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.

Changed the memory settings last night as directed by eVGA and Warcraft functioned as it should while I was online. However, it has functioned properly in the past for hours before crashing. So it will take more time to see if my problems are fixed. I'm skeptical, but who knows?

Just haven't had the time of late to play for hours :)

Well, I rebuilt the whole computer this morning. Took it completely apart and then put it together again. Switched from the P182 to the Coolermaster Stacker case for more air flow. I now have 5 120mm fans installed in addition to the motherboard, CPU and videocard fans. So I don't think cooling is the problem. I read on a forum that disabling NCQ could fix it, but it didn't. I'm not sure what to do now. Hopefully the eVGA forums will help.

I am vowing now to never build another computer with Intel chips again. Despite purchasing top-of-the-line components all around for the new computer, it gives me nothing but trouble. Last year, when I did the same with a Core 2 Duo chip, I again had problem after problem. I sold the motherboard and chip cheaply online and went with an AMD chip and since then I had no problems.

So about a month ago, I put together a brand new computer with the best components like I said above. eVGA 680i motherboard, Intel Core 2 Quad chip, eVGA 8800 GTX video card, 4 GB Corsair XMS RAM, Western Digital Raptor 150 GB, and Windows Vista Ultimate. Everything seemed to be running fine, but every once in a while World of Warcraft would crash. Something I can't have happening. And by crash, I mean freeze. No error, just frozen.

So I tried updating graphics drivers, I made sure Vista was up to date. Still random freezes. So I did what was recommended, went back to XP. Bought a new copy last night ($140 I didn't want to spend), but had even more problems. I downgraded to the latest WHQL certified video drivers and seemed to have stability, but now my keyboard wasn't working properly.

Hopeful that I found the problem, I went out and replaced the keyboard (it was an Ideazon Merc) with a Microsoft Reclusa. I thought I had it. But no...again a random freeze up. So now I'm running Memtest86+ for the fourth time, but I'm going to let it run overnight and make extra sure it's not a RAM problem.

I've monitored the temperatures and added fans, but I don't think heat's the problem, so I'm at a loss. Tomorrow I'm going to completely disassemble the whole thing, but it all back together again. Install XP cleanly again, install all the software I need again, and then see what happens. Chances are it'll freeze again and I'll be forced at that point to start swapping components even though I don't think it's any of those since they're all high-quality - I didn't cut any corners while building this.

Moral of the story on my end - NEVER again will I use Intel. I've had absolutely ZERO problems with AMD chips and motherboards. I know it shouldn't matter, but when my last two Intel builds give me problems like none other and EVERY AMD build I've done has worked perfectly.

The AMD computer I'm using as a server in the closet never fails. The AMD computer I occasionally use as a home theater PC always works when I turn it on. The AMD computer I'm typing this post on as my Intel computer runs Memtest always works. I just wanted to upgrade the video card and chip and that's probably what I should have done rather than building from the scratch. But now I've poured over $2,000 into this new computer - I'm past the point where I can just abandon it and go back to the old machine.

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. This is twice. Never again Intel. Never again for your CPUs, your chipsets, your motherboards, anything.

Well, it probably didn't need to be done, but come next week, I'll have a spiffy new computer. Quad core, 8800 GTS video with 640 megs of RAM, 4 gigs of RAM, 680i motherboard, X-Fi audio, Killer NIC, raptors in mirrored RAID, P182 gunmetal case, lightscribe DVD writer, all the goodies. It'll be running a new copy of Windows Vista Ultimate, Office 2007, and Warcraft. That's about it. Oh yeah, I just bought a copy of Corel's Paint Shop Pro XI and I'll need Nero to burn DVDs. The interesting thing this time around is I'm not cannabalizing my old PC. I'm hoping to sell it to my brother's friends, and I'm hoping I can sell my laptop to my brother and that'll pay for about half of the new PC.

I'll put further details up later. I just couldn't pass up the deal at Fry's - they had a combo, Quad Core Intel with a crappy motherboard for $500. The chip alone is listed on Newegg at $532 plus shipping. So I'll sell the crappy motherboard on eBay and use the nice eVGA nForce 680i motherboard for the Quad core. And the 8800GTS video card will crush anything I throw at it. Should I need more crushing power, I can buy a second and put them in SLI or not and have 4 monitors. That's the next step...24" widescreen. They're about $550 and maybe I can finagle one for my birthday.

URL: Newegg.com - The place to buy.