Ok, this is getting really frustrating. Whatever I do, I cannot get my Front Mic jack to be recognized with this motherboard (front headphones work fine). In the Sound Blaster ProStudio UI, it only presents the following two options for recording devices:
 
Rear Microphone
Rear Line-In
 

 
According to Creative's site, "Front Microphone" should show up here.  I just bought a Tendak HD Audio panel to connect to the motherboard because I thought there was an issue with my case's existing mic jack panel (might have been wired AC97 only?). Nevertheless, the front mic jack still isn't picked up.
I've tried:
- Updating the BIOS
- Updating the chipset drivers
- Updating the Sound Blaster Recon3Di drivers
- Uninstalling the Sound Blaster Recon3Di drivers and installing an older version
 
Nothing works.  I also can't find any options whatsoever in the BIOS regarding settings for the integrated Creative Core3D audio.
 
Has anybody else run into this problem?
 

Yeah was looking in there too. I just have my NVIDIA High Definition Audio also there for my graphics card, but that's just for the HDMI output I believe.

 
I was debating uninstalling that one to test, but didn't want to screw up those drivers should I need them again.

Ok, so I first tried disabling the NVIDIA driver from the Device Manager. Restarted, but still no luck. I then tried uninstalling it entirely. Before rebooting I noticed nothing changed, but unfortunately after rebooting Windows 7 automatically re-installed the NVIDIA driver (somehow... even though I have automatic driver updates disabled in Windows...)
What's also a bit odd is that if I go into "Sound" and right-click the Microphone recording device -> Properties, the Jack information states "Front Panel 3.5mm Jack".

 
Although this particular recording device of course only works if I plug my mic in the rear jack (maybe just Windows misnaming that info)
 

Just tried that but the problem is when I uninstall the NVIDIA driver and restart, Windows keeps installing a generic "High Definition Audio Device" driver immediately upon startup.
 

 
Not sure why Windows keeps doing this. I have the following registry key set to "0"
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\DriverSearching\SearchOrderConfig
 
I can disable this driver and restart, but still no front mic.  I'm really confused about how these "HD" standards could be implemented like this with their drivers overlapping each other. The motherboard should at least have an AC97 backward compatibility mode.

I had the same problem you are having and this fixed the front mic. issue. Download the driver you want to install and save to your desktop.Turn of windows updates, run new card in DDU (download display driver uninstaller), go to C: Nvidia, Display Drive and erase the driver file. Now reboot your computer you should see a very low resolution on your display. Make sure to exit all programs running in the back ground before you install the new driver. Now go to the new Nvidia driver on your desktop click to install. When you get to install options check the box for custom install and click next. Now check the clean install box and uncheck every box except Physics X (optional Nvidia Experience if you want to use but I would read up on this first) . The display driver can't be unchecked. Now click  install. When done go to the Nvidia display panel and setup your personal options ie: check resolution, single display, what manages 3D.......Oh and don't forget to turn on your Windows update settings. Your Done!

No, you can leave that alone. That won,t matter since you are not using HDMI.

Here you go!
 

Are you sure you front audio cables are in the right jacks? I would check this first. If not call EVGA they have great support. 

Yes, I think it's time to open a ticket. Let me know what happens.

Good thanks for the update.

Thanks for updating the post, Chris. You beat me to it. :)
This makes sense. After doing some more research, I was surprised to find out just how many of these front HD Audio panels omit wire #4 for some reason. By doing this, many of them don't actually conform to the true Intel HD Audio specification even though they're labeled as such.
 
I just ordered another panel from StarTech (partnumber 35BAYPANELHD) and I'm going to try using the 9-wire cable from that one in the Tendak panel (since the Tendak one has USB 3.0 and the StarTech one doesn't). The StarTech one also indicates in the description that the audio has "autosensing" which I guess is thought of as an added feature in these panels now?
Anyway, thanks again for the help. We'll see how it goes!

Thanks for the update. Wire missing did not register. Learn something new every day.