**Guide: Enable ATI + Nvidia PhysX on Single monitor** - Overclock.net

pipnasty · 12-23-09

Hi all! I decided to do my own guide for enabling PhysX with an ATI primary card. I know there are a bunch of guides out there already, but I think this would be helpful for people who need the extra details, and are using a single monitor.

How to enable ATI primary + Nvidia PhysX on single monitor:

12/23/2009

What you need:
- Windows XP or 7 OS (I'm not sure with Vista, haven't tried nor seen it yet - I'm using Win 7 Ultimate 64bit)
- Any Nvidia Geforce 8 series and above (recommended: 8800GT or higher)
- DVI to VGA adapter (this comes free with most GPUs)
- 3 pcs 68 ohms 1W resistors
- Existing ATI Driver (I had the official ATI 9.12, not the hotfix one)
- Nvidia 195.XX Driver or later (I used 195.62)
- Nvidia PhysX 9.09.1112 Driver or later (optional - no need if already have an older version)
- PhysX patch/mod/crack (1.02) (The old PhysX patch/crack v1.01 won't work with Nvidia 195.XX drivers)

1. Plug in your Nvidia gpu to be used as a dedicated PhysX.

2. Make yourself a dummy vga to be plugged into your Nvidia GPU. This is needed to fool your gpu into thinking it's running on another monitor. Here are a few guides: link1, link2.

Here's how I did mine:

3a. Boot to windows and install: Nvidia drivers, do not reboot yet.
-it's ok if windows 7 automatically detects your drivers, just install on top of it w/ the new Nvidia driver.
-no need to uninstall existing ATI driver

Optional 3b. Install Nvidia PhysX if you don't have it yet. If you have it already, it's ok not to install OR you can install the new one on top of the old one - doesn't matter

4. Run "msconfig" and choose to boot into safe mode

5. Once in safe mode, apply the PhysX patch. Choose the "cake" option (no need to check backup).

6. Boot into normal mode, go to desktop, right click and go to screen resolution.

7. Once there, you'll see 2 monitors. 1 - your current monitor, 2 - Generic Non-PnP Monitor (from your dummy VGA).

Click detect and you'll see 2 grey imaginary monitors.

Choose one and from the Display drop-down select "available display output on [nvida video card]", leave resolution and orientation as is. Then choose "try connect anyway on vga" and Apply. On the Multiple displays drop-down, select "extend desktop to this display".

In the end it should look something like this:

7a. **USEFUL TIP:
If you're tired of having your mouse pointer suddenly disappear as it goes to the extended monitor, you can try moving some of the extended monitors to the top right corner of your main display... to do so in Windows 7..
a. go to desktop
b. right click > screen resolution
c. now drag the 2nd and 3rd monitor to the top right corner of your main display
d. DONE! now your mouse won't go over the edges of your main display.. except for the top right corner (which the mouse rarely goes to anyway) It should look like this:

8. Go to Nvidia control panel> 3D settings> Set PhysX configuration> Enabled

9. Pat yourself on the back for a job well done

To check if PhysX is really enabled, download Fluidmark v1.1.1 and upon running, you should see "Hardware PhysX".

3Dmark Vantage score before PhysX card

With PhysX card

to Grunion, Pandemahaos and a bunch of others in my original thread for helping me out

Games using PhysX:
From Nvidia site, From wikipedia

Other guides I used:
link 1, link 2, link 3, link 4

Updates: Added step 7a (1/19/2010)

mark076h · 12-23-09

Awesome guide, I posted about it on GamePhys http://www.gamephys.com/2009/12/23/g...ingle-monitor/

SupahSpankeh · 12-23-09

Rad, +1 for sure. I thought there was a way to do it in pure software though? Didn't someone had the physx?

MRHANDS · 12-23-09

If you want to avoid using patches and cracks and installing more things, just download a 181 nvidia driver.

I've been using 181.22 for physx with my 9600GSO. Works flawlessly.
http://techpowerup.com/downloads/Drivers/NVIDIA/old/

BlackOmega · 12-23-09

I wonder if making the dummy plug is the same as folding.

So that means WinXP users (32 bit) wouldn't have to make the plug, simply extend the desktop and you're done.

And hands is right, I think you can use all the way up to 185.xx drivers.

Pandemahaos · 12-23-09

Nice guide! Had a chance to play some PhysX games yet?

Quote:

Originally Posted by SupahSpankeh

Rad, +1 for sure. I thought there was a way to do it in pure software though? Didn't someone had the physx?

