Asus ROG STRIX X299-E GAMING II User manual

ROG STRIX X299-E GAMING II

Motherboard

E15991

Revised Edition V2

October 2019

Copyright© 2019 ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. All Rights Reserved.

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ii

Contents

Safety information......................................................................................................	vi
About this guide.........................................................................................................	vii
ROG STRIX X299-E GAMING II specifications summary........................................	ix
Package contents.....................................................................................................	xiv
Installation tools and components...........................................................................	xv

Chapter 1:		Product Introduction
1.1	Before you proceed....................................................................................		1-1
1.2	Motherboard layout....................................................................................		1-2
1.3	Central Processing Unit (CPU)..................................................................		1-4
1.4	System memory..........................................................................................		1-5
1.5	Expansion slots..........................................................................................		1-7
1.6	Onboard buttons and switches.................................................................		1-9
1.7	Onboard jumpers......................................................................................		1-10
1.8	Onboard LEDs...........................................................................................		1-12
1.9	Internal connectors..................................................................................		1-14

Chapter 2:		Basic Installation
2.1	Building your PC system...........................................................................		2-1
	2.1.1	CPU and heatsink installation......................................................	2-1
	2.1.2	Cooling system installation..........................................................	2-4
	2.1.3	Motherboard installation..............................................................	2-6
	2.1.4	DIMM installation.........................................................................	2-7
	2.1.5	ATX Power connection................................................................	2-8
	2.1.6	SATA device connection..............................................................	2-9
	2.1.7	Front I/O connector....................................................................	2-10
	2.1.8	Expansion Card installation.......................................................	2-11
	2.1.9	M.2 installation...........................................................................	2-13
	2.1.10	Wi-Fi antenna installation..........................................................	2-18
2.2	BIOS update utility....................................................................................		2-19
2.3	Motherboard rear and audio connections..............................................		2-21
	2.3.1	Rear I/O connection...................................................................	2-21
	2.3.2	Audio I/O connections................................................................	2-23
2.4	Starting up for the first time....................................................................		2-25
2.5	Turning off the computer.........................................................................		2-25

iii

Chapter 3:		BIOS Setup
3.1	Knowing BIOS.............................................................................................		3-1
3.2	BIOS setup program...................................................................................		3-2
	3.2.1	Advanced Mode...........................................................................	3-3
	3.2.2	EZ Mode......................................................................................	3-7
	3.2.3	QFan Control...............................................................................	3-8
	3.2.4	AI OC Guide..............................................................................	3-10
	3.2.5	EZ Tuning Wizard......................................................................	3-11
3.3	My Favorites..............................................................................................		3-14
3.4	Main menu.................................................................................................		3-16
3.5	Ai Tweaker menu......................................................................................		3-16
3.6	Advanced menu........................................................................................		3-18
	3.6.1	CPU Configuration.....................................................................	3-18
	3.6.2	Platform Misc Configuration.......................................................	3-18
	3.6.3	System Agent (SA) Configuration..............................................	3-18
	3.6.4	PCH Configuration.....................................................................	3-19
	3.6.5	PCH Storage Configuration.......................................................	3-19
	3.6.6	CPU Storage Configuration.......................................................	3-20
	3.6.7	Onboard Devices Configuration.................................................	3-20
	3.6.8	APM Configuration.....................................................................	3-21
	3.6.9	USB Configuration.....................................................................	3-21
	3.6.10	HDD/SSD SMART Information..................................................	3-21
	3.6.11	NVMe Configuration..................................................................	3-21
	3.6.12	PCH-FW Configuration..............................................................	3-21
	3.6.13	Network Stack Configuration.....................................................	3-21
	3.6.14	Intel(R) Rapid Storage Technology...........................................	3-21
3.7	Monitor menu............................................................................................		3-22
3.8	Boot menu.................................................................................................		3-22
3.9	Tool menu..................................................................................................		3-24
	3.9.1	ASUS EZ Flash 3 Utility.............................................................	3-24
	3.9.2	Secure Erase.............................................................................	3-25
	3.9.3	ASUS User Profile.....................................................................	3-26
	3.9.4	ASUS SPD Information..............................................................	3-26
	3.9.5	ASUS Armoury Crate.................................................................	3-26
	3.9.6	Graphics Card Information.........................................................	3-26
3.10	Exit menu...................................................................................................		3-27
3.11	Updating BIOS..........................................................................................		3-28
	3.11.1	EZ Update..................................................................................	3-28
	3.11.2	ASUS EZ Flash 3.......................................................................	3-29
	3.11.3	ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3..........................................................	3-31

