EVGA X299 Micro User Manual
  1. Manuals
  2. Brands
  3. EVGA Manuals
  4. Motherboard
  5. X299 Micro
  6. User manual

EVGA X299 Micro User Manual

Hide thumbs
Table of Contents

Advertisement

Quick Links

Download this manual
EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295)
User Guide
EVGA X299 MICRO
Specs and Initial Installation
- 1 -

Advertisement

Table of Contents
loading

Related Manuals for EVGA X299 Micro

Summary of Contents for EVGA X299 Micro

  • Page 1 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) User Guide EVGA X299 MICRO Specs and Initial Installation - 1 -...

  • Page 2: Table Of Contents

    Motherboard Specifications ....................- 6 - Unpacking and Parts Descriptions ..................- 8 - Intel X299 MICRO Motherboard LED reference ..............- 9 - Intel X299 MICRO Motherboard Component Legend ............- 12 - PCI-E Slot Breakdown ....................... - 23 - M.2 and U.2 Slot Breakdown .....................
  • Page 3 Have a question not covered above, or want some online resources? ......- 125 - POST Beep codes ......................- 126 - POST Port Debug LED ....................- 127 - POST Codes ......................- 128 - EVGA Glossary of Terms ....................- 133 - Compliance Information ..................- 136 - - 3 -...

  • Page 4: Before You Begin

    Intel i219, M.2 Key-M, U.2, 6 SATA 3/6g and much more! Lastly, a motherboard is only as good as its BIOS, and the EVGA X299 MICRO features an updated UEFI\BIOS GUI with a focus on overclocking and functionality in a lean, straight-forward package.

  • Page 5: Parts Not In The Kit

    Hard Drive or SSD Keyboard / Mouse Monitor (Optional) Optical Drive EVGA assumes you have purchased all the necessary parts needed to allow for proper system functionality. For a full list of supported CPUs on this motherboard, please visit www.evga.com/support/motherboard...

  • Page 6: Motherboard Specifications

    EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) Motherboard Specifications Size: mATX form-factor of 9.6 inches x 9.6 inches (243.8x243.8mm) Microprocessor support: Intel Socket 2066 Processor Operating Systems: Supports Windows 10 64bit only System Memory support: Supports Quad Channel DDR4 up to 4000MHz+ SkyLake-X, and 4133MHz+ Kaby Lake-X (OC).
  • Page 7 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) Power Functions: Supports ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Interface) Supports S0 (normal), S3 (suspend to RAM), S4 (Suspend to disk - depends on OS), and S5 (soft - off) PCI-Express Expansion Slots: 3x PCI-E x16 slot 2x16, 1x4 **LANES PER SLOT CAN VARY BASED OFF OF CPU, PLEASE SEE PAGE 23 FOR LANE BREAKDOWN BASED OFF OF CPU.**...

  • Page 8: Unpacking And Parts Descriptions

    EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) Unpacking and Parts Descriptions The following accessories are included with the EVGA X299 MICRO Motherboard: - 8 -...

  • Page 9: Intel X299 Micro Motherboard Led Reference

    EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) Intel X299 MICRO Motherboard LED reference The EVGA X299 MICRO Motherboard has several LEDs indicating power, connectivity, and activity. Below is the location of the LEDs and their function. - 9 -...
  • Page 10 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) LED Legend Removable BIOS LED FIVR PE1 Status/Mode CATERR PE2 Status/Mode KBX LED CC_LED PE3 Status/Mode SKX LED Backlit/Shielded Audio Trace 5VSB POSTCODE Indicator 1. Removable BIOS LED a. RED: Active BIOS Chip (only 1 will be lit at a time) 2.
  • Page 11 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) 9. SKX LED a. WHITE: Indicates a Skylake-X processor is installed into the socket. 10. POST Code indicator a. After bootup, this will display the CPU temp. b. During boot it will cycle many different hexadecimal post codes with a range of 00-FF and this indicates what aspect of the Power On Self Test (POST) is currently running.

