So it looks like my computer problems may finally be solved. This weekend I went out, traded in the SATA card I bought for $80 (because the ECS motherboard only had 2 ports), and dropped another $220 on a new ASUS motherboard. I picked up the P5K-Deluxe which has just about everything I could need on it. I really wanted the ASUS Blitz, but Frys didn't have it (I use the Crosshair in my other computer).

I now have everything loaded up and have had no problems thus far. Warcraft runs perfectly, Office is fine (actually, Outlook deciding to break on my other computer was the reason I accelerated my finishing the new computer), and all my other applications are running smoothly.

So on Monday, I sent my eVGA board back to eVGA - they were great with the RMA and such, and I'm just waiting to see what I get back. If it's just a board, I'll probably file it away somewhere in storage. But if it's a new board in a box with all accessories, I'll just throw it up on eBay and see what I can get for it.

But for now, finally, everything is working as it should have in the first place. So maybe I'm not anti-Intel chips, but anti-nVidia motherboards. nVidia video cards still kick ass, but as for their motherboards...perhaps it's just best to pair Intel chips with Intel motherboards (this one is P35 based).

URL: ASUSTeK Computer Inc.