Hey fellow EVGA folks,
 
I'm afraid I have to reach out to seek some help,
trying to get a non AUTO Multiplier setting to run with moderate OC for gaming.

I bought an 10980xe and can't get it to run stable no matter what I try.
Everything beside keeping the BIOS CPU Multiplier Setting on Auto will result in extreme unstable system.

I've watched mutliple youtubes. Studied the OC Guide for the x299 Dark. Digged through various forums and reddit posts.
Yet no luck in getting anything out of this combo here.

System:
i9-10980xe cooled by 360mm AIO in Push/Pull
EVGA x299 FTW K Motherboard rev1.0
EVGA 2080 Super FTW
8x 8GB Corsair Vengeance Pro - 3200 MHz
1200W Corsair PSU

Various Temps after playing or benching for a while (Scenario 1-4):
AIO Water Temp 35-45C
RAM Temps: 52-62C
Core Package Temps: 55-80C  (Prime95 Heat: 55-90C)
M2 NVME Temp: 55-62C

Bios:
XMP 1 Profile - 3200MHZ 1.385V
 
Advanced CPU Settings:
EIST: Enabled
Turbo Mode: Enabled
C States: Enabled
MSR Lock: Enabled
HyperThr.: Disabled
VT: Disabled
VT I/O: Disabled
TJMAX: 95C
Turbo Boost 3.0 Driver Support: Enabled

Windows Power Plan on Ultra (Min/Max =100%)
 
Additional Infos:
System was running fine with a 7820x before for several years.
RAM has been MemTest86+ with 16 cycles passed

How does it crash?
-> Screen goes black. Motherboard shows FF. Needs to be killed by holding PowerButton.

When does it crash?
-> Playing games like BF2043 / MW3 after 1-2hours in.

When does it run stable?
-> Leaving everything in BIOS on AUTO + XMP1 Profile => Resulted in 14days of stable use.
((I noticed Intel XTU shows 99% time of EDP Limit Throttling on low load when using AUTO))
The Auto setting will result in CPU set at 38x



Scenarios tested resulting in unstable system: => Screen goes Black / Motherboard shows FF


1. Using OC Robot Turbo2.0 Mode 80C Target => 42x Multiplier Result (seems to be a fixed voltage VID: 1.2xxxV)
 
2. Using OC Robot Turbo3.0 Mode 80C Target => 46x-42x Multiplier Result (seems to be variable VID: 1.1-1.28V)
3. Using OC Robot Turbo3.0 Mode 80C Target => 46x-42x Multiplier Result +100mv offset on each core (VID:1.384V now at 46x)
 
4. Using fixed Manual Multiplier on all Cores 38x with AVX Offsets (4/6) with Voltages on Adaptive/Auto (also tested with Core Voltage Offset +140mv)
 
5. Using fixed Manual Multiplier on all Cores 38x with AVX Offsets (4/6) with Voltages on Override with following values:
CPU VIN: 1.850V  Vcore: Override 1.250  Target Voltage: Override 1.300



After each scenario I did a Cinebench R15 and Prime95 Maximum Heat Stress Test (3Minutes) while Monitoring Temps and Throttlings. When i didnt saw it going above 80-90Celsius without much meaningful throttlings I considered as passed. As Im never putting close to that strain anyway. Then I started gaming and each time crashed in first 2h into playing. Screen goes black.
Im aiming at a low/moderate OC so my system doesnt heat up over 60C. I really dont think temps are any issue here as I was closely monitoring all of them and had barely over 60C Core temps with (30+% headroom) each time a crash occured.

In Scenario 5 for example I took those values from a youtuber which had his on 48x and used them as a baseline to start his OC
Yet I cant get my CPU to even run stable on 38x with those Voltage values. That feels odd?

I also tried different settings with Scenario3, means. I one after another disabled and tested until crash:

• Turbo Boost 3.0 Driver Support 
• C States 
• Turbo Mode
• EIST
• AVX Offsets to 9/8

with only change in behaviour that it crashes even faster and I got a bluescreen before screen went black and motherboard went to FF.
 

I think my CPU seems to get not enough Voltage at certain points and then just shuts off to black screen?
Anybody can guide me what to even try? Im absolute out of ideas meanwhile.
Happy to provide any additional Info!
 
Im absolutely lost and kinda sad nothing seems to even be close to working out. No matter what I try....
Please help a fellow EVGA fan out <3

MhzManiac
Those temps are very high. I would look to reapply thermal grease to the CPU. Check air flow direction in the cabinet.

Thank you for your reply. May you be more specific which temps are too high?
I had a 7820x before which was running way hotter (I had to delidd it to run cool) so I know what high temps are afaik.
I would agree with you that temps are the issue but since HyperThreading was turned off and I only run 18 cores not 18/36 I was in a pleasant temp range. Even with heavy + offset Voltage on cores.
 
I repasted already once and went from Arctic-MX5  to  Therma Grizzly Paste as my first seating was not as good as I wanted it to be.
The airflow isnt restricted - every hole is plastered with fans. I got 11 fans in the case total. Front and Bottom are the intake. Top and Back the Outflow.
I could only throw a bucket of ice cubes at it at this point. Or switch to custom loop.
 
 
Please see my values during 1hour of playing BF2042 on Medium Settings under Scenario2:
 
 
 I CANT POST PICTURES YET PLEASE SEE SCREENSHOTS
https:// imgur.com/a/1ktHFJf
 
 
Looking at Package temps of max 77C on peak beeing more of 60-69C during use.
Its basically running so cool I dont even have to crank my fans reasonably. Water temps never exceeding 42Celsius within the loop at around 25Celsius ambient temp - which is sufficient?
So Im afraid I cant follow your argument of my temps beeing out of range, sorry.
 