  • Page 12: Intel X299 Micro Motherboard Component Legend

    EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) Intel X299 MICRO Motherboard Component Legend The EVGA X299 MICRO Motherboard with the Intel X299 and PCH Chipset. Figure 1 shows the motherboard and Figure 2 shows the back panel connectors FIGURE 1. X299 MICRO Motherboard Layout...
  • Page 13 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) Component Legend CPU Socket 2066 U.2 (SFF-8639) Port Backlit Audio Traces Intel X299 Southbridge M.2 Socket 3 Key-M 80mm Front Panel Audio Connector CPU Fan Headers (1 amp PWM) PCI-E Slot 16x/8x Front Panel Connectors Fan Headers (1 amp DC/PWM)
  • Page 14 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) Figure 2. Chassis Rear Panel Connectors I/O Hub USB 3.0 BIOS/CMOS Reset Optical Out USB 3.1 type A Intel I 219 NIC Analog Audio Jacks USB 3.1 type C M.2 Key-E Vertical Header 3.5mm Audio Jack Legend Analog Audio 2/2.1 Channel...
  • Page 15 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) Component Legend Descriptions 1. CPU Socket 2066 This is the interface for the Central Processing Unit (CPU), and supports Core i7 models compatible with the Intel 2066 Socket Skylake-X and Kaby Lake-X architecture. 2. Intel X299 PCH (Southbridge) The Platform Controller Hub (PCH) handles the role that was previously held by the South Bridge.
  • Page 16 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) Skylake-X processors are certified for Quad-Channel mode, and will be enabled only upon using four sticks of supported memory, according to the installation guide on Page 26. Skylake-X supports up to 64GB (4x16GB) up to 4000MHz+, 32GB modules are *NOT* supported on this platform. Some Dual-Channel kits *may* work;...
  • Page 17 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) This connector is designed only to work with an EPS or CPU cable. System builders may make the mistake of plugging in a PCI-E 8-pin or 6+2-pin connector, which will prevent the board from POSTing and possibly damage the board;...
  • Page 18 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) Skylake-X Socket 2066 processors have 44 or 28 PCI-E lanes available for routing, whereas Kaby Lake-X has 16 PCI-E lanes. 13. PCI-E Slot x4* PCI-E x4 slot uses up to 4 Gen 3 lanes from the PCH. This slot is typically used for sound cards, WiFi, USB, or other peripheral cards.
  • Page 19 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) these can be used to attach to front panel USB, auxiliary ports that mount in the card slots, and also some devices that directly connect to the header. USB 3.0 standard is 900ma @ 5V for unpowered devices. If your USB device requires more power than this, it is recommended to attach a powered USB Hub.
  • Page 20 BIOS failures, bad BIOS flashes, BIOS corruption, etc. This feature also allows EVGA to work with end-users if something happens to render the BIOS chip unusable or a BIOS update is needed for CPU compatibility; rather than...
  • Page 21 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) CMOS Reset Button (On IO Panel) This button has two main uses: the first is standard practice to clear BIOS and power on before updating the BIOS, and the second is standard practice when troubleshooting instances when the motherboard fails to POST, such as after upgrading RAM or CPU, installing new hardware, a failed overclock, etc.
  • Page 22 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) Add-In Card Slots The X299 MICRO features three x16 PCI-E slots, and one Socket 3 Key-M M.2 80mm (backwards compatible with Key-M 60mm and 42mm). - 22 -...

  • Page 23: Pci-E Slot Breakdown

    EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) PCI-E Slot Breakdown PCI-E Lane Distribution (44 Lane SKX CPUs) PE1 – x16 Physical (Gen3, x16 lanes from CPU) PE2 – x16 (Gen3, x16 lanes from CPU) PE3 – x16 (Gen3, x4 lanes from PCH) PCI-E Lane Distribution (28 Lane SKX CPUs) PE1 –...

  • Page 24: Installing The Cpu

    EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) Installing the CPU Note: Use extreme caution when working with the CPU to not damage any pins in the CPU socket on the motherboard! Note: After removing the CPU socket cover, it is recommended to store it in case you ever need to transport your motherboard.

  • Page 25: Installing The Cpu Cooling Device

    EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) 6. Align the notches on the CPU to the notches in the socket. 7. Lower the processor straight down into the socket. Note: Make sure the CPU is fully seated and level in the socket before lowering the load plate.

  • Page 26: Installing System Memory

    EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) Installing System Memory Your X299 MICRO has (4) 288-pin slots for DDR4 memory. These slots support 4GB, 8GB and 16GB DDR4 DIMMs. There must be at least one memory slot populated for the board to boot and operate.

  • Page 27: Installing The I/O Shield And I/O Cover

    Press the I/O shield into place and make sure it fits securely. The X299 MICRO also includes an I/O cover. This I/O cover adds a unique appearance to the I/O area of the motherboard and is completely optional. If you wish to use the cover, please place it over the I/O area and install the chassis screws.

  • Page 28: Securing The Motherboard Into A System Case

    Once all screws are properly threaded, remember to go back and tighten the rest of the screws. 6. See the picture below for a zoomed-in view of a hole to place over a standoff, as well as the locations of standoff holes for the X299 MICRO. - 28 -...
  • Page 29 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) 1. All safe locations to secure the board to a standoff are circled above in red. 2. Keep in mind that when the screws are installed, but not fully tightened, the motherboard should have 1-2mm of movement; this can help with mounting cards or tight-fits with other components.

  • Page 30: Installing M.2 Devices

    EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) Installing M.2 devices Securing a M.2 device to the motherboard requires a few extra steps compared to other current drive or slot-based connectors. M.2 devices used on this motherboard, Socket 3 (for SSDs) and Socket 1 (for WiFi/Bluetooth), will be installed and attached the same way.
  • Page 31 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) 3. Gently push the M.2 device down on the raised end. There will be some tension - this is normal - then use the screw you removed in Step 2 to secure the device. Below, you can see that the contacts will be nearly invisible when the device is properly seated and the copper mounting semi-circle is partially visible around the screw.
  • Page 32 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) *NOTE* This is one of the most common examples of an incorrect installation of a M.2 device. Do not intentionally attempt this, or complete your installation with this example. Doing so could cause damage to the device or the M.2 port.