iv

Chapter 4:		RAID Support
4.1	RAID configurations...................................................................................		4-1
	4.1.1	RAID definitions ...........................................................................	4-1
Appendix
Q-Code table		.............................................................................................................	A-1
Notices	.....................................................................................................................		A-5
ASUS contact ....................................................................................information			A-12

v

Safety information

Electrical safety

•To prevent electrical shock hazard, disconnect the power cable from the electrical outlet before relocating the system.

•When adding or removing devices to or from the system, ensure that the power cables for the devices are unplugged before the signal cables are connected. If possible, disconnect all power cables from the existing system before you add a device.

•Before connecting or removing signal cables from the motherboard, ensure that all power cables are unplugged.

•Seek professional assistance before using an adapter or extension cord. These devices could interrupt the grounding circuit.

•Ensure that your power supply is set to the correct voltage in your area. If you are not sure about the voltage of the electrical outlet you are using, contact your local power company.

•If the power supply is broken, do not try to fix it by yourself. Contact a qualified service technician or your retailer.

Operation safety

•Before installing the motherboard and adding devices on it, carefully read all the manuals that came with the package.

•Before using the product, ensure all cables are correctly connected and the power cables are not damaged. If you detect any damage, contact your dealer immediately.

•To avoid short circuits, keep paper clips, screws, and staples away from connectors, slots, sockets and circuitry.

•Avoid dust, humidity, and temperature extremes. Do not place the product in any area where it may become wet.

•Place the product on a stable surface.

•If you encounter technical problems with the product, contact a qualified service technician or your retailer.

vi

About this guide

This user guide contains the information you need when installing and configuring the motherboard.

How this guide is organized

This guide contains the following parts:

1.Chapter 1: Product Introduction

This chapter describes the features of the motherboard and the new technology it supports. It includes description of the switches, jumpers, and connectors on the motherboard.

2.Chapter 2: Basic Installation

This chapter lists the hardware setup procedures that you have to perform when installing system components.

3.Chapter 3: BIOS Setup

This chapter tells how to change system settings through the BIOS Setup menus. Detailed descriptions of the BIOS parameters are also provided.

4.Chapter 4: RAID Support

This chapter describes the RAID configurations.

Where to find more information

Refer to the following sources for additional information and for product and software updates.

1.ASUS website

The ASUS website (www.asus.com) provides updated information on ASUS hardware and software products.

2.Optional documentation

Your product package may include optional documentation, such as warranty flyers that may have been added by your dealer. These documents are not part of the standard package.

vii

Conventions used in this guide

To ensure that you perform certain tasks properly, take note of the following symbols used throughout this manual.

DANGER/WARNING: Information to prevent injury to yourself when trying to complete a task.

CAUTION: Information to prevent damage to the components when trying to complete a task.

IMPORTANT: Instructions that you MUST follow to complete a task.

NOTE: Tips and additional information to help you complete a task.

Typography

Bold text	Indicates a menu or an item to select.
Italics	Used to emphasize a word or a phrase.
<Key>	Keys enclosed in the less-than and greater-than sign
	means that you must press the enclosed key.
	Example: <Enter> means that you must press the Enter
	or Return key.
<Key1> + <Key2> + <Key3>	If you must press two or more keys simultaneously, the
	key names are linked with a plus sign (+).

