EVGA Z490 FTW operation manual

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User Guide

EVGA Z490 FTW Specs and Initial Installation

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Table of Contents

User Guide ............................................................................................................... - 1 -

Before You Begin… ................................................................................................. - 4 -

Parts NOT in the Kit ............................................................................................................. - 5 -

Intentions of the Kit .............................................................................................................. - 5 -

Motherboard ............................................................................................................. - 6 -

Motherboard Specifications .................................................................................................. - 6 -

Unpacking and Parts Descriptions ........................................................................... - 8 -

Intel® Z490 FTW Motherboard LED reference .................................................................... - 9 -

Intel® Z490 FTW Motherboard Component Legend .......................................................... - 11 -

PCIe Slot Breakdown ......................................................................................................... - 23 -

M.2 Slot Breakdown ........................................................................................................... - 23 -

Installing the CPU .............................................................................................................. - 24 -

Installing the CPU Cooling Device .................................................................................... - 25 -

Installing System Memory (DIMMs) ................................................................................. - 26 -

Installing the I/O Shield ...................................................................................................... - 27 -

Installing the Motherboard...................................................................................... - 27 -

Securing the Motherboard into a System Case ................................................................... - 28 -

Installing M.2 devices ............................................................................................. - 30 -

Installing M.2 Key-M Socket 3 Devices ............................................................................ - 30 -

Tested CPU ......................................................................................................................... - 33 -

Tested Memory ................................................................................................................... - 33 -

Tested M.2 Key-M ............................................................................................................. - 34 -

Tested M.2 Key-E............................................................................................................... - 35 -

Connecting Cables ................................................................................................ .............. - 36 -

Onboard Buttons ................................................................................................................. - 49 -

First Boot ................................................................................................................ - 50 -

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M.2 SSD, PCIe SSD, and NVMe SSD Installation steps ................................................... - 52 -

Internal RAID Controller ......................................................................................... - 54 -

Fan Header and PWM Setup ................................................................................. - 90 -

Setting Up SLI and PhysX...................................................................................... - 94 -

Realtek HD Audio Manager ............................................................................................... - 99 -

EVGA NU Audio ................................................................................................... - 117 -

The NU Audio Control Panel ........................................................................................... - 120 -

NU Audio Custom Settings: ............................................................................................. - 128 -

Installing Drivers and Software ............................................................................ - 139 -

Windows 10 Driver Installation ........................................................................................ - 139 -

Warranty and Overclocking .............................................................................................. - 141 -

Troubleshooting ................................................................................................... - 142 -

Flashing the BIOS ............................................................................................................ - 142 -

Flashing the BIOS Without a CPU ................................................................................... - 145 -

SSD / HDD is not detected ............................................................................................... - 146 -

System does not POST, and POST code indicator reads “C” ........................................... - 148 -

System does not POST, and POST code indicator reads “55” ......................................... - 149 -

System does not POST, and POST code indicator reads “d7” ......................................... - 149 -

Have a question not covered above, or want some online resources? .............................. - 150 -

Multifunction LED Indicator ............................................................................................ - 151 -

POST Beep codes ............................................................................................................. - 153 -

POST Port Debug LED .................................................................................................... - 154 -

POST Codes ........................................................................................................ - 155 -

EVGA Glossary of Terms ................................................................................................ - 160 -

Compliance Information ....................................................................................... - 163 -

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Before You Begin…

The EVGA Z490 FTW is ready for the latest 10th Gen Intel® Core™ i9 processors. The 10th Gen Intel® Core™ desktop processor platform provides an optimal balance of frequency, cores and threads, advanced tuning support, and blazing connectivity to supercharge desktops for a competitive edge. Featuring a variety of high-speed data and storage options, display output options, 7.1 Channel Audio, and Intel® wired/wireless network options, the Z490 FTW has everything you need. This board earns its FTW with a highly-efficient Digital VRM connected to a 14 Phase power design, metal-reinforced PCIe slots, and EVGA’s latest GUI BIOS featuring OC Robot and an in-BIOS stress test. The EVGA Z490 FTW is the core of everything you do next.

Furthermore, this board is designed not only for overclockers, but also for gamers by being NVIDIA® SLI® Ready and featuring blazing-fast networking, Dual M.2 Key-M slots and much more!