  • Page 33: Tested Cpus

    EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) Tested CPUs Core Count Frequency PCI-E Lanes Skylake-X Core Series Core™ i9-7980XE 18 Cores + HT Core™ i9-7960X 16 Cores + HT Core™ i9-7940X 14 Cores + HT Core™ i9-7920X 12 Cores + HT Core™ i9-7900X 10 Cores + HT 3.3 GHz \ 4.5 GHz (Boost)

  • Page 34: Tested M.2 Key-M

    EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) Tested M.2 Key-M M.2 Key M (SSD) : Brand Part Number Size Interface Samsung MZ-HPU128T/004 128G 128GB Samsung MZ-HPV1280 SM951 128GB Intel SSDSCKHW120A4 120GB Transcend TS128GMTS800 128GB Samsung MZ-HPU128T/004 128GB Kingston SHPM2280P2H/240 240GB M.2 + PCIE Adapter Card...

  • Page 35: Connecting Cables

    EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) Connecting Cables Important caveat: the images below do *NOT* necessarily represent the physical orientation of the your specific header on motherboard. Rather, these are physical representations designed to give you a basic physical footprint of the component AND the cable pinouts for the ports.
  • Page 36 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) 24pin ATX Power (ATX_PWR_24P) is the main power supply connector located along the lower- ATX_PWR_24p right edge of the board. Make sure that the power supply cable and pins are properly aligned with the connector on the motherboard. Firmly plug the power supply cable into the connector and make sure it is secure.
  • Page 37 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) EPS 8-pin 12V Power (PWR , the 8-pin ATX 12V power connection(s), is used to provide EPS PWR 8P power to the CPU. Align the pins to the connector and press firmly until seated. The secondary EPS, if present, is optional for improved overclocking.
  • Page 38 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) Front Panel Header The front panel header on this motherboard is used to connect the following four cables: PWRLED Attach the front panel power LED cable to these two pins of the connector. The Power LED indicates the system’s status. When the system is powered on, the LED will be on.
  • Page 39 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) RBG LED Header This header and pinout is also shared with the RGB LED header, which also supports 1 Amp @ 12 Volts (12 Watts). This will add control options through EleetX for controlling RGB LED’s.
  • Page 40 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) USB Headers The motherboard contains 1x 19-pin internal header connectors onboard that can be used to connect an optional external bracket containing up to four (2) USB 3.0 ports. This board only has USB 3.0 headers, the label below is because they share the same pinouts.
  • Page 41 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) The motherboard contains 2x 9-pin internal header connectors onboard that can be used to connect an optional external bracket containing up to four (4) USB 2.0 ports. Secure the bracket to either the front or rear panel of your chassis (not all chassis are equipped with the front panel option).
  • Page 42 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) Front Panel Audio Header Front panel audio headers provide headphone and Mic jacks to the front of the case. Depending on the PC case you can have 2 separate headers on a single FP cable, one labelled HD Audio, and another labelled AC97, this header ONLY supports HD Audio.
  • Page 43 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) Drive Headers (SATA/ U.2) SATA3/6G is the current standard for HDD/SSD/Optical interface. These cables are the data interconnect for the motherboard. Your HDD/SSD/Optical interface will still require a separate power connection from your power supply. SATA ports on this platform natively support full AHCI and RAID functions.

  • Page 44: Onboard Buttons

    EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) Onboard Buttons These onboard buttons include RESET, POWER and Clear CMOS. These functions allow you to easily reset the system, turn on/off the system, or clear the CMOS. Clear CMOS Button The motherboard uses CMOS RAM to store set parameters.

  • Page 45: First Boot

    EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) First Boot When you power the system on for the first time (or after a BIOS update/reset) it may take a little longer than expected, and follow with a pause and message on the screen reading “BIOS Checksum error, Press F2 to continue or F12 to enter the BIOS.”...
  • Page 46 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) Next, click “Boot” from the menu list at the top. “Boot Option #1” should show the device that you intend to install your operating system. If the device does not show up in this menu, and is a standard SSD/HDD plugged into a SATA port, proceed down to “UEFI Hard Disk Drive BBS Priorities”...

  • Page 47: Ssd, Pci-E Ssd, And Nvme Ssd Installation Steps

    EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) M.2 SSD, PCI-E SSD, and NVMe SSD Installation steps M.2 is a card bus that can use multiple connecter types to connect many types of devices, such as WiFi or SSDs, in a very small and power efficient package that is also very fast.
  • Page 48 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) PLEASE FULLY READ THE INSTRUCTIONS THAT COME WITH YOUR M.2 or PCI-E NVMe SSD BEFORE INSTALLATION. 2. After reviewing your SSD’s instructions and its respective Physical installation instructions above, power on the PC and enter the BIOS/UEFI by pressing the F2 key repeatedly.

