Dear sopipari,
 
The only differences are the Microcode 0x12B update and the ME Firmware Update.  I can only assume that since the card is detected, but windows is having trouble with the drivers that it might be some type of compatibility concern with the ME firmware and the NIC card.
 
Can you please confirm if it works in the middle slot?  Just for testing purposes.
 

sopipari

EVGATech_ChrisB
Thank you sopipari and minwoo520 as I have asked my team to check on the bottom PCI-e slot with the latest version.
 
Update - 10/17/2024:
I have attempted to recreate the same behavior and am unable to recreate this as the card tested works ok in the bottom slots. 
 
Can you please help to email me at  with a complete list of your hardware configuration as well as some pictures of the BIOS screen so we can see the detected devices?  I will be awaiting your response to look into this further.

Chris,
 
I have sent you a detailed e-mail with everything you are asking for including screen shots from both 1.20 and 1.21 with the card working and not working.  It's 100% related to the BIOS (or Intel's new microcode) as I can reproduce and fix the issue with a literal flip of the bios switch.  The 10gig NIC refuses to configure when it's on 1.21, it's fine on 1.20.  As I indicated in my e-mail, I've made sure everything with windows is up to date and I have also ensured I have the latest intel chipset INI loaded.  The NIC drivers are built into windows, I've tried to load the win10 drivers from the manufacturer for giggles, but nothing changes.
 

minwoo520,
 
The motherboard does support m.2 and SATA add-on drives, but U.2 with an adapter is not able to be supported and I do apologize for any inconvenience that this may cause you.  I will pass the feedback along to our team, but I suggest using a supported drive type with your motherboard.
 

minwoo520

EVGATech_ChrisB
Thank you sopipari and minwoo520 as I have asked my team to check on the bottom PCI-e slot with the latest version.
 
Update - 10/17/2024:
I have attempted to recreate the same behavior and am unable to recreate this as the card tested works ok in the bottom slots. 
 
Can you please help to email me at cbencivenga@evga.com with a complete list of your hardware configuration as well as some pictures of the BIOS screen so we can see the detected devices?  I will be awaiting your response to look into this further.

This problem has existed in several previous BIOSes and has not been fixed. Including Z790 CLASSIFIED and DARK because I own both motherboards. When I use PCIE X4 with these two motherboards and use PCIE adapter cards, the U.2 SSD on the adapter card cannot be recognized or does not work. I have no problems working on Z690 DARK motherboard

EVGATech_ChrisB
Dear sopipari,
 
The only differences are the Microcode 0x12B update and the ME Firmware Update.  I can only assume that since the card is detected, but windows is having trouble with the drivers that it might be some type of compatibility concern with the ME firmware and the NIC card.
 
Can you please confirm if it works in the middle slot?  Just for testing purposes.
 

Card is undetected in the BIOS when it is in the middle slot on both 1.20 and 1.21.  Even if I hard set the slot to Gen3.  My 4090 goes down to X8 as expected. 

I have been having issues with the new 1.21 beta bios as well. I have had several random crashes both while using the system and while it is "idle".
 
My system is on 24/7, and I have come back to the computer on three occasions where all three of my displays are black and in standby mode, as if the computer were off. Mouse and keyboard input does not "wake" the system, even though it never goes into sleep or standby mode. I only have the displays set to shut off after 10 minutes.
 
The latest one was while I was in the middle of playing halo infinite for about an hour and a half with a buddy, and all three displays went black, into standby mode, mouse and keyboard non responsive and my USB mic was not working, but I could still hear my friends in discord asking for me.
 
On all of these occasions, I have to hard reset the system by pressing the reset button.
 
Windows Event Viewer shows Application Event warnings related to IntelMEProv and a security violation
 
 
 
At the moment of the system crash, I have the following System Events:
 
The device sent an incorrect response(s) following a keyboard reset.
 
Intel(R) Ethernet Controller I226-V
Network link is disconnected.
 
Marvell AQtion 10Gbit Network Adapter : Network link is lost.
 
WLAN Extensibility Module has stopped.
Module Path: C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\netwtw6e.inf_amd64_477c028818b7a796\IntelIHVRouter14.dll
 
 
 
 
maybe this entry has something to do with it? This Information event happens right before the Marvell Aqtion warning:
 
Processor 1 in group 0 exposes the following power management capabilities:
Idle state type: ACPI Idle (C) States (1 state(s))
Performance state type: ACPI Collaborative Processor Performance Control
Nominal Frequency (MHz): 3000
Maximum performance percentage: 671
Minimum performance percentage: 47
Minimum throttle percentage: 2
 
 
 
This information event repeats for every CPU core before the Intel Ethernet Controller warning hits, following up with the keyboard reset.
 