viii

ROG STRIX X299-E GAMING II specifications summary

		Optimized for Intel® Core™ X-Series 10000 Processor Family, Intel®
		Core™ X-Series Processors Family(6-core above) on LGA 2066
		Socket*
	CPU	Supports Intel® Virtual RAID on CPU (VROC)
		Supports 14nm CPU
		Supports Intel® Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0**
		* Refer to www.asus.com for Intel® CPU support list.
		** The support of these features depends on the CPU types.
	Chipset	Intel® X299 Chipset
		Intel® Core™ i9 10000 X-Series CPU
		8 x DIMM, Max. 256GB, DDR4 4266+(O.C.) / 4133(O.C.) /
		4000(O.C.) / 3866(O.C.) / 3800(O.C.) / 3733(O.C.) / 3600(O.C.) /
		3466(O.C.) / 3400(O.C.) / 3333(O.C.) / 3300(O.C.) / 3200(O.C.) /
		3000(O.C.) / 2933 / 2800 / 2666 / 2400 / 2133 MHz, Non-ECC,
		Un-buffered Memory*
		Intel® Core™ i9 9000/7000 and i7 9000/7000 X-Series CPU
	Memory	8 x DIMM, Max. 256GB, DDR4 4266+(O.C.) / 4133(O.C.) /
		4000(O.C.) / 3866(O.C.) / 3800(O.C.) / 3733(O.C.) / 3600(O.C.) /
		3466(O.C.) / 3400(O.C.) / 3333(O.C.) / 3300(O.C.) / 3200(O.C.) /
		3000(O.C.) / 2933(O.C.) / 2800(O.C.) / 2666 / 2400 / 2133 MHz,
		Non-ECC, Un-buffered Memory*
		Quad channel memory architecture
		Supports Intel® Extreme Memory Profile (XMP)
		* Hyper DIMM support is subject to the physical characteristics of
		individual CPUs. Please refer to Memory QVL (Qualified Vendors Lists)
		on www.asus.com for details.
		48-Lane CPU (Intel® Core™ i9 10000 X-Series CPU)
		3 x PCIe 3.0 x16 slots (supports x16, x16/x16, x16/x16/x8 modes)
		44-Lane CPU (Intel® Core™ i9 9000/7000 and i7 9000 X-Series
		CPU)
		3 x PCIe 3.0 x16 slots (supports x16, x16/x16, x16/x16/x4 modes)
	Expansion Slots	28-Lane CPU (Intel® Core™ i7 7000 X-Series CPU)
		3 x PCIe 3.0 x16 slots (supports x16, x16/x8, x16/x8/x4 modes)
		Intel® X299 Chipset
		1 x PCIe 3.0 x4 slot
		1 x PCIe 3.0 x1 slot*
		* PCIEX1 slot shares bandwidth with USB 3.2 Gen 2 front panel
		connector.
	Multi-GPU Support	Supports NVIDIA® 3-Way/2-Way SLI® Technology
		Supports AMD 3-Way/2-Way CrossFireX™ Technology
		(continued on the next page)

ix

ROG STRIX X299-E GAMING II specifications summary

		Intel® Core™ X-Series Processors support with Intel® Virtual
		RAID on CPU (VROC)
		- 2 x M.2 Socket 3 with M key, type 2242/2260/2280/22110 storage
		devices support (PCIe 3.0 x4 mode)*
		Intel® X299 Chipset supports with Intel® Rapid Storage
	Storage	Technology (RAID 0, 1, 5, 10)
		- 8 x SATA 6Gb/s ports
		- 1 x M.2_1 Socket 3 with M key, type 2242/2260/2280/22110
		storage devices support (both SATA & PCIe 3.0 x4 modes)
		- Intel® Optane Memory ready
		* M.2_2 and M.2_3 are supported by 48-Lane CPU and 44-Lane CPU
		(Intel® Core™ i7 9000 X-Series CPU or above).
		Intel® I219-V Gigabit LAN
	LAN	Realtek® RTL8125-CG 2.5G LAN
		Anti-surge LANGuard
		ROG GameFirst Technology
		Intel® Wi-Fi 6 AX200
		2x2 Wi-Fi 6 (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax) with MU-MIMO supports dual
	Wireless & Bluetooth	frequency band 2.4/5GHz
		Supports channel bandwidth: HT20/HT40/HT80/HT160
		Up to 2.4 Gbps transfer speed
		Bluetooth v5.0
		ROG SupremeFX S1220A 8-Channel High Definition Audio
		CODEC
		- Supports up to 32-Bit/192kHz playback*
		- Impedance sense for front and rear headphone outputs
		- High quality 120dB SNR stereo playback output and 113dB SNR
		recording input
		- SupremeFX Shielding Technology
		- Dual Headphone Amplifiers
	Audio	- Jack-detection, Multi-streaming, and Front Panel Jack-retasking
		- Optical S/PDIF out port at back panel
		Audio Features:
		- Gold-plated jacks
		- Sonic Studio III + Sonic Studio Virtual Mixer
		- Sonic Radar III
		- DTS® Sound Unbound
		* Due to limitations in HDA bandwidth, 32-Bit/192kHz is not supported for
		8-Channel audio.
		(continued on the next page)