  • Page 49: Internal Raid Controller

    EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) Internal RAID Controller This section introduces RAID, RAID levels, and the basics of the controller integrated into the PCH. It covers the basics of what RAID does, how RAID works, and why you may or may not want to use RAID.
  • Page 50 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) its quality, and many other factors; but the number should give you a ballpark estimate on what to expect as a final capacity once formatted. Please see below for examples of what to expect when you build an array of each type.
  • Page 51 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) one drive fails, the array fails. It MAY be possible to recover the data but that usually requires a data recovery service, which is not guaranteed and is usually very expensive. RAID0 is typically only limited by the controller; however, you will get severely diminishing performance returns after 4 drives.
  • Page 52 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) RAID 0 (4 Drive) P-DRIVE1 P-DRIVE2 P-DRIVE3 P-DRIVE4 P-DRIVE1 P-DRIVE2 P-DRIVE3 P-DRIVE4 DATA-A DATA-B DATA-C DATA-D DATA-A DATA-B DATA-C DATA-D DATA-ABCD DATA-ABCD P-DRIVE1 P-DRIVE2 P-DRIVE3 P-DRIVE4 P-DRIVE1 P-DRIVE2 P-DRIVE3 P-DRIVE4 DATA-A DATA-B DATA-C DATA-D DATA-A DATA-B...
  • Page 53 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) The Bad- RAID1 is not a storage capacity-friendly array, because the capacity will be • limited to 1 drive. o Due to the capacity available on modern drive solutions, this issue may not be as significant as it once was.
  • Page 54 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) Similar to RAID1, or any other current type of array with fault tolerance, a RAID5 array is still usable even while it is experiencing a missing or failed drive resulting in the array functioning in a degraded state. Performance will suffer in a degraded state until the missing drive is replaced and the software rebuild process is completed.
  • Page 55 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) RAID 5 (4 Drive) L-DRIVE = ≃ 3TB P-DRIVE1 P-DRIVE2 P-DRIVE3 P-DRIVE4 P-DRIVE1 P-DRIVE2 P-DRIVE3 P-DRIVE4 P-DRIVE1 P-DRIVE2 P-DRIVE3 P-DRIVE4 DATA-A DATA-B DATA-C DATA-A DATA-A DATA-B DATA-C DATA-A DATA-A DATA-B DATA-C DATA-A DATA-B DATA-C DATA-A DATA-B...
  • Page 56 L-Drive = DATA-AB L-Drive = DATA-AB While the X299 MICRO controller will support a four or six drive RAID10 array, RAID10 can scale indefinitely provided the controller supports more drives. Every pair of drives adds an additional mirrored node, which increases the theoretical number of failures the array can suffer before a loss of data occurs.
  • Page 57 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) In the case of a drive RAID 10 (6 Drive) L-DRIVE = ≃ 3TB failure, the array P-DRIVE1 P-DRIVE2 P-DRIVE3 P-DRIVE4 P-DRIVE5 P-DRIVE6 controller will notify you. When you replace P-DATA-A P-DATA-A P-DATA-B P-DATA-B P-DATA-C P-DATA-C...
  • Page 58 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) RAID0+1 : RAID0+1 is a form of nested RAID that was widely used on previous generation boards. Although the X299 series motherboards do not use this type of array, it is listed here to show the improvements made by RAID10, and to clear up a common misperception that RAID0+1 and RAID10 are the same.
  • Page 59 L-Drive = DATA-AB L-Drive = DATA-AB Motherboard controllers that support RAID0+1 (such as on older generation EVGA motherboards) will generally support 4 or 6 drive arrays of this type; other controllers can allow this array type to scale indefinitely. Each pair of drives adds to the drive count for the stripes and increases the theoretical volume of failures the array can suffer before a loss of data occurs.
  • Page 60 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) As you can see, the RAID 0+1 (6 Drive) L-DRIVE = ≃ 3TB difference between P-DRIVE1 P-DRIVE2 P-DRIVE3 P-DRIVE4 P-DRIVE5 P-DRIVE6 RAID0+1 and RAID10 is significant when looking at DATA-A DATA-B DATA-C DATA-A DATA-B DATA-C how data is stored.
  • Page 61 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) Which types of RAID can I use with my setup? 1 Drive – No RAID arrays are supported 2 Drives – RAID0 for speed (do regular backups) or RAID1 for data protection. 3 Drives – RAID0 for speed (do regular backups) or RAID5 for speed and protection.
  • Page 62 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) In the “SATA Mode Selection” at the top, the default will be AHCI. Click on the arrow to the right side of AHCI or navigate to it with your keyboard and press “Enter” to open the pulldown menu. Select RAID from the list.
  • Page 63 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) Once in the RAID controller, you will see a list of all detected drives and a “Create RAID Volume” button. To begin, click on “Create RAID Volume” or navigate to the button and hit “Enter.” Choose a name for the volume. The controller allows up to 15 characters; you can use numbers and letters, but not special characters.
  • Page 64 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) Next, select your intended array type. This can be done by either clicking on the down arrow and clicking on the RAID level you want, or pressing the enter key and using the down arrow to select the RAID level and pressing Enter again. Please see the top half of Page 61 for a quick reference on different RAID levels and RAID types based on your total number of drives.
  • Page 65 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) Strip size (also called “block size” in other controllers) can be selected manually at 16k, 32k, 64k, or 128k. The controller will determine the default strip size after looking at your drives and array type. Although there are some limited instances where this must be set manually, it is highly recommended to leave this at default.
