Will two video cards work in Macpro/Windows 7?

[jchall30]

I currently have a 2010 Macpro with a 5870 in it and would like to know if I added a 5770 to drive a second monitor would it also work on my Windows 7 partition? I know that it will work in OSX. I am wanting to do this so I can use the 5870 solely for the first screen for gaming and not have to split the video ram over two screens. Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[CaptainChunk]

I currently have a 2010 Macpro with a 5870 in it and would like to know if I added a 5770 to drive a second monitor would it also work on my Windows 7 partition? I know that it will work in OSX. I am wanting to do this so I can use the 5870 solely for the first screen for gaming and not have to split the video ram over two screens. Thanks in advance for the help.

Yes, it would work, but you would have to get power to the 5770. The 5870 already uses both of the PCIe power headers on the logic board.

Some people branch off the SATA power from the second optical drive bay using an adapter. But the better (safer) method would be to use a 5.25" PSU fitted to the lower optical drive bay.

 

[jchall30]

I got the power part. Just wondering about dual cards under windows. So that will work then? One card for one screen and one for the other?

 

[CaptainChunk]

Yes.

 

[jchall30]

Thanks for the replys. I think that's what I am going to do.

 

[ymw]

I got the power part. Just wondering about dual cards under windows. So that will work then? One card for one screen and one for the other?

Hi, jchall,
How do you resolve the power problem? There are only two power
plugs in the main board and 5870 need two. I think that HD 5770
need power too. How do you get extra power plug? I want to have
two cards too, but would like to know how to get power to the second
card.

 

[applegeek897]

I think you should get another 5870 not from apple to save cost and run it in crossfire, will not effect OSX and you will be able to run both display off one card. The only thing you will need to do is get a small PSU to run from the optical drive bay or get PCI-E adapter.

 

[jchall30]

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Don't really want to fool with crossfire at this time. The 5870 is enough for my main screen and the 5770 for the second for now. I just hope it isn't to much trouble under Windows and the extended desktop is seamless like it is under OSX.