Lastly, a motherboard is only as good as its BIOS, and the EVGA Z490 FTW features EVGA’s newest UEFI/BIOS GUI with a focus on overclocking and functionality in a lean, straightforward package. You won’t need to be an expert to configure your motherboard, but if you are, you’ll find features unavailable anywhere else.

Combining the best of current technology with the latest innovations, EVGA is

further refining motherboard performance!

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Parts NOT in the Kit

This kit contains all the hardware necessary to install and connect your new EVGA Z490 FTW Motherboard. However, it does NOT contain the following items, which must be purchased separately in order to make the system fullyfunctional and install an Operating System:

❑ Intel

Socket 1200 Processor

❑ DDR4 System Memory ❑ CPU Cooling Device ❑ PCI-Express Graphics Card ❑ Power Supply ❑ 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 https://www.evga.com/support/motherboard.

Intentions of the Kit

When replacing a different model motherboard in a PC case, you may need to reinstall your operating system, even though the current HDD/SSD may already have one installed. Keep in mind, however, you may sometimes also need to reinstall your OS after a RMA even if your motherboard remains the same due to issues that occurred prior to replacing the motherboard.

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Motherboard

Motherboard Specifications

❑ Size:

ATX form-factor of 12 inches x 9.6 inches (305x243.8mm)

❑ Microprocessor support:

Intel® Socket 1200 Processor

❑ Operating Systems:

Supports Windows 10 64-Bit

❑ Contains Intel

Z490 chipset

❑ System Memory support:

Supports up to 128GB Dual channel DDR4 up to 4400MHz+ (OC).

❑ USB 2.0 Ports:

4x internal from 2 FP headers via Intel® Z490 USB HUB 1x from Update Port for flashing the BIOS without CPU

Supports hot plug/wake-up from S3 mode

❑ USB 3.2 Gen.1 Ports:

4x from Intel® Z490 PCH – 2x external (Type-A), 2x internal via 1 FP header

Supports transfer speeds up to 5Gbps Backwards-compatible USB 2.0 and USB 1.1 support

❑ USB 3.2 Gen.2 Ports:

5x from Intel® Z490 PCH – 4x external (Type-A), 1x internal header

Supports transfer speeds up to 10Gbps Backwards-compatible USB 3.2 Gen.1, USB 2.0 and USB 1.1 support

❑ USB 3.2 Gen.2x2 Port:

1x from ASMedia ASM3242 – 1x external (Type-C) Supports transfer speeds up to 20Gbps Backwards-compatible USB 3.2 Gen2/1, USB 2.0 and USB 1.1 support

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❑ Display Outputs:

Display Port 1.2 / HDMI 1.4

❑ SATA Ports:

4x SATA 6Gbps data transfer rate / Intel® Z490 PCH Controller

- Support for RAID0, RAID1, RAID5, AND RAID10

- Supports hot plug

2x SATA 6Gbps data transfer rate / ASMedia ASM1061 Controller

❑ Onboard LAN:

Intel® i219V Gigabit NIC

Intel® Dual-Band WiFi / BT

❑ Onboard Audio:

Realtek ALC1220 High Definition Audio + EVGA NU Audio Supports 7.1 Channel HD Audio + Optical Out

❑ 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:

1x PCIe x16/8 slot, 1x PCIe x8 1x PCIe x1 slot

❑ PCIe 3.0 Support:

Low power consumption and power management features

❑ SLI and Crossfire Support:

NVIDIA® SLI® Ready, 2-Way Crossfire

❑ Additional Expansion Slots:

2x M.2 Key-M 110mm slot /1x M.2 Key-E slot

❑ Fan Headers:

2x 4-pin PWM controlled headers / 5x 4-pin PWM/DC controlled headers

ALL FAN HEADERS HAVE A MAXIMUM POWER LIMIT OF 2 AMP @ 12 VOLTS (24 WATTS) EXCEDING THIS LIMIT WILL CAUSE IRREPARABLE DAMAGE TO THE BOARD.

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Unpacking and Parts Descriptions

The following accessories are included with the EVGA Z490 FTW Motherboard:

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Intel® Z490 FTW Motherboard LED reference

The EVGA Z490 FTW Motherboard has an LED to indicating power, connectivity, and activity. Below is the location of the LED and its function.

