I saw this reference using a server type dual Xeon board, the Supermicro X8DAI, where the user could assign programs, and even the GPUs to each of the CPUs. In this way he's running one modelling software on one of the CPU's and in parallel another on the other, and copying and pasting between them. In addition, he's got "customized bios" so that the CPUs can be addressed separately by VM software, which enables him to run a virtual XP setup, with one of his Quadro cards assigned to it, and all running in the background. Would this be possible with the SR-2 as well?

OK, excellent. CPU's are X5650 and they do have the VT-x.

xanderf

I guess the real question would be...what are you looking to gain by doing that?  IE., are you having any issues that you are expecting that to solve, or...?

 
Would it enable me to have both a Quadro GPU and a group of Geforces on the same motherboard?
 
Then I could use a Quadro GPU assigned to one CPU, and a group of Geforce GPUs to the other, for example? Then I could be working on modelling/CAD/CAM work with the Quadro for the Viewport, while the other CPU governs GPU rendering of 3D imaging.
 
 

OK, so no problem (?). I understood differently from posts such as these:

"The combination Quadro + GeFroce works only 50%. If the Quadro drivers detects non Quadro cards the pro features will be disabled. For example Quadro 2000and GTX 560 Ti 2 GB or GTX 580 3 GB. If Quadro 2000 detect the GTX card, it starts act like a GTS 450. No pro features will be enabled like: the image quality in viewport inside solidworks or other CAD software, no Quadro acceleration and stability, no 30 bit support for 30 bit monitor via display port, the pro options from nvidia control panel are totally gone... so on and so forth.

You must put the Quadro on the first slot and the GTX card on the second slot. The monitors will be plugged in the Quadro. I don't recommend connecting the monitor in the GTX. In the OS you'll need to install the Quadro drivers only, no GeForce driver at all. When you are working in CAD you must disable from Device Manager the GTX card so the Quadro card is unable to detect it. After you done your job with modeling/animation you can close the CAD software, activate back the GTX and do your rendering in octane . This is the only way. The dual boot is not working. To install a second OS and install only the GeForce driver is not possible because the system recognize the first card as the default, the first card that is installed on the first slot."
 
http://render.otoy.com/fo...ic.php?f=25&t=4624
 
In addition NVIDIA's own support line chatted with an acquaintance of mine and maintained that running Quadro and GeForce cards on the same machine is not possible due to Nvidia Control Panel errors. No point in posting a link to this posting as it's not in English.
 
I've also seen this here on the forum:
 
http://forums.evga.com...718192&high=quadro
 
And this here from experienced EVGA forum member rhussain:
 
"What I really hate is that you cant even combine a geforce and quadro in one system seamlessly the drivers will treat your expensive quadro as if it's a geforce card as soon as you install a geforce card. You will no longer have access to the application profiles that exist on the quadro drivers."
 
http://forums.evga.com...714179&high=quadro
 

 

Gadgety1
In the OS you'll need to install the Quadro drivers only, no GeForce driver at all. When you are working in CAD you must disable from Device Manager the GTX card so the Quadro card is unable to detect it. After you done your job with modeling/animation you can close the CAD software, activate back the GTX and do your rendering in octane . This is the only way.

Well, that's the trick - you install the Quadro drivers, only.
 
I'm not sure what he means by having to deactivate the GeForce card, though - unless something has changed very much since the last time I had a Quadro card, that step isn't necessary - you just set your application to use the Quadro instead of auto-detecting and using whatever it finds, and that's it.
 

Gadgety1
BTW. I've previously seen reviews highlighting the possibility to enable and disable the PCI-e slots on the SR-2 by physically switching jumpers on the board. This is also referenced on the Octane forum. If there's a possibility to assign different cards to one of  two CPUs this, i e the Quadro/GeForce cards will not "know" of each others existence, then this feature will not be necessary for me. However, if it is not possible to assign different bioses (I would guess it won't be, but it's just a guess), then it would come in handy.

Outside of installing a VMWare server and creating two 'virtual' hardware instances, I'm not aware of any way to distinctly assign or hide system hardware from multiple OSes on the box.

Well, it's possible - that wasn't my experience, but last time I tried combining the cards was a number of years back, so...maybe things have changed...