Running 2x R9 280x causes BSOD with error code 3b

Well, as this motherboard has only 2 full sized PCIe slots, to install a third card, I need an extension cable that connects a small x1 PCIe slot to a x16 GPU - I can show you a picture if you like.
This isn't optimal for gaming, as the speed is limited to x1. However, for mining purposes it's fine.
This cable isn't at fault though! I only tried it when connecting the 3rd card and while it could perhaps have caused an error, in all earlier testing, I only used the full sized x16 and x4 slots. I'm in the process of getting the MSI running alone, to check if I even can.

 

You need to contact Asrock. Why didn't you buy a proper CrossFire board?

 

Well, I have no intentions of running crossfire, I merely want them to be able to run side by side - e.g. using several monitors.

Not sure what I would contact AsRock for or why?

The MSI works when I install it in the x16 slot now . . . Not sure if it's just luck...

I've set up a R9 280x with extension before, though only one (was running with two 7950's)...
Just never 3 different brands, nor 3 of this model, in one board before.

EDIT: So, I confirmed the MSI works fine, when solo, then inserted the ASUS as well and got the crash again. I did however, change the slot of the MSI!
So now I'll get back to the image without any ATI drivers and load it. Then insert three cards and start up and see if it can figure out the drivers.

 

I don't understand why you're trying to run a x16 Gen3 card in a x1/x2 Gen2 slot. What's the point?

 

Well it's simple - this machine I'm building for a mate and its primary purpose is to mine LiteCoin, though the plan is to divide the cards up in 4-6 months and use them for gaming.
For crypto currency mining, is matters not that you use a x16 gen3 card in a lesser slot, though if the slot isn't full sized, you need a riser cable/PCIe extension cable...

 

You must be joking. "Lesser slot" doesn't mean PCI-e x1 using an extension card.

And that board is not designed to do what you are attempting, it hardly supports 2 video cards let alone 3. "QuadfireX" means a dual gpu in first slot, dual gpu in second slot. Hybrid CF includes vga and x16/x4 slots.

PCIe x1 is not intended for graphics cards, that's why all PCIe slots for GPU's are 16 lane even if they only run at x8 or x4. Buy a proper board with x16/x8/x4 slots.....

 

Hi. If you guys talk about, picie and crossfire. Sorry I just will ask here my Question
I have H77 chipset Board that have 2xPCIE 16 one 3.0 x16 nad another 2.0 x16 Black At 4x

I want to but another hd7870. Is It gonna work good in games ar 1680x1050
I dont have money to buy single 280X.....so please Help.

 

It would work fine, but whether it will run games well in your resolution depends on the game - I'd check Tomshardware to see exactly how well that combo does . . .

 

I think you're missing the point here.
A GPU that mines is not used the same way as it would be regularly. If connected to a x1 slot, instead of a x16 slot, as it was built for, the GPU suffers severely when used for gaming! When mining though, it works quite well and fine with just one lane!
Even if ALL the slots were x1, with riser cables (PCIe extensions) you could still run 4 on a motherboard, mining away . . .
There are other issues, such as whether the board has enough power for such a setup (otherwise one would use powered riser cables) or indeed if it has enough PCIe slots at all, but whether or not it has enough 16 lane slots, matter not.
Another issue is that some motherboard needs their x1 slots to be "activated" to register a GPU and I'm going to try that now on the x1 slot.

The riser cable looks like this:


The x1 slot with a bit of copper wire to activate it:


The x1 slot with copperwire and riser cable attached:



EDIT: Mayhap I shouldn't've tried to activate the x1 slot in this manner, as I tried and I think the MB is fried - doesn't start whatsoever and at all

 

well that 0x3B seems connected with gpu ID miss match and probably a driver conflict. It only happens when you have 2 gpus installed and then try to remove one and swap for other vender (clearly ID missmatch, driver issue).. Ie have Asus and Sapphire, then remove Asus and have only MSI and Sapphire.


0x7E happens only if you use 3 gpus correct? And now I see you use pcie 1x to pcie 16x, well I think that extension cord is buggy or maybe its not designed for a pcie3.0 gen gpu at all, probably not even for pcie2.0, did you double check that?

Are you sure you dont have that memory caching option? I have it on my Asus mobo (advanced memory or in misc. section), I didnt have it on Gigabyte though.


There are few possible suspects for 0x7E as well, I only pinpointed out the most obvious

All in all I think its only because you try to use that extension cord for pcie 1x to 16x. If I where you I would get me a proper mobo with full 3/4 sli/crossfire support and not try this homemade hack.. Or better yet just use 2gpus and be done with it, since its clearly mobo compatibility fault.

 

You're spot on there -Tj-

I had 4 of those riser cables and the three others are working in my mates mining rig (however that's a gen2 slot, so I should've tried just setting the slot to gen2, as I've seen is possible on some MB's) in Bangkok and since they were all in sealed packages I figure mine's OK too, though of course I can't confirm, since I only have one.

But yes, 3b error with two GPU's and 7e with 3 or in both cases merely a complete crash with no message or system dump.

However, as I was thinking the x1 slot might not work due to lack of activation, I tried the activation with a tiny piece of copper wire from a phone cable, as shown in the picture...
That was probably a bad idea, as it completely killed the MB - can't power up whatsoever and already checked the PSU...
Tomorrow I'm going to get a new LGA 1155 MB and CPU (as there's no LGA1150 in Cambodia) and then next week I'll change the faulty MB (I know I am the culprit, but likely they'll change it anyhow) and use it in the next rig, which is actually for me self for once...

So it's still a work in progress

 

You're the one missing the point. That chipset cannot run 3 discrete cards, hence the reason the board only has 2 16-lane pcie slots not 3. This has all been quite a waste of time tbh.....

Good luck with your endeavors....