Power / Reset Buttons

+5VSB

Onboard ARGB LED

POST LED Indicator / Monitor

CATERR_LED

Active BIOS LED

LED Component Legend

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1. Power / Reset Buttons a. Power Button

i. RED: Motherboard is turned on and running

b. Reset Button

i. White: Reset button will typically flash in conjunction with

HDD/SSD LED. Depending on load, the button may flash or appear solid white at times.

ii. NVMe SSDs cannot be read for the purposes of the Reset LED.

2. Multifunction POST Indicator a. 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.

i. For a list of POST Codes, please see Page 155.

ii. This indicator can be configured in BIOS to display hardware

monitoring information, such as voltage or temperature. After boot, these LEDs will show either temperature or voltage, depending on user configuration in the BIOS.

3. +5VSB a. White: Voltage present (Does not mean PSU is outputting in-spec, only

that this specific voltage is detected)

4. CATERR_LED - Catastrophic Error on the processor a. RED: Processor error has occurred. b. OFF: No error state detected in the CPU.

5. Active BIOS LED a. BIOS 1

i. WHITE: BIOS 1 chip is active

ii. OFF: BIOS 2 chip is active

b. BIOS 2

i. WHITE: BIOS 2 chip is active

ii. OFF: BIOS 1 chip is active

6. Onboard ARGB LED a. Located around the PCH heatsink, the LEDs can be directly controlled

via EVGA ELEET X1. Choose the LED colors and patterns, or turn off in the software.

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Intel

Z490 FTW Motherboard Component Legend

The EVGA Z490 FTW Motherboard with the Intel® Z490 and PCH Chipset. Figure 1 shows the motherboard and Figure 2 shows the back panel connectors.

FIGURE 1. Z490 FTW Motherboard Layout

**For a FULL description of the above legend, please see Page 14.

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CPU Socket 1200

1 1.

M.2 Socket 3 Key-M 110mm

21.

USB 2.0 Headers

Intel Z490 PCH

1 2.

PCIe Slot x16/x8

22.

Front Panel Audio Connector

PWM Fan Headers (1 amp)

1 3.

PCIe Slot x8

23.

PC Speaker

DC / PWM Fan Headers

1 4.

PCIe Slot x1

24.

Front Panel Connectors

DDR4 Memory DIMM Slots

1 5.

ARGB LED Controller Header

25.

CMOS Battery

24-pin ATX power connector

1 6.

RGB LED Controller Header

26.

USB 3.2 Gen2 Header (Type-C)

8-pin EPS Connector

1 7.

Power Button

USB 3.2 Gen1 Header

4-pin Supplemental ATX Connector

1 8.

Reset Button

BIOS SafeBoot Button

Intel® Sata 6G Ports

19.

POST Indicator / HW Monitor

29.

BIOS Selector Switch

10.

ASMedia SATA 6G Ports

20.

USB to SPI for BIOS Flash

30.

Rear Panel Connectors (Figure 2)

Component Legend

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Figure 2. Chassis Rear Panel Connectors

BIOS / CMOS Reset

USB 3.2 Gen1 Ports

USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Port

Displa y Port 1.2

Integrated WiFi Module

10.

Optical Out

HDMI 1.4

Intel i219V NIC

11.

Analog Audio Jacks

PS/2 Port

USB 3.2 Gen2 Ports

I/O Hub Legend

Analog Audio Port Breakdown

2/2.1 Channel 4.0/4.1 Channel 5.1 Channel 7.1 Channel

Blue Line In *Rear Spea kers Out Line In

* Rear Speake rs Out

Front Spea kers Out /

Front Spea kers + Sub

Pink Mic In Mic In Mi c In

Mic In

Blac k Side Spea kers Out Side Spea kers Out

Orange Cente r / Sub Out C enter / Sub Out

3.5mm Audio Jack Legend

Front Spea kers Out

Green

Front Spea kers Out

* On ly used in 7.1 an d i s changed via Realtek Softwa re from within Windo ws.

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Component Legend Descriptions

1. CPU Socket 1200 This is the interface for the Central Processing Unit (CPU), and supports Core

i5, Core i7, and Core i9 models compatible with the Intel® 1200 Socket and Comet Lake-S architecture.

2. Intel® Z490 PCH (Southbridge)

The Platform Controller Hub (PCH) handles the role that was previously held by the South Bridge. The PCH has 4 PCIe Gen 3 lanes and allocates bandwidth to smaller PCIe slots, M.2, USB, audio, etc. In simplified terms, the PCH works as a hub for peripherals that are less bandwidth-intensive.

