option in the Nvida control panel.

[Caddys83]

Caddy -
How does having a separate video card for Physx work? Where would you tell Physx which card to use? I just replaced my 8800GTX with a GTX460. It would be nice if I could use my old card for something.

Like Duke said, you will find it in Nvidia control Panel under Set Physx Configurations. Another note: there is no set standards on how to install or detect your older GPU card for physx. I wish Nvidia or Windows get it fix. It is why its so hard to find any info on installing your 2nds card for physx. In previous years during Windows Vista. I used my GT 8800 for physx. (GTX 280 was my main GPU) But back then I had to use a VGA dongle with resisters to trick windows into thinking there is a monitor pluged into the GT 8800.

Now with windows 7 I dont need no VGA dongle, but not everyone can get their 2nd card registered in the Nvidia control Panel. Some use a modify file but that defeat the purpose of simple plug n play.

Here is what I encounter;

I had the GTX 480 up and running update the drivers. I soon plug in the GTX280 and the Nvidia control panel didnt see it. Searching the web and I came up with this. Delete all Nvidia related drivers for the card. And the Nvidia control panel. It will ask to reboot and what not. (It would be good to remove your main GPU card from the PC and use the onboard or if you dont have onboard gpu then leave the card in the pcie slot)Windows will attempt to install widows standard gpu drivers and thats fine. Run Driver Sweeper (free) You dont need to be safe mode, Just Windows administer privileges. It should auto analyze or just click analyze. Delete all Nvidia related registry only. Clean and reboot. Turn it off, Install the physx card (and if you remove your main GPU install it too) At this point there should be no Nvidia drivers, just the windows GPU standard drivers. Go to Nvidia and install the latest drivers. From there on your Nvidia Control panel should see your 8800 card and set it for Physx. So moral of this story, Install both cards (main GPU and physx card) at the same time.

Like you, Since I have the GTX 280 just sitting around, I might as well put it to use. Note that not all games use physx. Some game you will see improvents like assassin's creed, batman arkham asylum and mafia 2. The purpose of using the physx card is just to remove the physx work load. Its been said people with 2,3, or even 4 SLI dont even need physx.





Anyway speaking of physx, I was looking at my physx card (GTX 280) and notice the card is displaying a red light instead of green. I was like uh-oh, I removed the side panel and gentley put my finger in the center of the fan to feel the fan moving. The fan was not moving I went to awww mode and thinking my physx card died or the fan broke. Just hoping it has some kind of thermal shut off. So I disassemble the card in attempt to smell burn or see if what kind of fan to replace. Intresting stuff.







But look at this



Oh snap












I thought these where used on OEM Dell reference
Anyway I found out the issue. Looking online, the GTX 280 solid red light means I have a power issue. Sure enough.... One of the modular PCI-e from the Corsair PSU came loose and is not all the way pluged into the PSU. Doh!!! Stupid stupid stupid Gonna remove the rest of the stickers residue remove the old OEM thermal paste on the GPU chip, apply some Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound paste and give it another go

[Donziboy2]

AS5 will atleast lower your temps 1-2c compared to the crap paste they use.