x

ROG STRIX X299-E GAMING II specifications summary

		Intel® X299 Chipset-
		- 6 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports (2 ports at back panel [blue], 4 ports at
		mid-board)
		- 8 x USB 2.0 ports (4 ports at back panel, 4 ports at mid-board)
	USB	ASMedia® USB 3.2 Gen 2 controllers-
		- 4 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports (3 x Type-A [red] and 1 x Type-C™ port
		at back panel)
		- 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 front panel connector*
		* The USB 3.2 Gen 2 front panel connector shares bandwidth with
		PCIEX1 slot.
		ROG RAMCache III
		ROG GameFirst V
		ROG CPU-Z
	ROG Exclusive Features	ROG Overwolf
		Sonic Studio III + Sonic Studio Virtual Mixer
		Sonic Radar III
		FlexKey
		Performance Optimization*
		5-Way Optimization
		- Whole system optimization with a single click! Perfectly
		consolidates better CPU performance, power saving, digital
		power control, system cooling and app usages.
		Digi+VRM
		EPU
		- EPU
		TPU
		- Auto Tuning
		Fan Xpert 4 featuring Fan Auto Tuning function and
		multiple thermistors selection for optimized system cooling
	Special Features	control
		Turbo Core App (6-core or above CPU)
		* Only available on Intel® Core™ X-Series Processors
		LiveDash OLED
		AI Overclocking
		AURA:
		- Aura Lighting Control
		- Aura RGB Strip Headers
		- Aura Addressable Gen 2 Headers
		ASUS EZ DIY
		- ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3
		- ASUS EZ Flash 3
		- EZ Tuning Wizard
		(continued on the next page)

xi

ROG STRIX X299-E GAMING II specifications summary

ASUS Q-Design

- Q-Code

- Q-LED (CPU [red], DRAM [yellow], VGA [white], Boot Device [green])

- Q-Slot

- Q-DIMM

- Q-Connector

		Gamer’s Guardian
		- Procool II
		- SafeSlot
		- DIGI+ VRM
	Special Features	- DRAM Overcurrent Protection
		- ESD Guards on VGA, LAN, Audio and USB3.2/2.0 ports
		- Highly Durable Components
		- OC Design - ASUS PRO Clock II Technology ASUS Exclusive
		Features
		- Armoury Crate
		- Pre-mounted I/O Shield
		- ASUS NODE: hardware control interface
		- BIOS FlashBack™
		- AURA Lighting Control
		- AI Suite 3
		- AI Charger
		1 x BIOS FlashBack™ Button
		4 x USB 2.0 ports
		2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports [blue]
		4 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports (3 x Type-A [red] and 1 x Type-C™ ports
	Back I/O Ports	at back panel)
		1 x Anti-surge LAN (RJ45) port
		1 x Anti-surge 2.5G LAN (RJ45) port
		1 x ASUS Wi-Fi Module
		5 x Gold-plated Audio jacks
		1 x Optical S/PDIF out
		(continued on the next page)

