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Rog Strix x299 E Gaming - CPU upgrade issues...

Colonel_Bogey
Level 7
Hello,

I am hoping someone can help with my CPU upgrade issues.

My machine;

Rog STrix x299 E Gaming Motherboard
i5 7640x CPU
32GB Cosair Vengeance 3200MHXZ RAM
Rog Strix 2060 super graphics card
1 TB corsair Force 510 NVME m.2 drive
500GB spinny drive.
Cosair CM650x Semi modular PSU
BIOS flashed to version 3105

86483

I bought my Rog Strix X99 E gaming about 2 years ago with the cheapest pocessor I could get (i5 7640x), with the view to upgrade when CPU prices dropped.

Prices are now slightly more reasonable so I decided to order an i7 7900x from Scan computers. It arrived and I fitted it in great excitement only to find that the machine would not start. (fans spin for a second and then stop - no other activity). I refitted my i5 and switched on and all booted fine. I refitted the i7 - same result - no POST. I tried all different combinations of RAM in various slots (following advice from ASUS Tech support). When the i7 arrived it was not packaged very well, just bubble wrapped - no outer box, and the box was a bit squashed with CPU rattling about inside inner plastic case. So I thought that perhaps it was damaged in transit and RMA'd it to Scan. They refunded me and I thought if i was going to upgrade I might as well UPGRADE and ordered an i9 9940x from Scan.

The i9 arrived and I decided to take it to my local computer shop to fit just in case I was doing something wrong ( I am 52 and have been building PC's for 20 odd years). After an hour or 2 they phoned to say that the machine would not boot with the i9 installed but ran fine with the i5 reinstalled?? I collected the machine from them with the i5 installed and running and tried fitting the i9 myself again trying all variations of ram in ram slots. 1 stick on its own etc etc etc.... Same result - no POST. i5 back in all starts no problem.

Meanwhile Scan got in touch to say that they had received the i7 back it would not POST in their test machine either.

I have been in contact with ASUS tech support and they have suggested it may be my RAM as it is not on the QVL for my Mobo.

I have CMK16GX4M2B3200C16 ver 3.31 (2x8GB) and CMK16GX4M2B3200C16 ver 5.32 (2x 8GB) running together with my i5, no issues.
QVL list for the ROG Strix x299 e gaming lists CMK16GX4M2B3200C16 ver 4.32 but not ver 3.31 or 5.32. ASUS are saying that because the ver numbers are different they cannot confirm that it will work although it is fine with my i5.

I also have an 8pin and a 4 pin CPU power connector on my motherboard but only the 8 pin is connected. My corsair modular 650 watt PSU only has the 8 pin connector although I have ordered another cable one off Amazon which arrives tonight. All info I can find on the web says the 4 pin is only needed for EXTREME overclocking. I have noticed that the updated version of my board the X299 E Gaming II has 2 x 8 pin CPU power connectors, is this just for overclocking? The i9 draws 53W more power than the i5, could it be my PSU is not up to the job?

I am now in the process of RMAing the i9 to Scan. Is it poossible that the i9 is faulty too?

Any help you knowledgeable gentlemen can offer would be very gratefuly received. Not sure where to go from here.

:confused: Bogey
5,044 Views
18 REPLIES 18

Colonel_Bogey
Level 7
Hello again.

Now on 3rd CPU. An i9 10920X. Also will not POST.

I have bought new RAM that is on QVL on advice from ASUS tech support. Won't POST with i9 installed. POST's and Boots fine with i5 re-installed.

I now think it is the BIOS not recognising the new CPU.

From Intel support site;

"The Intel Core i9-10980XE, i9-10940X, i9-10920X, and i9-10900X processors contain several changes. This will require a BIOS update to your Intel X299 Chipset-based motherboard in order to boot. Intel recommends you update the BIOS on your Intel X299 Chipset-based systems for compatibility with SKUs mentioned.
Note Updating your BIOS to support the Intel Core i9-10980XE, i9-10940X, i9-10920X, and i9-10900X processors WILL remove compatibility with the follow Intel Core X-series processors: i5-7640X, i7-7740X."

So according to Intel when I update BIOS to support i9 10920X the i5 7640X should stop working.
I have flashed BIOS to latest version (3105) and my i5 7640X is still working. When I install i9, no POST.

I also thought that maybe BIOS was incremental so flashed back to 2002 which is when support for the i9 10920X was introduced. i5 still boots. i9 does not.

I am in contact with ASUS tech support. Hopefully they can come up with a solution.

On the plus side I am now an expert at installing processors and applying thermal paste etc. Real Dab hand 🙂

So, it would appear (and Im no expert so could well be wrong) that ASUS have not updated the BIOS for new 10000 series CPU's for The ROG STRIX X299 E GAMING.

According to Intel;

https://www.intel.co.uk/content/www/uk/en/support/articles/000055436/processors/intel-core-processor...

Updating BIOS to support i9 10000X series WILL remove support for i5 7640X.

Yet ASUS suggest the same BIOS file for both i5 7640x (Kaby Lake x) and i9 10920x (cascade lake x) and in fact all supported CPU's in the list, BIOS ver 3105, on the CPU support page for this motherboard, and my i5 7640X runs fine with latest BIOS version. (which it shouldnt)

https://www.asus.com/uk/Motherboards/ROG-STRIX-X299-E-GAMING/HelpDesk_CPU/

According to Intel (since Feb 2020) this cannot be correct?

