I just got my X299 Dark to replace ASUS R6A and however the EVGA box was sealed, I've noticed a fingerprint on the socket frame and just a very tiny piece of TIM at the underside of the socket clamp. It made me wonder - are EVGA X299 DARK mb's tested prior to shipping?
 
Without creating any more threads, 2 quick questions: 
- What is the purpose of the template PCB? Is it only informative or do I have to mount it under the motherboard or something?
- Do I have to change the backplate to the old school one if I want to use the CLC280?
 
Also, looks like I'm back in the family, I'm awaiting my CLC280 today and will finish building the 7980XE rig in my 570X (sorry, no EVGA case this time :P )

Ooh, I think I now know what these long, included standoffs are for, to make a kind of simple bench table.
My CLC280 question answered itself - didn't fit in Corsair 570X so I had to use my BQ SL 360mm at the front.

4x8 G.Skill 3200 CL14 B-Die and 7980XE. 
Just sold my 1080Ti's w. EK blocks and I am looking for 2x Titan Xp.
 
BTW, is it normal that the white button next to the power button on the MB is sometimes blinking briefly?

Thankfully, I thought it maybe was shorting somewhere :) 
 
I've run into a small fan header issue, are there really only 2 headers on this board? I know the 3rd one is already occupied by the VRM fans.

3 are right angle headers to make your wires cleaner.

Download the Dark PDF manual for the EVGA website and look at the image on page 14, then look at pages 15 and 17
 
From Page 17 - in reference to fan headers 3 and 4 (3 being the upper CPU and 4 being the lower fan headers )

3. PWM Fan Headers
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 96 for more in-depth PWM breakdown and PWM controls within BIOS/UEFI.
 
4. DC/PWM Fan Headers
These ports are simply toggled between DC and PWM to be compatible with 4 pin fans. The fans will be set to a static percentage set in BIOS.

Bepzinky I will get some links for you when I get home from work

Thanks for the clarification Lee

I did but still it's very sparse on data. That would probably mean the you can't adjust those things on the Dark. There are less settings than on a 299eu Taichi, wow.
Nah, there must be more to it, is it? It reboots often when I start Aida64 stress test because it's probably hitting some power limit on the CPU.
 
I've bought 3 Corsair ML120 PWM fans and guess what - I can choose either a percentage or MAX. Also the manual is wrong - if they are set to a certain percentage there is not much "PWM" to it, that's just DC control.
On the other hand, why would anyone even to this, a preset % for PWM fans? It's missing even the basic features like the time setting needed to spin up the fan after a temp. spike making "hurricane" noises every time there's any load on the CPU.
 
Please don't tell me I have to install my Rampage VI back to get normal fan control rather than using PWM splitters and risking overloading/burning the header, that would be riddiculous.
I'm now running the 3x ML120 PRO's out of a single PWM header through PWM splitters.

Thanks! I've noticed that since I installed the MB for the 1st time one of the LED's has always been red. 
According to the manual this is normal but it just looks 'concerning' in a row of white LED's:
 
+5V Standby Power
a. RED: Voltage present (Does not mean PSU is outputting in-spec, only that this specific voltage is detected)

Bepzinky
I did but still it's very sparse on data. That would probably mean the you can't adjust those things on the Dark. There are less settings than on a 299eu Taichi, wow.
Nah, there must be more to it, is it? It reboots often when I start Aida64 stress test because it's probably hitting some power limit on the CPU.
 
I've bought 3 Corsair ML120 PWM fans and guess what - I can choose either a percentage or MAX. Also the manual is wrong - if they are set to a certain percentage there is not much "PWM" to it, that's just DC control.
On the other hand, why would anyone even to this, a preset % for PWM fans? It's missing even the basic features like the time setting needed to spin up the fan after a temp. spike making "hurricane" noises every time there's any load on the CPU.
 
Please don't tell me I have to install my Rampage VI back to get normal fan control rather than using PWM splitters and risking overloading/burning the header, that would be riddiculous.
I'm now running the 3x ML120 PRO's out of a single PWM header through PWM splitters.

I have  two(2) ML120 along with the H80Iv2 Pump connected to CPU 1 Fan header with no issue and EVGA X299 has auto detect feature in-between DC or PWM Fan...…….. 

I decided to sell the DARK and the XE too, not interested in HEDT hassle anymore and will be going full AMD again.
Somehow can't get into the marketplace (it keeps telling me to accept the new terms, which I already did like 3 times).
 
Drop me a PM if interested, I'm in Western EU and shipping within the EU is not a problem. Will take €425 firm for the board, barely a month old and 1200 for the CPU.

i want to buy your board and cpu.
but i can't send you messege because i don't have 10 writes in the forum.
thanks