New HW troubles

I have some very new hardware.
intel 82575EB NIC,
GeForce 8800 video on PCIe 2.0 x16 bus.

The usual Ubuntu 7.10 installs died.  They could not figure out the 
display.  Is there a way to do a text-based install?

Debian did not recognize the NIC chips.

I'm downloading Hardy (Ubuntu Desktop 8.04 beta) now.
One post mentioned that it handled that new Intel NIC.

Windows isn't working either.
It did the GPU OK, but I need drivers for the NIC.
I goofed up.  I bought "open box" motherboard from Newegg.
I figgured I could download the drivers.
WRONG.  You need an account at SuperMicro to get drivers.
I'll be calling them to see if I can get access to drivers.

Don't be an idiot like me.  Do not buy open box motherboards.
I have wasted far more time than the $100 savings was worth.
Also, I do not have the backplate for this motherboard.
I hope that the lack of a backplate does not cause problems with
electrical noise.  (The dust should be OK, since this machines blows air
OUT the back)

+++  One more gotcha for folks on the bleeding edge:

This is a dual LGA 771 motherboard.
I bought a chassis which was "dual xeon ready".
It had holes tapped out for the LGA 771 heatsinks, BUT NO STANDOFFS!
The heatsinks use special standoffs, not the standard motherboard 
standoffs.  BEWARE!
The chassis manufacturer is "responsible" for providing these, but
I guess they are quite uncommon.
I had to duct-tape together a solution with a combination
of standoffs from Barnhill Bolt, and two brass standoffs that i 
re-tapped.   Problem is that the heights may be a few mills off.
I hope the warp in the board is OK.  I'll be watching CPU temp
to see if the heatsink has good contact.

             aaron
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