You can do software PhysX, but you have a horrible performance hit. I mean it pretty much makes games unplayable. The GPU PhysX is far superior in performance probably due to it being coded to run on a GPU. There are games like Crysis that have their own physics engines that use CPU, but it's different code and designed to run on the CPU.

pipnasty · 12-23-09

Quote:

Originally Posted by mark076h

Awesome guide, I posted about it on GamePhys http://www.gamephys.com/2009/12/23/g...ingle-monitor/

Thanks! Hopefully it'll help a lot of people

Quote:

Originally Posted by SupahSpankeh

Rad, +1 for sure. I thought there was a way to do it in pure software though? Didn't someone had the physx?

Thanks! Yup, you can run PhysX thru the CPU. Previously I tried running PhysX on during Batman without a PhysX card and I got 19-20 fps during PhysX intensive areas... it was really slow

Quote:

Originally Posted by MRHANDS

If you want to avoid using patches and cracks and installing more things, just download a 181 nvidia driver.

I've been using 181.22 for physx with my 9600GSO. Works flawlessly.
http://techpowerup.com/downloads/Drivers/NVIDIA/old/

Yeah there are older versions, but since I'm getting this just now, I wanted to install the latest stuff

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlackOmega

I wonder if making the dummy plug is the same as folding.

So that means WinXP users (32 bit) wouldn't have to make the plug, simply extend the desktop and you're done.

And hands is right, I think you can use all the way up to 185.xx drivers.

YUP, it's the same as folding! I tried not putting any plug on the Nvidia GPU but the Nvidia control panel won't run, says I don't have anything hooked up to the Nvidia GPU, so the dummy plug is really necessary.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pandemahaos

Nice guide! Had a chance to play some PhysX games yet?

Yes I have!!! I can finally see some mist and fog when playing batman! I can also see paper gliding about when I punch it. Ohhh yeah!!!

BlackOmega · 12-23-09

O snap, since it's the same, I'll have to bust out one of my GSO's for physX.

roteplex · 12-24-09

I have a 5970, and would like to use an older nvidia card for physX, I gave my gtx295 to a close friend who seems to love it and I dont feel like taking it back from him. I noticed quite a bit of difference using physX in games that supported it, mostly with NFS Shift and DragonAge Origins. Can someone tell me what is the cheapest nvidia card that can be used with this method, as I want physX, but don't want to spend anymore money, ($615) was a bit much for me but I couldn't resist as it was onsale, and available. Or should I try buying an used, original Ageia 128mb 1x card??

pipnasty · 12-24-09

Quote:

Originally Posted by roteplex

I have a 5970, and would like to use an older nvidia card for physX, I gave my gtx295 to a close friend who seems to love it and I dont feel like taking it back from him. I noticed quite a bit of difference using physX in games that supported it, mostly with NFS Shift and DragonAge Origins. Can someone tell me what is the cheapest nvidia card that can be used with this method, as I want physX, but don't want to spend anymore money, ($615) was a bit much for me but I couldn't resist as it was onsale, and available. Or should I try buying an used, original Ageia 128mb 1x card??

I don't think Dragon Age supports PhysX. As far as I know, it runs fine with ATI cards (I could max it out with my old 4850 with constant 60fps dipping to 38 fps in the denerim market area).

It's is recommended that you get a decently powerful Nvidia GPU if you want it to be used as a dedicated PhysX card without affecting your current FPS. I think an Nvidia 9800GTX+ or GTS 250 will be great alongside your ATI 5970. If you're on a limited budget, a 9800GT (rebranded 8800GT) will also be a good minimum starting point. If you have more cash, go up from there

12-24-09	#9 (permalink)
roteplex New to Overclock.net Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 12 Rep: 1 Unique Rep: 1 Trader Rating: 0	I have a 5970, and would like to use an older nvidia card for physX, I gave my gtx295 to a close friend who seems to love it and I dont feel like taking it back from him. I noticed quite a bit of difference using physX in games that supported it, mostly with NFS Shift and DragonAge Origins. Can someone tell me what is the cheapest nvidia card that can be used with this method, as I want physX, but don't want to spend anymore money, ($615) was a bit much for me but I couldn't resist as it was onsale, and available. Or should I try buying an used, original Ageia 128mb 1x card?? Last edited by roteplex : 12-24-09 at 09:46 PM

		Overclock.net - Overclocking.net > Graphics Cards > Graphics Cards - General
Guide: Enable ATI + Nvidia PhysX on Single monitor

12-23-09	#2 (permalink)
mark076h New to Overclock.net Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 49 Rep: 8 Unique Rep: 8 Trader Rating: 0	Awesome guide, I posted about it on GamePhys http://www.gamephys.com/2009/12/23/g...ingle-monitor/

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)