3. PWM Fan Headers (CPU1 and CPU2) 4-pin fan headers that control the fan speed based on a configurable curve or

static percentage. PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation) works by pulsing power to the fan at a constant rate and sending the RPM signal to the fan’s controller via a Sense cable, rather than adjusting fan speed by increasing and decreasing voltage. This method is preferable because it eliminates voltage-based fan stall points. Please see Page 90 for a more in-depth PWM breakdown and PWM controls within BIOS/UEFI.

These headers also support 12v. DC fans. However, DC fan speed is based on decreasing voltage to the fan, starting at a default of 100%/12V. When using a 12v. fan, the minimum speed will vary depending on the motor because most fan motors require a set amount of voltage before stalling.

4. PWM/DC Fan Headers These ports may be used with both PWM and DC fans and may be controlled

via Smart Fan or manually within the BIOS.

5. DDR4 Memory Slots The memory slots support up to four 288-pin DDR4 DIMMs in Dual-Channel

mode. Dual-Channel mode will be enabled only upon using two or four sticks of supported memory, according to the installation guide above. Using one or three sticks of memory will lower the board to Single-Channel mode, which

may significantly lower performance. Memory kits marketed as “QuadChannel” *MAY* work; however, the kit will continue to run in Dual-Channel mode due to the limitations of the CPU’s memory controller. 128GB of RAM is supported in a 4x32GB configuration. At the time of this manual’s release,

this motherboard officially supports up to 4400MHz+ speeds. These speeds

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cannot be guaranteed, however, because Intel® only certifies the speed of the memory controller up to 2933MHz for Comet Lake-S processors.

6. 24-pin ATX power connector The main power for the motherboard is located on the right side of the board

and perpendicular to the PCB; this is also described as a “Vertical” connector

(See Page 37 for more specifics to the connector itself, and associated wiring/pinouts). The 24-pin connector IS directional and the connector needs the tab on the socket to line up with the release clip located on the 24-pin connector from the power supply. This connector pulls the bulk of the power for all components. Other connectors, such as EPS and ATX, have been added to reduce the load and increase longevity due to wiring and trace limitations.

7. 8-pin EPS Connector The EPS is dedicated power for the CPU (See Page 38 for more specifics to the

connector itself, and associated wiring/pinouts). Carefully choose the correct power cable by consulting with the installation manual for your power supply. This connector is designed to only work with an EPS or CPU cable. System builders sometimes make the mistake of plugging in a PCIe 8-pin or 6+2-pin connector, which will prevent the board from completing POST and possibly short or damage the board. Although PCIe and EPS cables appear similar, they are wired differently and attaching the wrong connector may cause damage to the motherboard.

Alternatively, if no power cable is connected or detected, the system will not POST and will hang at POST code “C.”

8. 4-pin Supplemental ATX Connector The ATX power connector on the Z490 FTW provides additional power to the

CPU. This connector requires the appropriate 4-pin ATX power that is provided by your power supply – often as part of a 4+4-pin CPU connector. (See Page 36 for more specifics to the connector itself, and associated wiring/pinouts). This connector is not essential to running the system, but may provide additional power to the CPU under a heavy load, overclocking, and/or benchmarking. The 4-pin power connector may be installed in addition to the 8pin EPS connector; it may not be installed in place of the 8-pin EPS connector.

9. Intel® SATA 6G Ports

The Intel® Z490 PCH has a 4-port SATA 3/6G controller (See Page 48 for specifics on the connectors). This controller is backwards compatible with SATA and SATA 2 devices, and supports SSDs, HDDs and various types of optical devices (CDROM, DVDROM, BD-ROM, etc.). The controller also

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supports NCQ, TRIM, hot swap capability (provided the proper HDD/SSD bays/racks are installed), and RAID levels 0/1/5/10.

10. ASMedia SATA 6G Ports This is a secondary SATA controller, the ASM1061 is a 2-port SATA3/6

Gbit/s controller with legacy support for older operating systems. This is included largely for benchmarking and overclocking with very specific programs, such as Super Pi, 3DMark, PCMark, etc. This board is not guaranteed to fully support any OS prior to Windows 10 x64, as we offer no drivers for legacy OS (See Page 48 for specifics on the connectors).

