I'll pay a shade more for a motherboard, hard drive (if speed and capacity is substantially more), 2GB RAM kit (I do a lot of virtualization), and I'd definitely spend well more than $100 on a video card if it performs well enough to justify it. After all, here are my current abbreviated specs and what I paid at that time (obviously stuff has come down since): DFI LanParty NForce4 Ultra-D motherboard ($140) Athlon 64 3000 Venice OC'ed to 2.3GHz ($140) 2GB (1GBx2) OCZ PC4000 DDR ($190) EVGA Geforce 7800GT ($300) Soundblaster X-Fi Extreme Music ($80) 250 gig Hitachi SATA 8M Cache 7200RPM ($110) 500W Antec PSU ($50) 2x Dell 19" LCD 4ms response time 1000:1 contrast ratio ($219 x2 = $440) LOL, those monitors where my last purchase, and I'm SO HAPPY I bought them. And I guarantee you this - once you go dual monitor, you can never EVER go back to one. Future purchase on the horizon: Opteron 165 dual core (would help my virtualized lab environment A LOT) "Milk was a bad choice!"

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Ah God. Man, my system is shut down. I think It's my video-card. I went to the store to purchase another PSU...I've tried two PSUs already, and the one I bought from the store! Dang, now I'm worried...I'm worried if I have to RMA my Motherboard, and video-card. Everytime I turn on the computer, the hard-drive sounds like it's thumping and trying to come on. This sucks, I've paid this much for great parts, and now I have to RMA my video-card, and probably my motherboard. Jam, It wasn't the PSU, it's the video-card. The video-card struggles to come on...I feel like I'm going to give up, but 1,600 on a system won't allow me to give up easly. I suffered three months of getting all the parts, and I'll never give up on this system. I'll do whatever to put this thing back in good health. So, might I ask? Should I RMA my motherboard, and video-card, or, just the video-card. Man! I'm using my old computer, and dial-up connection! :( Please, I beg of you, help!!!! New PC will be anounced later on.

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Dear, Computing.net Gaming Forum viewers, It seems that my new system isn't hindered by It's componts, but It's hindered by It's home. Now, I know why most gamers dislike Asus. This afternoon as I was trying to figure out the problem, I took out my video-card than started up the system, It seems that the PCI-E slots have gone bad, and also the motherboard. I won't RMA my video-card which isn't the problem, but I'll go to another brand of motherboards. There is no contact for me to trouble-shoot the problem to Asus, but by e-mail and I don't want to go through all that. Everything else works on the board, but my slots, and that really matters. Folks, I'll never buy Asus motherboards again. From the beginning I should've listen to you guys on purchasing other motherboards, but Asus. I'll probably DFI, or Gigabyte. By the way, are there any good DFI, or Gigabyte SLI motherboards? Your reponse will be appreciated. New PC will be anounced later on.

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How did you determine the slot and/or mobo is bad? Did you plug in another PCI-e card? DFI makes both an Infinity and LanParty SLI board. LanParty overclocks a bit better but costs more. Your call there. "Milk was a bad choice!"

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Usually, the Asus SLI mobo beeps when there isn't a video-card inserted into the motherboard, so, I'm thinking that the PCI-E slots have gone bad ( Hmm...right :/ ) I won't go any further, nor I will not RMA it. I'v heard many of problems with the Asus A8n SLI ATX, and Asus motherboards, so I won't waste time with it anymore, I'll just buy another motherboard--a DFI SLI brand. Probably won't buy the Infinity also, heard some bad reviews on it ( some dying after a few months, or weeks. ), so I'll just flush out some dough for the LanParty. Any reponses? One more thing, should I take back the PSU I bought yesterday and put it toward my DFI Lanparty, or keep it? It's a Maddogs 500watt non-SLI PSU? :/ New PC will be anounced later on.

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..... Gawd, I'm confused again--my head hurts. -_- I'm back where I started again picking out the right motherboard but went up my heart and got the Asus a8n-E, but the booting problems--think I should go with an Asus A8n SLI Deluxe. I don't know if DFI Infinity will be right for me, and to tell you the truth, putting some cash out for a LanParty is great, but I don't know. You guys know alot about which motherboard is great, but I'm just on my limb. I'm confused, and also tired and fustrated. I'll go to bed and give it a rest. Please help me! Your reponses are special to me, and I know you hate when I post these problems. :( New PC will be anounced later on.

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Look, I have serious doubts it was your motherboard from the get go. Simplify the system down to what is absolutely required to boot. Motherboard, CPU, Fan, PSU, memory, video card. Nothing else plugged in. Does the motherboard post? If so, add the hard drive. If not, time to start changing those items out one at a time. I've been building PC's for 8 years now. I can't remember the last time I saw a motherboard with a bad expansion slot. Not saying it's impossible, but I just don't think that's what the problem is. If this is too daunting, take it to a trusted professional to get this fixed for you. It sounds to me like you're not doing something right. It's worth paying a tech an hour of labor to get this figured out for you. The A8N-E was a bad choice. Please help survivors of Hurricane Katrina! www.redcross.org

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Well, when I use to boot the system, the orange-light would flicker and flicker, than go off. Sometimes the hard-disk-drive would thump, but I don't know if that's normal. I mean, I've done everything right--everything right! I mean, I could take it to a professional, but that'd take a long time just as you said. I know I should've listen to the people who gave reviews on this product. Man, should've gotten the Infinity, or the Lanparty at the start. I'll check around for someone near by who could do this for me, If not, I'm buying a new SLI-board, thank you, good bye. :) New PC will be anounced later on.

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Look, I'll use your help once more. Now, I was shopping around at Newegg today, so I came to this, a little face-off. Give me your opinions on these boards, and see if which one is right for me. I'm only using it for gaming right now--not much overclocking, just gaming. 1.http://www.newegg.com/Product/CustratingReview.asp?Item=N82E16813130527 2.http://www.newegg.com/Product/CustratingReview.asp?Item=N82E16813128301 3.http://www.newegg.com/Product/CustRatingReview.asp?DEPA=0&Type=&Item=N82E16813131517&SortField=0&SummaryType=ALL&Pagesize=&Page=3 4.http://www.newegg.com/Product/CustratingReview.asp?Item=N82E16813136164 5.http://www.newegg.com/Product/CustRatingReview.asp?Item=N82E16813138272 6.http://www.newegg.com/Product/CustRatingReview.asp?DEPA=0&Type=&Item=N82E16813136166&SortField=0&SummaryType=ALL&Pagesize=&Page=4 Tell me which one is right for me. I'm just looking for something that is stable, andi'll last me for a couple of years. I would appreciate your assistance. I whipped my CPU and heatsink with 70 percent rubbing acholal (SP? lol ). I'm just ready for the right board now. New PC will be anounced later on.

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I like the DFI boards. But again, I seriously doubt your motherboard is the issue, unless it was not installed properly. "Milk was a bad choice!"

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Dude, I installed after I installed it. Everything was correct. I mean everything. Each and every screw correctly into the motherboard...It just died on me. I just should've listen to the reviews, man. I'll just buy either a Gigabyte, or a DFI. New PC will be anounced later on.

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Suit yourself. "Milk was a bad choice!"

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