xii

ROG STRIX X299-E GAMING II specifications summary

		1 x Node connector
		1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 front panel connector
		2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 connectors support additional 4 x USB 3.2 Gen
		1 ports
		2 x USB 2.0 connectors support additional 4 x USB 2.0 ports
		8 x SATA 6Gb/s connectors
		1 x 4-Pin W_PUMP+ connector
		1 x 4-Pin AIO_PUMP fan connector
		1 x 4-Pin CPU fan connector
		1 x 4-Pin CPU_OPT fan connector
		2 x 4-Pin Chassis fan connectors
		1 x 4-Pin M.2 fan connector
		1 x 24-pin EATX power connector
	Internal I/O Ports	2 x 8-pin EATX 12V power connectors
		1 x M.2_1 Socket 3 for M Key, type 2242/2260/2280/22110 storage
		devices support (Supports PCIe and SATA modes)
		2 x M.2_2 Socket 3 for M Key, type 2242/2260/2280/22110 storage
		devices support (Supports PCIe mode only)
		1 x Power-on button
		1 x Front panel audio connector (AAFP)
		1 x VROC_HW_KEY
		2 x RGB Headers
		2 x Addressable Gen 2 headers
		1 x System panel connector
		1 x Thermal sensor connector
		1 x CPU_OV
		1 x Clear CMOS jumper (2-pin)
	BIOS Features	128 Mb Flash ROM, UEFI AMI BIOS, PnP, WfM2.0, SM BIOS 3.2,
		ACPI 6.2
	Manageability	WOL, PXE
		Overwolf
	Software	Anti-virus software (OEM version)
		WinRAR
	Operating System	Windows® 10 64-bit
	Form Factors	ATX Form Factor, 12”x 9.6” (30.5cm x 24.4cm)

• Specifications are subject to change without notice.

• Visit the ASUS website for the software manual.

xiii

Package contents

Check your motherboard package for the following items:

	Motherboard	1 x ROG STRIX X299-E GAMING II motherboard
		4 x SATA 6Gb/s cables
	Cables	1 x Addressable LED extension cable
		1 x RGB LED extension cable
		1 x Thermal sensor cable
		1 x Wi-Fi Antenna(s)
		1 x Q-Connector kit
		1 x Vertical M.2 bracket set
	Accessories	1 x M.2 screw package
		1 x Pack of cable ties
		1 x ROG Thank you card
		1 x ROG STRIX door hanger
		1 x ROG STRIX sticker
	Application DVD	1 x ROG motherboard support DVD
	Documentation	1 x User guide

If any of the above items is damaged or missing, contact your retailer.

xiv

Installation tools and components

Intel® LGA2066 CPU

Intel® LGA2066 compatible CPU Fan

PC chassis

SATA hard disk drive

Philips (cross) screwdriver

1 bag of screws

DIMM

Power supply unit

SATA optical disc drive (optional)

Graphics card

The tools and components in the table above are not included in the motherboard package.

xv

xvi

Product Introduction	1

1.1Before you proceed

Take note of the following precautions before you install motherboard components or change any motherboard settings.

•Unplug the power cord from the wall socket before touching any component.

•Before handling components, use a grounded wrist strap or touch a safely grounded object or a metal object, such as the power supply case, to avoid damaging them due to static electricity.

•Hold components by the edges to avoid touching the ICs on them.

•Whenever you uninstall any component, place it on a grounded antistatic pad or in the bag that came with the component.

•Before you install or remove any component, ensure that the ATX power supply is switched off or the power cord is detached from the power supply. Failure to do so may cause severe damage to the motherboard, peripherals, or components.

Chapter 1

ROG STRIX X299-E GAMING II

1-1

1.2Motherboard layout

1 Chapter

Refer to Internal connectors and Rear I/O connection for more information about rear panel connectors and internal connectors.