11. M.2 Socket 3 Key-M 110mm M.2 is an SSD standard, which uses up to four PCIe lanes and utilizes Gen3

speeds. Most popularly paired with NVMe SSDs, this standard offers substantially faster transfer speeds and seek time than SATA interface standards. All M.2 devices are designed to connect via a card-bus style connector, secured by bolting into place, and powered by the connector – rather than a dedicated data cable and power cable.

M.2 Key-M (1) supports PCIe devices, while M.2 Key-M (2) supports both PCIe and SATA devices.

This socket will support Key-M devices of 110mm, 80mm, 60mm, and 42mm length.

12. PCIe Slot x16/x8 PCIe x16/x8 slots are primarily for video cards. These full-length slots will

provide 8 or 16 lanes of bandwidth to a full-size card, and are backwardscompatible with x8, x4, and x1-length cards.

Comet Lake-S Socket 1200 processors have 16 PCIe lanes available for routing.

The 16 PCIe lanes are pulled from the CPU and shared with the x16 PCIe slot 2 (PE2). Lanes automatically switch from x16/x0 to x8/x8 when the motherboard detects a card in slot PE2.

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13. PCIe Slot x8

PCIe x16/x8 slots are primarily for video cards. These full-length slots will provide up to 8 lanes of bandwidth to a full-size card, and are backwards compatible with x8, x4, and x1 length cards.

This slot is limited to a maximum of 8 lanes as it shares bandwidth with the primary PCIe x16 slot 2 (PE1). This slot is primarily recommended for secondary video cards, such as the 2nd card in a SLI configuration, or a PhysX card.

* Please see the description for Physical (length) vs Electrical (lanes) on Page 21.

14. PCIe Slot x1 PCIe x1 is the smallest form-factor PCIe card slot. They are all one lane and

are used for low-bandwidth products.

15. ARGB LED Controller Header The ARGB header is a 5V. 3 pin header with a current limit of 2A; anything

above 2A will trigger overcurrent protection and lock at 2A. This header allows for far more flexible options to configure your RGB lighting via software-based control within Windows via EVGA ELEET X1, and supports up to 125 LEDs. Please see Page 42 for header specifics, and Page 137 for control options in ELEET X1.

16. RGB LED Controller Header The RGB header is a 12V. 4 pin header with a current limit of 2A; anything

above 2A will trigger overcurrent protection and lock at 2A. This header allows for software-based control within Windows for RGB devices via EVGA ELEET X1. Please see Page 43 for header specifics, and Page 137 for control options in ELEET X1.

17. Power Button This is an onboard power button, and may be used in place of, or in

conjunction with, a front panel power button wired to the board. Benching systems, or test benches before final assembly, are best served by

using the onboard power because it removes the need to wire a Power/Reset button or cross posts with a screwdriver, which is a semi-common practice. This button provides a safer and easier option than jumpering the Power posts.

18. Reset Button

This is an onboard system reset button, and may be used in place of, or in conjunction with, a front panel system reset button wired to the board.

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Benching systems, or test benches before final assembly, are best served by using the onboard power because it removes the need to wire a Power/Reset button or cross posts with a screwdriver, which is a semi-common practice. This button provides a safer and easier option than jumpering the Power posts.

19. Debug POST Indicator / Hardware Monitor This is a four-digit POST code reader, which displays in sets of 7-digit LED.

The display can be configured to show data in regular decimal format, or hexadecimal, which means the characters available (when working as intended) are 0-9, A-F and has a cap of 255 characters.

During POST, the left set of LEDs will display the various POST codes as they cycle through the Power On Self-Test. The POST codes are listed in the troubleshooting section on Page 155.

After the system boots, these same set of LEDs can be set to display a hardware monitoring sensor, such as the CPU temperature in Celsius. This temperature is specifically for the CPU socket, which will typically read slightly higher than a given CPU core. To read this temp in Fahrenheit, take the value in Celsius, multiply by 9/5 (or 1.8) and add 32.

The display can be used to show additional temperatures, or can be configured in tandem with all 4 digits to provide live readings for voltages or temperatures. For example, the LEDs can be configured to read voltages, such as 1.258 or 55C for CPU temp for when you are using LN2 extreme cooling. Detailed configuration instructions for the Debug Indicator are provided on Page 151.