  • Page 66 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) If your array will be your boot drive, the operating system will normally detect the array and see it as a single drive (this is expected), it *MAY* detect it as a RAID array; either way, the OS installation will show the size of the array, not a single drive, and allow you to install the OS to the array without any further steps.
  • Page 67 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) Non-RAID Physical Disks list will display any remaining drives on the controller, whether it is a random storage drive, a boot drive, or a replacement drive installed to replace a failed unit. For this example, you will see a degraded array and a “Non-RAID Physical Disk,”...
  • Page 68 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) Next, you will see a list of all attached HDD/SSDs that can be used to rebuild the array. Select the disk, then click on it or press enter. Once the process has started you will see the status change to “Rebuilding.”...
  • Page 69 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) IRST (Intel Rapid Storage Technology) The IRST is the software front-end for the Intel SATA controller. It is recommended to install the IRST drivers after installing the Intel Chipset Drivers – the main motherboard drivers. This guide walks you through not only the building, but also the repairing of an array from within Windows, since it may be more convenient to build new arrays within the OS rather than from within the UEFI.
  • Page 70 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) SATA will be selected by default. PCI-E primarily refers to PCI-E / M.2 based NVMe drives; the same basic steps do apply to both, however. Select SATA, and “Real-time protection (RAID1).” Then, click Next at the bottom of the window.
  • Page 71 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) - 71 -...
  • Page 72 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) In the Advanced tab, you can select the option to “Initialize Volume,” which will occur after the array is created. If the array is not initialized now, it can be initialized later in “Disk Management.” See Page 79 for Disk Management instructions.
  • Page 73 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) Review the summary provided on the confirmation screen. If you are unsure about any selections made, click the “Back” key and make your corrections. When ready, click “Create Volume” at the bottom. This typically takes between a few seconds to a couple minutes depending on the size and complexity of the volume.
  • Page 74 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) Once you click the OK button on the RAID creation window you will be brought back to the main window, “Status” tab. If the option to initialize was selected, the initialization status will be shown below, circled in red.
  • Page 75 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) Repairing an array within IRST This section of the guide will illustrate how to repair a degraded array from within the IRST. For purposes of this guide, we are repairing a degraded RAID 1 array using a third drive plugged into the controller, but not currently in use.
  • Page 76 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) The “Manage” tab shows the array specifically, and not just the controller as a whole. Next to “Status: Degraded,” left-click the hyperlink labeled “Rebuild to another disk.” This will bring a pop-up window over the IRST showing a list of attached drives that...
  • Page 77 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) Select the drive you wish to use for the repair and click the “Rebuild” button. - 77 -...
  • Page 78 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) The rebuild process will begin. As with any RAID array with Fault Tolerance, the rebuilding time depends on several factors, such as array size, array type, CPU, etc. You will then see the Rebuild % status in the Manage tab. Once repairs are complete, the array will update to “Status: Normal.”...
  • Page 79 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) Partitioning and Formatting a drive Once you have created your array, either from UEFI or from IRST, you will not initially see your array in “This PC.” This is expected, because even though you have created the array, you have not yet prepared the array to be used.
  • Page 80 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) After “Disk Management” loads, you’ll see a pop-up to Initialize Disk if you’ve added a new drive or created a new array. Generally, it’s recommended to select “GPT,” unless you need backwards compatibility with an old OS or PC. When you’ve made your choice, click “OK.”...
  • Page 81 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) Before you can assign a drive letter to a drive or array, the initialized disk must be partitioned. If you are following this guide and just initialized your drive or array, the New Simple Volume Wizard will automatically pop-up.
  • Page 82 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) Leave the size at default to create a partition using the entire volume of disk space, then click “Next.” Select the drive letter you want to represent this drive, then click “Next.” Note: The drive letter does NOT have to be a consecutive letter with previous drive(s).
  • Page 83 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) After the quick format is completed, you will see the last Window of the wizard, a summary of the process, then click “Finish.” The drive is now usable. To confirm, go back to File Explorer in Windows. Click on “This PC” and check the drives section.

