# Dual nvidia cards under Linux

## pkill

Hey all,

Currently using binary nvidia drivers to power my 9600GT w/ two screens, I'm wondering what my options are if I want to add an additional two monitors. From what I understand, cards must be independant rather than SLI (see http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=1776599 ) and supported under the same driver version.

What are my options? will I get away with any two cards that are supported under a single version of nVidia's drivers? Should I go and buy two identical cards? I don't really want to go and blow money on a card only to find it doesnt work. 

Cheers  :Smile: 

- pkill

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## Jaglover

All good questions. Looking at my xorg.conf I do not see a reason why I couldn't use nvidia driver for one card and nouveau for another. I may be wrong indeed.

```
Section "Device"

    Identifier     "Device0"

    Driver         "nvidia"

    VendorName     "NVIDIA Corporation"

    BoardName      "GeForce 8500 GT"

    BusID          "PCI:1:0:0"

    Screen          0

EndSection
```

As I understand I could (if I had two nVidia cards) assign nouveau to a different BusID.

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## xineg

I have a gentoo box with two monitors hooked up to an nvidia card and a third monitor hooked up to a matrox video card, I can't see why having two nvidia cards would be any different.

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## Jaglover

http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/nvidia-guide.xml#doc_chap2

Since there is no way to assign different versions of nvidia drivers to particular cards an older card may not work with newest driver.

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## pkill

Afaik, noveau drivers and nVidia don't play well together.

Jaglover, does that mean that two newish cards will play together? I'd prefer to stay nvidia, I've had endless trouble with ATi, and I'm needing some form of graphical acceleration, nothing too heavy, but not light enough for lighter cards - all that being said, last time I checked, matrox cards were pretty low end...

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