20. USB to SPI for BIOS Flash This USB Update Port is designed to connect directly to the motherboard to

allow the motherboard BIOS to be flashed, even if no CPU is installed. For more information on how to flash your BIOS using this method, please see Page 144.

21. USB 2.0 Headers The USB2.0 header is used to connect additional USB interface plugs to the

motherboard; these headers are most often used to connect the motherboard to the chassis to enable the USB2.0 ports on the chassis. These will function similarly to the USB2.0 ports found on the motherboard’s hardwired I/O hub,

but these can also be used for the chassis’ front panel USB, auxiliary ports that

mount in the card slots, and certain devices that directly connect to the header. USB 2.0 standard is 500ma @ 5V per port (header total is 1000ma) for

unpowered devices. If your USB device requires more power, it is recommended to attach a powered USB Hub.

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22. Front Panel Audio Connector

This motherboard header is used to plug in the audio cable included with most PC chassis. This connector is required for audio recording and/or playback via the audio connectors on the chassis. This header has a connector that

looks similar to the USB2.0 header and uses the standard “HD Audio” jack.

Some chassis may provide two headers: one labeled HD Audio, and one labeled AC’97 – an AC’97 cable is not compatible with this header on the Z490 FTW.

23. PC Speaker

This is a small mono low-fidelity speaker, which is permanently attached to the motherboard. Its primary use is for debugging purposes. A POST beep may indicate a successful POST or various tones for USB initialization, while other beeps may indicate an issue during the POST process. Please see Page 153 for more details.

24. Front Panel Connectors The Front Panel Connectors are the four main chassis connections. These

include the Power Switch, Power LED, Reset Switch, and HDD LED. The

Power and Reset switches are “Momentary Switches,” rather than “Latching Switches,” which means the connection between two posts only needs a brief

moment to turn on the device, as opposed to requiring a constant connection. For example, the Power and Reset switches can be triggered instantly with a screwdriver by simultaneously touching the + and - posts.

The Power LED will power on with the system, indicating the system is on and can blink in conjunction with CPU activity.

HDD LED will blink during access to the SATA ports; this is not activated for M.2 SSDs.

25. CMOS Battery The CMOS battery backup provides uninterruptable power to the BIOS/UEFI

to store all its settings; otherwise, each power on would act as if the BIOS was just reset. These batteries typically last several years and rarely need to be replaced.

26. USB 3.2 Gen2 Header (Type-C)

The USB 3.2 Gen2 header is used to connect additional USB interface plugs to the motherboard; these headers are most often used to connect the motherboard to the chassis to enable the USB 3.2 Gen2 ports on the chassis. These will function similarly to the USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C port sometimes

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found on a motherboard’s rear I/O hub, but can also be used for the chassis’

front panel USB, auxiliary ports that mount in the card slots, and certain devices that directly connect to the header. The USB 3.2 Gen2 Header on the Z490 FTW is a shielded USB 3.2 Gen2 Header and supports up to 10Gb/s with USB 3.2 Gen2.

This USB 3.2 Gen2 Header has a power limit of 3000ma (3A) @ 5V.

27. USB 3.2 Gen1 Header

The USB 3.2 Gen1 header is used to connect additional USB interface plugs to the motherboard; these headers are most often used to connect the motherboard to the chassis to enable the USB 3.2 Gen1 ports on the chassis. These will function similarly to the USB 3.2 Gen1 ports found on the motherboard’s rear I/O hub, but can also be used for the chassis’ front panel USB, auxiliary ports that mount in the card slots, and certain devices that directly connect to the header.

USB 3.2 Gen1 standard is 900ma @ 5V for unpowered devices. If your USB device requires more power, it is recommended to attach a powered USB Hub.

USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A (found on the I/O Hub) shares the power limit of USB

3.2 Gen1 at 900ma @ 5V.

Note: USB 3.2 Gen1 is more commonly referred to as USB 3.0.

28. BIOS SafeBoot Button Pressing this button while the system is running will reboot the motherboard

directly into the BIOS without clearing CMOS. This feature is very useful for situations where the motherboard is unable to complete boot due to a failed overclock and the user does not want to erase the previous settings used.

29. BIOS Selector Switch

This switch toggles between physical BIOS chips. This board has 2 BIOS chips as a permanent fixture. Each chip holds only the settings and profiles that have been saved to the BIOS chip while active. This allows you to swap between two physically different BIOS chips. This also makes it substantially easier to hotflash a BIOS if needed. If instructions are needed for hotflashing a BIOS, please contact EVGA Customer Service (Page 150 for contact info).

