Dual graphics cards

[touchstone57]

Hello. Recently I just bought a new motherboard, the ASUS A8N- SLI SE. The motherboard can apperently  take dual grapihcs cards with its two slots. I baught a e- geforce 7900 gt Ko to go with it, but currently I am using a nvidia geforce 6200 256mb.

I was wandering if i would be able to use both my new and old graphics card at the same time for optimum performance? With my new motherboard I received an sli cable that allows a connection between two graphics card, my 7900 appears compatible as there is a slot at the top where the cable fits. But my geforce 6200 I can find no slot. Apperently my geforce 6200 is compatible with both agp and pci express as it say on the box which im not sure about.

In the manual it says the any nvidia 6 or 7 series cards are dual compatible but this doesnt appear to be the case, so are my graphics cards compatible?

Also another little question, now that all of my computer parts have arrived (graphics card, motherboard and processor) do I have to do anything to my hardrive like reformat it or something? im not quite sure and I dont want to mess up as tomorrow I put it all together.

Thank you

[soybean]

Hello. Recently I just bought a new motherboard, the ASUS A8N- SLI SE. The motherboard can apperently  take dual grapihcs cards with its two slots.

Do you mean two PCI Express cards?  Do you have two PCI Express slots?

but currently I am using a nvidia geforce 6200 256mb.

Is that a PCI Express card or an AGP card?  If it's PCI Express, looks like you won't be able connect it to the 7900GT since the 6200 appears not to be an SLI-capable card.  In either case (PCI Express or AGP), if you have a slot available for the 6200, you may be able to use both for dual/multiple monitors.  Were you interested in that or just using two cards together in SLI mode?

Is the manual referring to dual/SLI capability or dual monitors?

[touchstone57]

Well my motherboard has two, yes count em two, pci express slots. As for my graphics card, it it says its pci express/agp8x which means that its compatible with both card types.The one I bought can be found here

http://www.savastore.com/productinfo/product.aspx?catalog_name=Savastore&product_id=10288215&pid=45&tid=279

Im not interested in using dual/multiple monitors just runiing in sli mode.

and can you anser my little question about the motherboard/hardrive please

Thanks

[soybean]

Your geforce 6200 is an AGP card; it will only fit in an AGP slot.  I'm not absolutely sure what "PCI Express x16 / AGP 8X Interface Support", as stated on the web page you cited, means, but I suspect it either means you can use it in a motherboard that has both PCI Express slots and an AGP slot, or that it can be used along with a PCI Express card.  But, this does not mean it is SLI-capable.  IT IS NOT.

Here's some good info titled NVIDIA SLI Upgrade Guide.  As clearly stated there, SLI "is using [highlight]two PCI-Express video cards [/highlight]in tandem instead of just one."

Concerning the installation of your existing hard drive in this new system you're building, yes, you should format the hard drive and do a fresh install of Windows for best results.  You'll receive a disc with the motherboard that will have device drivers for that specific board, and, of course, you'll have to install drivers for the new video card and any other add-on cards.  Your hard drive now has drivers for your old motherboard; trying to move the old hard drive over without formatting can get messy.  Therefore, it's best to format and reinstall Windows.

[touchstone57]

How exactly do I do this? Do I reinstall windows before I install the new motherboard? Or do I put in the motherboard installation disc? Im a little confused!  reinstalling windows will remove all of my old motherboard drivers so All I have to do is put in the disc and install the new drivers? And how do i reinstall windows? just insert the windows disc?

[soybean]

Frankly, you've got some homework to do.  You're asking some very basic questions for someone who has intentions of assembling a system.  

The motherboard must be installed before you can install Windows.  The CD or DVD (most  likely CD) that comes with the motherboard will have drivers for things integrated into the motherboard such as onbaord LAN/ethernet, onboard sound, USB devices, etc.  As I previously said, add-on cards (meanings sound/video/etc. cards you install in certain slots) will require installation of additional drivers.  For example, surely your new video card came with a CD with nVidia software/drivers.  

Once you get the hardware assembled, you should be able to put the Windows disc in the CD drive and proceed with the installation of Windows.  Then, you can install drivers from the motherboard CD, then drivers for add-on cards.  

You really need to do some reading on building a system.  Here's one article: How to Install Your RAM, GPU, and Wire Your Motherboard

Be careful not to cause ESD (electrostatic discharge) when handling these components.  It can ruin components.