  • Page 84: Fan Header Dc And Pwm Setup

    EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) Fan Header DC and PWM setup This motherboard supports both 4-pin PWM fans and 3-pin voltage-controlled fans. All of the fans can be set to a static voltage manually. The upper two (2) fan headers (see...
  • Page 85 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) Once into the H/W Monitor section, you can see the temperature monitors across the top. Below the monitors are the two (2) PWM fans: CPU1_FAN, CPU2_FAN, and CHA_FAN. The PWM fans are set to “Smart,” which means the PWM controller is using a Smart curve for fan controls.
  • Page 86 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) First, choose the temperature monitor the PWM controller will use to monitor for its temp information. It’s recommended to tie the fan control to the CPU, which is predominantly the most important temperature in the system. The exception is when you are pushing memory overclocks HARD with 64GB of RAM installed, which may cause PWM temps to be a concern;...
  • Page 87 When monitoring temperatures vs. fan speed, you may notice a variance in ramp up/down temps; this is due to a function EVGA hardcodes into the BIOS called Hysteresis. Hysteresis builds in a buffer to control fan speed behavior. This feature prevents a constant ramp up/down from happening when your system sits exactly at the temp you set for SMART fan controls.

  • Page 88: Setting Up Sli And Physx

    1. Physically install your graphics cards, then install a SLI bridge; examples include a Flexible bridge (included with this motherboard), an EVGA Pro Bridge, or an EVGA HB Bridge. Current NVidia graphics drivers support 400 Series Fermi cards up through GTX 1080 and TitanX Pascal cards.
  • Page 89 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) 2. After the cards are installed, have power connected, and the SLI bridge attached, boot into Windows. The graphics driver will normally identify the cards and automatically configure the driver. If not, then you may need to reinstall the driver.
  • Page 90 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) 3. Once you have verified there are no detection/driver installation issues with the cards you can enable SLI. Right-click on the desktop and select “NVIDIA Control Panel” (“NCP”). Next, select “Configure SLI, Surround, PhysX” under the “3D Settings”...
  • Page 91 PhysX card serves no purpose. If “Yes,” then the next step is to see if your GPU has a high usage rate while playing normally. Use a program like EVGA Precision XOC to monitor the GPU usage of all current video cards. If the GPU is consistently over 75% usage, the GPU usage occasionally maxes out and the frame rate drops in moments of intense action, then dedicating a card may be beneficial.

