2-Core NVIDIA GTX295 (Driver:342.01) Suddenly Shows Only 1 Core Active

In my rather ancient system I've been happily using both GPU's of my GTX295 for years (10+) and suddenly this week I only see 1 core registering in Nvidia Control Panel and Device Manager etc.
As I never got any temperature alerts I can only assume 1 core has failed. I've uninstalled/reinstalled the driver. Am I right?

Remaining core is happily running at 60 -80°C. Windows is totally up to date: 20H2 v19042.782

Sorry, just realized this should be in the next section. My bad.

Thanks for the fast response. Yes I meant 2 GPU rather than 2 core. Normally when installing the driver both GPU's would update simultaneously and nothing to worry about. But the last few days only 1 shows and as you say, I guess it's a survivor & time to try for a new high-end machine. Here's hoping I can finance it.

bobkn said:

I wondered what you meant by "2-core". I see that it's a card with dual GPUs, and that the latest supported drivers for it are your 342.01 ones.

I thought that you might need to enable SLI in the nVidia settings, but a review I found online (GeForce GTX 295 review - BFG - Setup | Noise | Power consumption | Heat levels) explicitly states that it's not necessary. If the second GPU isn't seen in Device Manager, though, I'd guess that it is dead.

Maybe it's time to update the card. I think that a GTX 1050 ti might be more powerful. Whether your Asus P6T Deluxe V2 motherboard's BIOS would support that new a card, I don't know. (Beware of fake 1050 ti cards, though. It's common to see counterfeit cards that are a much lesser card with a BIOS that has been hacked to show the card as a 1050ti.)

Thanks, I checked with Nvidia and they say all GTX1XXX cards are compatible with all Asus P6XX motherboards. That saves me money as a GTX295 is costly, even 2nd hand.
Thanks again.

Thanks, yes my Alienware was high-end. It was one of the last to come off Alienware's production line before Dell took them over. Most of the Alienware experts formed their own company: OriginPC, and if I go high-end there it's a $20,000 or thereabouts price, which I could never afford.

Ex_Brit said:

Thanks, yes my Alienware was high-end. It was one of the last to come off Alienware's production line before Dell took them over. Most of the Alienware experts formed their own company: OriginPC, and if I go high-end there it's a $20,000 or thereabouts price, which I could never afford.

Here is a list (Canada) of most of the reasonably priced Nvidia cards, sorted lowest to highest price.
At the top you can see the list of vid cards I included.

Choose A Video Card - PCPartPicker

Thanks. I'm looking at at a new one on eBay right now.

bobkn said:

Jeepers. There are some seriously lunatic prices on that list. Even in the context of the COVID graphics card drought.

Those are Canadian prices.

PCPartpicker automatically finds the cheapest online prices... w/e the country.