30. Rear Panel Connectors (Figure 2) This is the section referred to as the I/O Hub. This panel contains the

hardwired USB, Sound, and Ethernet connections. Please see Page 13 for a component level breakdown.

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* There are two numeric references for PCI-Express: one is mechanical (the actual slotlength footprint across the motherboard), while the second is electrical (the number of PCIe lanes available to the slot from the CPU, PCH, or both).

PCI Express was designed with a universal architecture; you can install x1 cards, such as sound cards or USB controllers, into an x16 slot. Many types of cards can use various numbers of PCIe lanes; similarly, some applications might only use certain parts of a card (e.g. compute apps), requiring only a single PCIe lane to accomplish its task without affecting performance. This is why there are x16 mechanical slots with an x1 electrical PCIe lane. Using the entire length of a PCIe slot is unnecessary, nor does it cause an adverse effect to use a shorter form-factor bus card in a slot that physically can hold a larger form-factor bus

card.

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Card Slots

The Z490 FTW features two x16 PCIe slots, one x1 PCIe slots, two Socket 3 Key-M M.2 110mm, and one Socket 1 Key-E M.2.

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PCIe Slot Breakdown

PCIe Lane Distribution (All Socket 1200 processors are 16 lanes.)

❑ PE1 – x16 (Gen3, x16 lanes from CPU, x8 shared with PE2) ❑ PE2 – x16 (Gen3, x8 lanes from CPU, shares 8 of PE1’s 16 lanes) ❑ PE3 – x1 (Gen2, x1 lanes PCH)

M.2 Slot Breakdown

M.2 Lane Distribution

❑ M.2 Key-M (2) (110mm, Top) – x4

o M.2 Enable/Disable is set within the BIOS o This slot supports both PCIe and SATA M.2 SSDs. o This slot supports Intel Optane.

❑ M.2 Key-M (1) (110mm, Bottom) – x4

o M.2 Enable/Disable is set within the BIOS o This slot supports Intel Optane.

❑ M.2 Key-E (32mm) – x1

o M.2 Enable/Disable is set within the BIOS

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Installing the CPU

Note: EVGA strongly recommends that you completely disconnect AC power from

your power supply prior to changing your CPU. This ensures the motherboard will use the correct startup procedure for all onboard devices. If AC power is not disconnected, the replacement is still supported, but may require additional reboots to boot successfully.

Be very careful when handling the CPU. Hold the processor only by the edges and do not touch the bottom of the processor.

Note: Use extreme caution when working with the

CPU to avoid damaging the pins in the motherboard’s CPU socket!

Do not remove the socket cover until you have

installed the CPU. This installation guide was created without using a socket cover to better illustrate the CPU Socket area. However, users should remove the cover as the last step, not the first step.

Use the following procedure to install the CPU onto the motherboard.

1. Unhook the socket lever by pushing

down and towards the socket.

2. Pull the socket levers back and gently lift

the load plate to open the socket. Make sure to avoid touching or dropping items into the socket; otherwise, you may damage the board socket and/or CPU pins, which may void your warranty.

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3. Align the notches on the CPU to the

notches in the socket, and lower the processor straight down into the socket.

Note: The gold triangle key on the CPU

should match the triangle key on the load plate.

Note: Make sure the CPU is fully seated

and level in the socket.

4. Lower the load plate so that it is resting

on the CPU.

5. Carefully lock the lever back into place

by lowering it down to the hook, then push the lever towards the socket and down under the hook.

6. Remove the plastic protective socket

cover by pulling it straight up and away from the socket.

Note: After removing the CPU socket cover, it is recommended to store it in case

you ever need to transport your motherboard. If you ever remove the CPU, it is highly recommended to reinstall the socket cover.

Installing the CPU Cooling Device

There are many different cooling devices that can be used with this

motherboard. Follow the instructions that come with your cooling assembly.

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Installing System Memory (DIMMs)

Your Z490 FTW has (4) 288-pin slots for DDR4 memory. These slots support 4GB, 8GB, 16GB and 32GB DDR4 DIMMs. There must be at least one memory slot populated for the board to boot and operate.

