X99-E WS hits dual 3090 hurdles
A local LLM enthusiast struggles to initialize dual RTX 3090s on the vintage ASUS X99-E WS workstation board. The case highlights common UEFI and power pitfalls when pairing modern 24GB GPUs with legacy high-end hardware.
The X99-E WS is a legendary platform for multi-GPU builds, but its aging BIOS needs specific configuration to handle massive VRAM pools. "Above 4G Decoding" is mandatory for modern high-VRAM cards to avoid resource allocation failures, and the board requires its auxiliary 6-pin PCIe power header populated to stabilize the PLX chips under dual-GPU loads. Additionally, manually forcing PCIe Gen 3 and disabling CSM is often necessary to ensure both cards enumerate correctly in UEFI mode. Despite its age, this board remains a top-tier choice for budget 4-way LLM rigs if configured correctly.
DISCOVERED
1d ago
2026-04-11
PUBLISHED
1d ago
2026-04-10
RELEVANCE
AUTHOR
novanet-central