1-2	Chapter 1: Product Introduction

Layout contents		Page
1.	DIMM slots	1-5
2.	Fan and Pump connectors	1-18
3.	CPU socket	1-4		1
4.	Power connectors	1-19
				Chapter
5.	Addressable Gen2 LED connector	1-22
6.	M.2 slot	1-15
7.	USB 3.2 Gen 2 connector	1-16
8.	OLED connector	1-23
9.	USB 3.2 Gen 1 connector	1-16
10.	SATA 6Gb/s connector	1-14
11.	Thermal Sensor connector	1-17
12.	CPU Over Voltage jumper	1-11
13.	System Panel connector	1-20
14.	VROC Key connector	1-24
15.	Node connector	1-24
16.	USB 2.0 connector	1-17
17.	AURA RGB LED connector	1-21
18.	Power button	1-9
19.	Clear RTC RAM jumper	1-10
20.	Q-Code LED	1-12
21.	Front Panel Audio connector	1-25
22.	Battery connector	1-15
23.	Rear I/O Cover LED connector	1-23

ROG STRIX X299-E GAMING II

1-3

1.3Central Processing Unit (CPU)

The motherboard comes with a surface mount LGA2066 socket designed for the Intel® Core™ X-series Processors.

1 Chapter

•

•

•

•

•

•

Ensure that you install the correct CPU designed for LGA2066 socket only. DO NOT install a CPU designed for other sockets on the LGA2066 socket.

The CPU fits in only one correct orientation. DO NOT force the CPU into the socket to prevent bending the connectors on the socket and damaging the CPU.

Ensure that all power cables are unplugged before installing the CPU.

Upon purchase of the motherboard, ensure that the PnP cap is on the socket and the socket contacts are not bent. Contact your retailer immediately if the PnP cap is missing, or if you see any damage to the PnP cap/socket contacts/motherboard components. ASUS will shoulder the cost of repair only if the damage is shipment/ transit-related.

Keep the cap after installing the motherboard. ASUS will process Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) requests only if the motherboard comes with the cap on the LGA2066 socket.

The product warranty does not cover damage to the socket contacts resulting from incorrect CPU installation/removal, or misplacement/loss/incorrect removal of the

PnP cap.

1-4	Chapter 1: Product Introduction

1.4System memory

The motherboard comes with Dual Inline Memory Modules (DIMM) slots designed for DDR4 (Double Data Rate 4) memory modules.

A DDR4 memory module is notched differently from a DDR, DDR2, or DDR3 module. DO NOT install a DDR, DDR2, or DDR3 memory module to the DDR4 slot.

Recommended memory configurations

Intel® Core™ X-series Processors (6-core or above)

Chapter 1

ROG STRIX X299-E GAMING II

1-5

1 Chapter

Memory configurations

You may install 4 GB, 8 GB, 16 GB, and 32 GB unbuffered and non ECC DDR4 DIMMs into the DIMM sockets.

For Intel® Core™ X-Series Processors (6-core or above), you may install varying memory sizes in Channel A, Channel B, Channel C, and Channel D. The system maps the total size of the lower-sized channel for the quad-channel configuration. Any excess memory from the higher-sized channel is then mapped for single-channel operation.

• The default memory operation frequency is dependent on its Serial Presence Detect (SPD), which is the standard way of accessing information from a memory module. Under the default state, some memory modules for overclocking may operate at a lower frequency than the vendor-marked value.

•For system stability, use a more efficient memory cooling system to support a full memory load or overclocking condition.

•Always install the DIMMS with the same CAS Latency. For an optimum compatibility, we recommend that you install memory modules of the same version or data code (D/C) from the same vendor. Check with the vendor to get the correct memory modules.

•Visit the ASUS website for the latest QVL.

1-6	Chapter 1: Product Introduction

1.5Expansion slots

Unplug the power cord before adding or removing expansion cards. Failure to do so may cause you physical injury and damage motherboard components.