 
 
 
 
Fow now, I have reverted to the 1.13 BIOS that I have been running without any issues, with my cores locked to 55 and adaptive voltage of 1.270 and a -110 offset. Zero issues with stability again.

Any timeframe on how long this BIOS will be in Beta? 

viraxclone
I have been having issues with the new 1.21 beta bios as well. I have had several random crashes both while using the system and while it is "idle".
 
My system is on 24/7, and I have come back to the computer on three occasions where all three of my displays are black and in standby mode, as if the computer were off. Mouse and keyboard input does not "wake" the system, even though it never goes into sleep or standby mode. I only have the displays set to shut off after 10 minutes.
 
The latest one was while I was in the middle of playing halo infinite for about an hour and a half with a buddy, and all three displays went black, into standby mode, mouse and keyboard non responsive and my USB mic was not working, but I could still hear my friends in discord asking for me.
 
On all of these occasions, I have to hard reset the system by pressing the reset button.
 
...

Fow now, I have reverted to the 1.13 BIOS that I have been running without any issues, with my cores locked to 55 and adaptive voltage of 1.270 and a -110 offset. Zero issues with stability again.

You appear to be manually adjusting your CPU's settings. Since the new microcode is loaded at each boot and is supposed to use more conservative voltage, what worked before might not still work stable with the new microcode. What your describing sounds like instability due to too low of a voltage or too great of a negative offset. Try a little more voltage and/or less negative offset with the new microcode.

Æon Flux
Any timeframe on how long this BIOS will be in Beta? 

I would assume forever.

EVGATech_ChrisB
Dear EVGA Community,

Thank you everyone for your patience while our team worked on the updates per Intel for the Z790 motherboards. 
These updates include the latest 0x12B Microcode and the Intel ME Firmware Update (16.1.32.2473).

This BIOS is considered BETA, and we only recommend flashing it to one of your BIOS chips, just in case you need to revert back to an older version.

The BETA BIOS can be downloaded at the links below:
 
·         121-RL-E799-KR - EVGA Z790 DARK K|NGP|N - v1.21
·         121-RL-E798-KR - EVGA Z790 CLASSIFIED - v1.18

Hi Chris.
Does this still apply with this latest BIOS update:

Also please take note that in the BIOS under the Advanced -> CPU settings you will need to turn the "Intel Default Settings" to "Off" before any of the changes on this page will take effect when they are saved.

 

Nereus,
 
Yes.
 

Nereus

EVGATech_ChrisB
Dear EVGA Community,

Thank you everyone for your patience while our team worked on the updates per Intel for the Z790 motherboards. 
These updates include the latest 0x12B Microcode and the Intel ME Firmware Update (16.1.32.2473).

This BIOS is considered BETA, and we only recommend flashing it to one of your BIOS chips, just in case you need to revert back to an older version.

The BETA BIOS can be downloaded at the links below:
 
·         121-RL-E799-KR - EVGA Z790 DARK K|NGP|N - v1.21
·         121-RL-E798-KR - EVGA Z790 CLASSIFIED - v1.18

Hi Chris.
Does this still apply with this latest BIOS update:

Also please take note that in the BIOS under the Advanced -> CPU settings you will need to turn the "Intel Default Settings" to "Off" before any of the changes on this page will take effect when they are saved.

 

 
   Thanks.

Dear sopipari,
 
Thank you for confirming that this was resolved with the older ME firmware.  If anyone else would like the 0x12B Microcode and no ME firmware update, then please email me and I can offer you a BETA version for the Z790 motherboard series.
 
cbencivenga@evga.com 
 

sopipari

EVGATech_ChrisB
Dear sopipari,
 
The only differences are the Microcode 0x12B update and the ME Firmware Update.  I can only assume that since the card is detected, but windows is having trouble with the drivers that it might be some type of compatibility concern with the ME firmware and the NIC card.
 
Can you please confirm if it works in the middle slot?  Just for testing purposes.
 

Card is undetected in the BIOS when it is in the middle slot on both 1.20 and 1.21.  Even if I hard set the slot to Gen3.  My 4090 goes down to X8 as expected.