The Intel® Z490 chipset supports dualchannel DDR4 memory, a maximum of 128GB and up to 4400MHz+ (OC). You must first populate either the even-slots (2, 4) or odd-slots (1, 3). See chart below:

Use the following procedure to install memory DIMMs. Note that there is a small gap near the center of the DIMM slots. This matches the gap on a DDR4 DIMM to ensure the memory is installed properly, and to prevent the incorrect installation of memory.

1. Unlock a DIMM slot by pressing the both module clips outward.

2. Align the memory module to the DIMM slot, and insert the module

perpendicular to the DIMM slot, pressing straight down to seat the module. The plastic clips at top side of the DIMM slot automatically lock the DIMM into the connector.

Note: The memory controller on most Comet Lake-S CPUs runs at a default

frequency of 2933MHz on 10- and 8-core processors, but only 2666MHz on 6-core processors. Achieving memory speeds above the CPU’s default speed may require manual setting of the memory timings, frequency and voltages and/or overclocking of the CPU.

Refer to the memory manufacturer specifications for the recommended

memory timings. For overclocking support you can visit our forums:

https://forums.evga.com/

Slot 1 Slot 2 Slot 3 Slot 4

1 DIMM

2 DIMM

X X

3 DIMM

X X X

4 DIMM X X X X

RAM slot fill order

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Installing the I/O Shield

The motherboard kit comes with an I/O shield that is used to block internal components from dust and foreign objects, while also promoting correct airflow within the chassis.

Before installing the motherboard, install the I/O shield from the inside of the chassis. Press the I/O shield into place and make sure it fits securely.

Installing the Motherboard

Proper motherboard installation depends on several factors: whether the Z490 FTW will replace an older motherboard or the beginning of a new PC, the type of chassis that will house your PC components, and the amount of space you will have to build your system once the motherboard is installed. You must first determine if it would be easier to secure the motherboard to the chassis or if it would be easier to install other components prior to this step. It is normally easier to secure the motherboard first.

Note: Be sure that the CPU fan assembly has enough clearance for the system

case covers to lock into place and for expansion cards. Also, make sure the CPU Fan assembly is aligned with the vents on the covers; this is to allow the airflow to properly exhaust from the chassis. The CPU Fan assembly orientation will depend on the system case being used.

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Securing the Motherboard into a System Case

Most system cases require installation of standoffs into the chassis to allow the motherboard to be mounted to the chassis and prevent short circuits. If there are any studs that do not align with a motherboard mounting hole, we recommended that you remove that standoff to prevent the possibility of a short circuit. Furthermore, ensure that all standoffs are fully tightened prior to mounting the motherboard to the chassis. Please review the installation manual included with

your chassis for the proper installation of the motherboard standoffs.

1. Carefully place the motherboard onto the standoffs located inside the

chassis.

2. Align the mounting holes with the standoffs.

3. Align the connectors to the I/O shield and/or I/O cover.

4. Ensure that the fan assembly is aligned with the chassis vents according to

the fan assembly instruction.

5. Secure the motherboard with ten (10) screws (See next page for mount hole

location). Ensure that each screw is lined up with and fastened to its corresponding standoff under the board. Double-check alignment to make sure nothing gets cross-threaded.

Tip: If you have difficulty fastening some of the screws, especially near the I/O hub, first try to loosely fasten all other screws on the motherboard, but do not completely tighten the screws. This may help to hold the board in place, allowing you to thread and fasten the remaining screws. 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 Z490 FTW.

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1. All safe locations to secure the board to a standoff are circled in blue.

2. Keep in mind that when the screws are installed, but not fully

tightened, the motherboard should have 1-2mm of movement. This movement can help when mounting cards or if you have tight-fits with other components.

3. Once the board is properly aligned, be sure to completely fasten the

board to the chassis before proceeding.

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Installing M.2 devices

Installing M.2 Key-M Socket 3 Devices

Securing an 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) – are installed differently.

Below are images from an installation of an SSD on a Socket 3 Key-M 110mm slot of the Z490 FTW.

1. Before you can install an M.2 device, you must

first remove the screw that comes pre-attached to

the Socket 3’s retention standoff; this will be used

to keep the device in place. The standoff is placed at the 80mm interval for the Socket 3 slot.

Next add one thermal pad – included with the Z490 FTW accessories – to the outlined area to the right.

2. After adding the thermal pad, the motherboard will look like the image below. This

thermal pad will assist with cooling your M.2 Key-M device.

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