I am no BIOS expert but there definately seems to be something amiss here?

Still waiting on an answer from ASUS.

Hello again,

(Feels like i am screaming into the void)

Here is the reply from the kind (but not awefully helpful) chap at ASUS tech support....

"I have received a reply tot the escalation to HQ.After confirming with HQ, we tested with the CPU but we didn't find any problem with the latest BIOS. But Intel officially said that i5-7640X, i7-7740X have been removed compability since the new ME/RC code updated. They won't say the MB will fully support i5-7640X, i7-7740X since BIOS 3006. So basically they told me it works, but any future updates might break compatibility.In that case seems like an fault with the motherboard. I understand it is not ideal and it is inconvenient but we can suggest you is to contact your retailer for advice on returns/replacement or any other options they can offer. As part of the sale process the retailer accepted that they would control all returns/replacement on behalf of ASUS for the duration of the warranty. They should be able to sort this out for you. ASUS has no other policy on these devices; We cannot replace or repair these devices."

So it seems BIOS can accomodate both chipsets!

I have ordered a new CMOS battery and jumper caps so I can properly clear CMOS (rather than with a screwdriver) and replace CMOS battery, which arrive tonight.
I intend to strip my machine down to i9, cooler and 1 stick of QVL ram , Flash BIOS to latest version (again, although it is already running with latest version) and hope to god it fires up.

I cant see how it is a fault with the board as it runs fine with i5.

I have 2 days to RMA i9 within 14 day cooloff period.
Maybe its time to rethink my machine and go with a more standard set up.
Will be gutted if thats the case. Love this board. I know it can fly too. Its so annoying.

Again, any advice you can offer would be VERY gratefuly received.

well. my Rampage VI apex with 3006 bios still support i5 7640x so that is weird statement by Intel, but when i bought 9800x, some youtuber recommended to reset CMOS every time you change SkyLake-X and KabyLake-X CPU, because they have diffrent Vcore regalator, Skylake has integrated inside and KabyLake is control by motherboard. So maybe there is possibility that mobo was dumb and could do something wrong when you insall new cpu. So unplug your PC take out CMOS battery for few minutes. And first test with I5 update bios from bios itself boot to windows restart then shut down. unplug pc reset CMOS try new CPU. and try plug your GPU to diffrent slot than first. If someone test that new CPU and its working. then i think there is possibility that mobo is bad for some reason and check pins inside socket just to be sure everything is ok

BTW: i still using 3006 bios.

restsugavan
Level 13
Cosair CM650x Semi modular PSU

If you want to upgrade to i9 7980XE/9980XE/10980XE and upcoming 11980XE. Please check other friends PSU Spec (watt) first.
:cool:
W11CANARY 26085.1 Core i9 7980XE 02007006 MCE ME 11.12.95.2499 R6E OFFICIAL BIOS 3801 SAMSUNG OG9 FW 1019.0 SSD 970 EVO PLUS 1 TB x 3 NVIDIA RTX 4090 GAME READY 551.86 64GB GSKILL DDR4 3200MHz JBL 9.1 Sound Bar DTS-X

Gentlemen.

Thank you.

I am not alone 🙂

@restsugavan - Thanks for your suggestion. I have considered PSU but the chap at ASUS assures me 650W is enough (manual suggests 350W). I will look at it again.

@KotOr368 - Thanks for your reply. It is good to hear that someone has been down a similar path with some success. On further investigation it seems to be down to size of BIOS chip on your particular board whether or not support for i5 7640X is dropped or not.

I also found a CPU overvoltage jumper on my motherboard. I know this is for overclocking but wonder whether it needs to be enabled for 165W CPU's? The section in the manual is a bit cryptic but seems to suggest this.

Today is the day. Will follow your steps Kot0r368.

Will let you know how it goes. If unsuccesful I guess I will have to stump up for a new PSU, if that doesnt work, who knows.......

Bigger PSU would be nice of course but good 650w is still good. That overvolt jumper is only for extreme OC so dont worry about it

KotOr368 wrote:
Bigger PSU would be nice of course but good 650w is still good. That overvolt jumper is only for extreme OC so dont worry about it


Yeah. I have checked a few PC power draw calculators and they suggest a draw of around 480W with the i9 10920X and my other components included, with no overclock.

Trying the graphics card in another slot, as you suggested, is a good idea and something I had not thought of. Might be something to do with PCIe lanes?

Home from work at 2 so will give it all a go.

restsugavan
Level 13
86575

@Colonel Bogey
Please consider https://www.kitguru.net/components/leo-waldock/intel-core-i9-7980xe-extreme-edition-18-cores-of-over...
W11CANARY 26085.1 Core i9 7980XE 02007006 MCE ME 11.12.95.2499 R6E OFFICIAL BIOS 3801 SAMSUNG OG9 FW 1019.0 SSD 970 EVO PLUS 1 TB x 3 NVIDIA RTX 4090 GAME READY 551.86 64GB GSKILL DDR4 3200MHz JBL 9.1 Sound Bar DTS-X