Chapter 1

ROG STRIX X299-E GAMING II

1-7

1 Chapter

Recommended VGA configuration

48-LANE CPU

Slot Description		Single VGA	Dual VGA	Triple VGA
1.	PCIe 3.0 x16_1	x16	x16	x16
2.	PCIe 3.0 x1	x1	x1	x1
3.	PCIe 3.0 x16_2	-	x16	x16
4.	PCIe 3.0 x4	x4	x4	x4
5.	PCIe 3.0 x16_3	-	-	x8
44-LANE CPU
Slot Description		Single VGA	Dual VGA	Triple VGA
1.	PCIe 3.0 x16_1	x16	x16	x16
2.	PCIe 3.0 x1	x1	x1	x1
3.	PCIe 3.0 x16_2	-	x16	x16
4.	PCIe 3.0 x4	x4	x4	x4
5.	PCIe 3.0 x16_3	-	-	x4
28-LANE CPU
Slot Description		Single VGA	Dual VGA	Triple VGA
1.	PCIe 3.0 x16_1	x16	x16	x16
2.	PCIe 3.0 x1	x1	x1	x1
3.	PCIe 3.0 x16_2	-	x8	x8
4.	PCIe 3.0 x4	x4	x4	x4
5.	PCIe 3.0 x16_3	-	-	x4

• We recommend that you provide sufficient power when running CrossFireX™ or SLI® mode.

•Ensure to connect both the 8-pin power plugs when running CrossFireX™ or SLI® mode.

•Connect a chassis fan to the chassis fan connectors when using multiple graphics cards for better thermal environment.

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1.6Onboard buttons and switches

1.	Power button
	Press the Power button to power up the system, or put the system into sleep or soft-	1
	off mode (depending on the operating system settings).
		Chapter

The LED near the button also lights up when the system is plugged to a power source indicating that you should shut down the system and unplug the power cable before removing or installing any motherboard component.

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1.7Onboard jumpers

		1. Clear RTC RAM jumper
	1Chapter	The Clear RTC RAM jumper allows you to clear the Real Time Clock (RTC) RAM
		in the CMOS, which contains the date, time, system passwords, and system setup
		parameters.

To erase the RTC RAM:

1.Turn OFF the computer and unplug the power cord.

2.Short-circuit pin 1-2 with a metal object or jumper cap for about 5-10 seconds.

3.Plug the power cord and turn ON the computer.

4.Hold down the <Del> key during the boot process and enter BIOS setup to re-enter data.

DO NOT short-circuit the pins except when clearing the RTC RAM. Short-circuiting or placing a jumper cap will cause system boot failure!

If the steps above do not help, remove the onboard button cell battery and move the jumper again to clear the CMOS RTC RAM data. After clearing the CMOS, reinstall the button cell battery.

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2.	CPU Over Voltage jumper
	The CPU Over Voltage jumper allows you to set a higher CPU voltage for a flexible
	overclocking system (depending on the type of the installed CPU). Set to pins 2-3 to
	increase the CPU voltage setting, or set to pins 1-2 to use the default CPU voltage	1
	setting.
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1 Chapter

1.8Onboard LEDs

1.POST State LEDs

The POST State LEDs check key components (CPU, DRAM, VGA, and booting devices) during the motherboard booting process. If an error is found, the critical component’s LED stays lit up until the problem is solved.

The POST State LEDs provide the most probable cause of an error code as a starting point for troubleshooting. The actual cause may vary from case to case.

2.Q-Code LED

The Q-Code LED design provides you with a 2-digit error code that displays the system status.

•The Q-Code LEDs provide the most probable cause of an error code as a starting point for troubleshooting. The actual cause may vary from case to case.

•Please refer to the Q-Code table in the Appendix section for more details.

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3.8-pin Power Plug LED

The 8-pin Power Plug LED lights up to indicate that the 8-pin power plug is not connected.

Chapter 1

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1.9Internal connectors

	1. SATA 6Gb/s connector
1 Chapter	The SATA 6Gb/s connector allows you to connect SATA devices such as optical disc
	drives and hard disk drives via a SATA cable.

If you installed SATA storage devices, you can create a RAID 0, 1, 5, and 10 configuration with the Intel® Rapid Storage Technology through the onboard Intel® X299 chipset.

•The connectors are set to [Intel RST Premium (RAID)] by default.

•Before creating a RAID set, refer to the RAID Configuration Guide. You can download the RAID Configuration Guide from the ASUS website.

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