Additionally the behaviour is the same under scenario 4&5 which run very very cool due only 38x multiplier.
Putting Multiplier on full AUTO in bios results also in 38x multiplier and I ran 20 days without any crash.
 
 
I will setup a BIOS with manual low multiplier and make screenshots of the temps when playing - most certainly crash behaviour wont change - just to further rule out your thesis. Give me 1 day to do so please.
 
So basically TLDR
I cant get anything beside full AUTO to run stable. Which is odd!
 
 
EDIT: 
I just ordered more kryonaut and will just try to repaste another time. Not beeing able to run HT on AUTO settings (because of temps) might be the red flag I dont wanna see here?!
Hard to believe I failed 2 times a row on my thermal paste as I did it very catious second time but lets find out!

Cool GTX
OK, you posted a lot of different information & it is a little hard to follow; so, some basic questions
 
1) Did you Clear the CMOS before installing the new different CPU?
1) I did perform a "Reset to defaults" in the BIOS after installing. Does that clear the CMOS already or do I have to press the clear CMOS button in the back aswell? I will give it a try now. Thank you for suggestion.
 
2) Which BIOS (s) have you tried?
2) Only BIOS 1.29 tried (latest)
 
3) OS?
3) Windows 10 Home Build 19045
 
Stability issues: Voltage?
Giving more voltages did seemd to have to any impact.
 
1) Might have lost the silicon lottery.  Was CPU new or used?
 CPU was new and original sealed. Bought second hand. I checked Intels website with Serial I got green light on genuine product and active warranty
Estimated warranty expiration: 2026/09/29 (Current)
 
 
2) You have a decent brand of PSU, how old is it? 
  Have you checked your rail voltages for stability? 
Confirm nothing got bumped/ partially disconnected from MB or PSU when you made your modifications to your hardware
Corsair HX1200i - a solid PSU imho. Bought Q3/2018.
I have to research into the rail voltages topic. However the PSU should have plenty of headroom imho.
When I repasted I did a thorough check and repress of my connections, confirmed.
But will do another check when repasting once more Wednesday
 
Stability issues: program conflicts
1) What software is running in the background?
This is on my to try list, I will follow up on this. Thanks for the suggestion.
I do run a ton of background programs for sure.
 

Yeah my bad, I tried to give a lil rundown on what I tried (and I tried a lot). Sorry for beeing a little across the board already.
Glad you took the time anyway!
 
 
 

Always clear CMOS when changing a CPU
 
Prime95, is going to always push the temps quickly ..... Run some benchmark software
 
Details of your AIO? size, model, fans used, fan speeds,  ..... 18 core CPU makes a lot of heat @ 100%
 
room temp ? because Delta T is what we really need to look at.  (temp rise, above ambient room temp) especially on a longer run of benchmark software

I took a look at my temps at idle with slight 4.7G overclock CPU Temp 37C. If I stress it with CPU-z stress test, temps will raise quickly as high as 72c but that is pushing it really hard. Recovery is vey fast when test is stopped. I'm water cooled similar to yours. Memory controller on your CPU may be glitchy. When I had an i7 in my rig, I could not run my current ram at XMP1. Had to use weird combos in manual ram timings. When I slipped in this unlocked i9, everything changed, could even run stable at 5G on the CPU.  Does your bios have an auto overclock tool?
IF not, I would set the ram timings to all Auto while you try and get your CPU multi up. Once you are stable at your desired speed, then work on bumping up memory timings.
 
Might want to read here as I believe this person has the same chip but different board. https://forums.evga.com/FindPost/3619322 Look at post #4. Man there are a lot of settings for that CPU.

Congrats on making some progress!

polykoma1I ordered some more kryonaut to do a repaste to safely exclude this aswell per previous suggestion.

FWIW, I've had very bad experiences with Kryonaut. To the point where I believe it is more of a hype than anything. Best experiences I had were with Prolymatech PK-3. Second best with Noctua NT-H2.

Mine, seems good now.  These chiips are really sensitive to tunning.  You really need
lots of time to find the sweet spot.  2 weeks of core to core testing and with hwinfo, watching
'each core, and temp, and adjusting vcore for each, and balance of cores, and just noticed, that
in hwinfo64, there starts near 4 different cores, i assume their the world threads, or which would
be the ones that matter most. staying under tjmax, even with push pull 420 on artic 4 paste, is
still a challenge, but 27,101 in R23 is ok for me.  

I believe i was getting in R23, around 20k, and R20 single around 455. 
Seems when it was fused with auto, it would not go past 3800, or turbo to 48x, even 
with settings to auto on cstate, and turboboost 3 and eist on. but with mixed cores 45,46,48
I am able to get most in what i mentioned in previous post.

Im getting 23200 in R23 right now Multi Core.
 
I used OC Robot 3.0 Target 65 Celsius So my cores run 41x-44x
 
Temps are like 40C in idle. Pretty nice now :)

Congrats on getting this under control. 

polykoma1
Actually. It ran 14 days good for 15h a day with multiple hours of gaming. Then started BSOD 2 times per day. Im fiddling around since and going through every detail right now.
 
I already deinstalled samsung magician,
stopped using rapid mode,
deinstalled AVG,
put another power line to gpu so i got 3 direct power cables from PSU to gpu (had used one splitter thing),
deinstalled the outdated NVME drivers,
repasted my thermal paste a fourth time with kryonaut
indepth checked my ram (which are NOT on the compatibility list from EVGA - can I reach to evga and maybe ask them if they should be compatible?)
opened my sidepanel to exclude heat buildup
 
Lets see.`Not done yet.

I like to check for RAM compatibility with the RAM Mfg, if it is not listed on the MB compatibility list