  • Page 92: Realtek Hd Audio Manager

    EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) Realtek HD Audio Manager The X299 MICRO and FTW-K both use a 7.1 Realtek ALC1150 audio controller. This section will cover installation of the controller (in Windows 10) and the basic configuration options that are available in the software.
  • Page 93 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) Once you have rebooted and re-entered Windows, there should be a new shortcut in the system tray with a red- orange speaker icon. When you mouse over it, the icon reads “Realtek HD Audio Manager.” When the menu opens, left-click on it, and left-click the similar red-orange speaker icon labeled “Sound Manager”...
  • Page 94 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) On the right margin, you can see the different ports labeled in the picture above. The top portion covers the five (5) analog ports on the I/O Hub. The two (2) labeled “Speaker Out” ports and “Line In” port all use a diffused color to show that a port is not currently connected;...
  • Page 95 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) component number 7. The optical out contains all audio data the controller can provide; however, only 2.0/2.1 is pre-encoded form the controller. Audio with a higher channel count through optical S/PDIF must be connected to a receiver that supports live encoding, or an equivalent technology.
  • Page 96 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) The icon of the file folder in the upper right is “Connector Settings.” This is the window for setting up port detection. The default setting in this Window allows the Manager to create a popup notification to let you know when you’ve plugged in a new device into a Realtek port(s) while Windows is running.
  • Page 97 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) The “i” located at the bottom right of the Manager is an information button. Clicking on this will provide DirectX information, the CODEC and Language selection options. The main page defaults to the first audio device it detects;...
  • Page 98 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) To the right of the pulldown is the Restore Defaults button, shown by an eraser icon, which will reset any changes made to the default of the controller. If you switch over to the Sound Effects tab, you’ll notice the “Main Volume” controls near the top.
  • Page 99 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) The “Set Default Device” will allow you to set the Default Device or Communication Device without entering the Windows Playback menu; for non-default devices, this box will drop down similar to the image above. For default devices, the box will be grayed- out if the device selected above (i.e.
  • Page 100 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) source. This is unchecked by default. There is no additional configuration; the setting is either enabled or disabled. The last section in Sound Effects is the Equalizer. Much like the environment section, there are visual references for presets, a...
  • Page 101 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) If you would prefer to not manage the EQ in full manual mode, you can click the guitar icon with the red box around it to bring you back to the equalizer presets menu. The last section in Sound Effects is voice cancellation,...
  • Page 102 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) The “Audio Test” button will be present for all speaker configurations, and serves the same function in all speaker iterations. Pressing the “Auto Test” button will play the same sound file out of each speaker that should be present, based on the configuration option you selected.
  • Page 103 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) • Assume your speakers are not full-range. Modern speaker design uses a subwoofer to handle the relatively small percentage of content you hear in an audio signal. Low frequency content, more commonly known as sub-bass, is greatly amplified by the subwoofer, which explains why the smallest percentage of your audio content can often be the loudest.
  • Page 104 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) crossover at the receiver or speaker system, rather than using the Audio Manager to configure the crossover settings for low frequencies. When Full-range is enabled, the speaker icons are enlarged to represent the change. Finally, Virtual Sound is an option created to send a stereo signal with positioning data to a Matrix decoder to simulate surround over a stereo signal.
  • Page 105 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) this setting. Also, most surround speaker sets use both the front pair and subwoofer on the same channel and voice speaker on a separate channel; in some instances, this is reversed such that the voice channel is joined with the front pair on one channel and the subwoofer has a dedicated connector, which can lead to voice channels and subwoofer receiving the wrong signal.
  • Page 106 Windows. Due to the advanced nature of editing the Windows registry, we do not provide instructions in this manual. However, if you would like to adjust the crossover frequency settings, please see our FAQ on the EVGA website to walk you through how to adjust this setting: http://www.evga.com/support/faq/?f=59663.
  • Page 107 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) right if you open the “Room Correction” tab in Quadraphonic or Stereo mode. If 5.1 or 7.1 is installed and setup in the “Speaker Configuration” page, you will see the full Room Correction menu without an error message. All speakers will initially show semi- transparently.
  • Page 108 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) The final Device section covers the microphone. This tab includes both a recording and a playback section. Both features have similar balance options as the other sections, but differ slightly in the Volume slider function. The Recording...
  • Page 109 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) adjust as necessary. You should keep in mind, however, that some mics naturally record louder than others, and too much gain can ruin a recording. Likewise, if you use your microphone for VOIP applications, too much boost can be painfully loud for whomever is on the other side.
  • Page 110 Using the E-LEET Software Suite EVGA E-LEET is a monitoring and tuning software designed for EVGA motherboards, which is available on the driver DVD and the EVGA website at www.evga.com/E-LEET After installation, E-LEET will launch directly to the CPU tab and show a general...
  • Page 111 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) The next tab is “Monitoring,” which is an overview of temperatures and voltages in real-time. Please note that all readings on this page are pulled from motherboard sensors, and can change at any time. Temperatures and voltages are measured at fixed intervals, which can often make the readings appear to jump back and forth.
  • Page 112 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) Below Voltages is Temperatures. This covers the CPU (socket), PWM, SYS, individual CPU cores, and the CPU package, which reports temperatures from the CPU Register. The bottom section is for Fans, which displays the RPM of all fans currently plugged in to the motherboard using the 3-pin or 4-pin fan header.
  • Page 113 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) Next is the “Processes” tab, which is used to set Processor Affinity. Processor affinity is no longer used as heavily as it was in past hardware and Windows versions. However, this menu can still be used to bypass the inter-...
  • Page 114 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) The final section is “Voltages,” which provides a level of voltage control similar to what is available in the BIOS. Using the right image, you’ll notice that there are options for multiple voltages, and two options for your CPU Vcore: Adaptive and Override voltages.
  • Page 115 LEET will open the pulldown to the currently detected voltage. Please be careful when adjusting voltages, as there are risks to running electronics out of spec. Although EVGA warranties overclocking, other components are manufactured by different brands (i.e. RAM and CPU), which may have different policies towards overclocking.

  • Page 116: Installing Drivers And Software

    32bit and 64bit versions of Windows 10, 8, and 7. The kit comes with a CD that contains utilities, drivers, and additional software. The CD that has been shipped with the EVGA X299 Motherboard contains the following software and drivers:...

  • Page 117: Warranty And Overclocking

    Of course, there are some limitations to our warranties. If an EVGA motherboard or graphics card sustains physical (i.e. damage to the PCB or component due to slippage with a hand tool) or liquid damage, the warranty is void.

  • Page 118: Troubleshooting

    FOR ANY AND ALL INSTANCES WHERE YOU THINK YOU MAY NEED A REPLACEMENT BIOS CHIP, PLEASE CALL CUSTOMER SERVICE IMMEDIATELY. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO REPLACE THE BIOS CHIP WITH ONE **NOT** SUPPLIED BY EVGA, AS EVGA CANNOT OTHERWISE GUARANTEE COMPATIBILITY. CONTACT INFORMATION, HOURS, AND LOCATIONS FOR ALL EVGA CUSTOMER SUPPORT OFFICES CAN BE FOUND HERE: http://www.evga.com/about/contactus/...
  • Page 119 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) The steps for replacement below assume you have already contacted EVGA Customer Support and have received a pre-flashed replacement chip directly from EVGA. 1. Locate the housing for the chip on the motherboard. It should be located on the right side below the RAM, about halfway down the board.
  • Page 120 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) 3. Remove the BIOS chip by lifting it straight up. Set it aside and insert the replacement chip. Once installed, close the left door first and the right door second, making sure both latch into place; you will feel a click when this happens. It is normal if the chip moves a little in the socket when closing the left door.

