Step-by-step instructions: http://www.trickmasterpc.com/force-en...
If your x79 motherboard, i7 CPU and Geforce graphics cards all support PCIe 3.0 then shouldn't everything run at PCIe 3.0 speeds? The answer is no, by default your x79 motherboard and graphics cards will only run at PCIe 2.0 speeds which significantly hinders system and gaming performance. You have to Force Enable PCIe 3.0. By enabling PCIe 3.0 you will see a frame-rate increase of anywhere from 30-100 frames per second in-game. Lag and choppy game-play will be a thing of the past. Check out the step-by-step-tutorial on my website: http://www.trickmasterpc.com/force-en...
Please note, this appears to only work with Intel and Nvidia hardware. If running AMD and ATI your system should default to PCIe 3.0 spec as long as your processor supports it. Additionally, I have confirmed that this will not work with Intel C600 Series Chipset. Even though the C600 supports PCIe 3.0. There is no way to force the NVidia cards to run at Gen3. Your cards will only run at Gen2 if you have the C600 Chipset. This is most likely an NVidia issue and not Intel.
The Intel I7 39XX LGA 2011 Processors support PCIe 3.0, but they did not receive official certification for two reasons:
Specification Update BV56.
PCI Express* Gen3 Receiver Return Loss May Exceed Specifications
Problem: The PCIe Base Specification includes a graph that sets requirements for maximum receiver return loss versus frequency. Due to this erratum, the receiver return loss for common mode and differential mode may exceed those requirements at certain frequencies. Under laboratory conditions, Intel has observed violations of as much as 1 dB.
Implication: The PCI Express Gen3 Base Specification for receiver return loss may be exceeded. No functional failures have been observed due to this erratum.
Workaround: None identified
Specification Update BV60.
The Processor May Not Comply With PCIe* Equalization Preset Reflection Requirements for 8 GT/s Mode of Operation
Problem: In endpoint-initiated transitions to Polling. Compliance at the 8 GT/s transfer rate, the processor must reflect, in its ordered sets, the Transmitter Preset requested by the endpoint regardless of preset legality. Due to this erratum, the processor will reflect the Transmitter Preset in use after an endpoint requests a reserved Transmitter Preset rather than the requested preset.
Implication: Endpoints requiring reserved Transmitter Presets to be reflected may be adversely affected. Intel has not observed failures due to this erratum with any commercially available devices.
Workaround: None identified
