That "SLI license" thingy is usually based on the BIOS.. The driver simply looks for the "SLI cookie" in the firmware, and activates SLI if found. The driver hack merely tries to bypass this check. Anyboard can use SLI as long as have dual PCIe slots, just requires the "appropriate" driver activation.

Anyway, some P55 boards can CrossFireX and SLI with x16/x16 lanes, using the NF200. For example: MSI Big Bang-Trinergy

Yups, your motherboard still uses x8/x8 with 2 GPUs installed. The MSI Big Bang Trinergy motherboard goes around this limitation by employing NVIDIA's NF200 chipset into their design.

Another board that uses the NF200 is GigaByte GA-P55-UD7.

This post has been edited by lex: Dec 25 2009, 07:51 AM

Its a kind of "PCIe multiplier", in other words "creates" more PCIe lanes from existing ones.

This post has been edited by lex: Dec 26 2009, 02:39 AM

Nopes, no need at all... The X58 chipset already have full 36 PCIe lanes, enough for full dual PCIe x16 slots plus another 4 PCIe lanes to spare..

This post has been edited by lex: Dec 26 2009, 12:16 PM

They included the DMI link, which is another 4 PCIe lanes . Quote from Wikipedia: Intel X58.. Total PCIe lanes is: 36(X58 Northbridge) + 4(DMI) = 40.

This post has been edited by lex: Dec 26 2009, 12:55 PM