  • Page 121: Ssd / Hdd Is Not Detected

    EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) SSD / HDD is not detected It is important to note that, as with *ALL* storage devices, if there is a connectivity issue, make sure it is enabled in BIOS. Likewise, if there is a device that shares bandwidth with your SSD or HDD (Page 23), make sure that the desired device is enabled in BIOS, or all other troubleshooting that comes after this section is moot.
  • Page 122 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) If you’ve already done this, test a different device using the same cable and SATA port to see if the issue persists. If the issue is not resolved, test a different SATA cable, or a different SATA port. Always be sure to test each step separately, otherwise, if several aspects are changed and drives are now detected, then you will not know what change actually fixed it.

  • Page 123: System Does Not Post, And Post Code Indicator Reads "C

    EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) System does not POST, and POST code indicator reads “C” When the system powers on, the POST code indicator should cycle through several different codes before booting. However, if the boot process does not complete, you should look at the LED indicator, as it will give you diagnostic information.

  • Page 124: System Does Not Post, And Post Code Indicator Reads "55

    (www.evga.com/support/motherboard) or at www.evga.com/support/motherboard and click on “EVGA X299 MICRO.” If the memory is not on the list, it may still work because EVGA is unable to test every memory kit released. However, this motherboard will not support modules over 16GB or ECC/Registered RAM.

  • Page 125: Have A Question Not Covered Above, Or Want Some Online Resources

    YOUR system! Still building your rig? Make a build log here: http://forums.evga.com/EVGA-MODS-RIGS-f33.aspx Want to join the online EVGA Gaming Community? Sign up and play with like-minded gamers here: http://www.evga.com/TEAMEVGA/ - 125 -...

  • Page 126: Post Beep Codes

    EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) POST Beep codes POST beeps are used in conjunction with the POST Code indicator to help determine the root cause of the issue when your system is malfunctioning. However, with the advent of modern UEFI/BIOS, the USB detection can throw off the number of beeps making the POST code, while helpful, not as useful as it once was.

  • Page 127: Post Port Debug Led

    EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) POST Port Debug LED Provides two-digit diagnostic POST codes that shows system boot status and can also show why the system may be failing to boot. The LED is extremely useful during troubleshooting situations. This Debug LED will display a series of hexadecimal (0-F) codes during the POST and will display current CPU socket temperatures after the system has fully booted into the Operating System.

  • Page 128: Post Codes

    EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) POST Codes This section provides the AMI POST Codes for the EVGA X299 MICRO Motherboard during system boot up. The POST Codes are displayed on the Debug LED readout located directly on the motherboard. See Page 12 and 13, component 16 of Debug LED with CPU the Component Legend for physical location.
  • Page 129 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) Microcode not loaded PEI Core is started 11-14 Pre-memory CPU initialization is started 15-18 Pre-memory North Bridge initialization is started 19-1C Pre-memory South Bridge initialization is started 1D-2A OEM pre-memory initialization codes Memory initialization. Serial Presence Detect (SPD) data reading Memory initialization.
  • Page 130 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) reset PPI is not available 5C-5F Reserved for future AMI error codes S3 Resume is stared (S3 Resume PPI is called by the DXE IPL) S3 Boot Script execution Video repost OS S3 wake vector call...
  • Page 131 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) CSM initialization 7A–7F Reserved for future AMI DXE codes 80–8F OEM DXE initialization codes Boot Device Selection (BDS) phase is started Driver connecting is started PCI Bus initialization is started PCI Bus Hot Plug Controller Initialization...
  • Page 132 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) Legacy Boot event Exit Boot Services event CPU Memory controller configuration Runtime Set Virtual Address MAP End iMC init Memory training Memory training Memory training / timing training Memory training Memory training B8-BF Memory training / DRAM final configuration C0–CF OEM BDS initialization codes...

  • Page 133: Evga Glossary Of Terms

    DMI – Direct Memory Interface DP – Display Port DRAM - Dynamic random access memory DVI – Digital Video Interface E-LEET/E-LEET X – EVGA motherboard monitoring and tuning software FIVR – Fully Integrated Voltage Regulator GHz – Gigahertz GPU – Graphics Processing Unit GUI –...
  • Page 134 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) IEEE - Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers IMC – Integrated memory controller IOH – Input/Output Hub IRQ - Interrupt Request JEDEC - Joint Electron Device Engineering Council LAN - Local Area Network LCD - Liquid Crystal Display LED –...
  • Page 135 EVGA X299 Micro (131-SX-E295) QDR - Quad Data Rate QPI – Quick Path Interconnect RAID - Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks RAM – Random Access Memory ROM – Read Only Memory RGB - Red Green Blue SATA - Serial Advanced Technology Attachment...

  • Page 136: Compliance Information

    US and other countries. Other company, products and service names may be trademarks or service marks of others. EVGA reserves the right to terminate this license if there is a violation of its terms or default by the Original Purchaser. Upon termination, for any reason, all copies of Software and materials must be immediately returned to EVGA and the Original Purchaser shall be liable to EVGA.com...

This manual is also suitable for:

131-sx-e295

Table of Contents