I am seeking advice on selecting the appropriate ASUS mobo for a new build. The OS will be XP Pro and I will run FS9 primarily but wish to have FSX run smoothly also.This mobo should be backward compatible with for my IDE drives, at least for the immediate present. It should have SLI capability, able to support a future quad core processor, 1066/1333 FSB.I have decided on E8400 or E8500 processor. Can you suggest an adequate cooling device that will fit the board's size and layout.The video card is expected to be an 8800GTX minimum 512mb capable of overclocking. Is there one brand preferred, for example BFG, EVGA.Memory will be DDR-2 800. Again, vendor preference?Thanks in advance for your suggestions and comments. If there is any item I omitted, please comment. I want to finalize and purchase this build while the Chief Flight CEO is in a beneficent state of mind.

>I am seeking advice on selecting the appropriate ASUS mobo>for a new build. The OS will be XP Pro and I will run FS9>primarily but wish to have FSX run smoothly also.>>This mobo should be backward compatible with for my IDE>drives, at least for the immediate present. It should have>SLI capability, able to support a future quad core processor,>1066/1333 FSB.>>I have decided on E8400 or E8500 processor. Can you suggest an>adequate cooling device that will fit the board's size and>layout.>>The video card is expected to be an 8800GTX minimum 512mb>capable of overclocking. Is there one brand preferred, for>example BFG, EVGA.>>Memory will be DDR-2 800. Again, vendor preference?>>Thanks in advance for your suggestions and comments. If there>is any item I omitted, please comment. I want to finalize and>purchase this build while the Chief Flight CEO is in a>beneficent state of mind.Check out some reviews on the Q6600 (G0 stepping) and see what motherboards are used.

Single Vcard (SLI is a non-player in FS) / 2 EIDE drives: P35 here: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16813131278The later Intel chipsets (X38/48) are all just rebranded P35s. This will run all CPUs. PCI-e (v1.1) will handle the bandwidth necessary now and into the forseeable future. There's no need for PCI-e v2's capabilities for quite a while yet. It's - way - late to be getting excited about a 'latest and greatest' anything right now. It will all be obsolete in 3 months anyway (google 'Nehalem').Here's the CPU cooler:http://www.tankguys.biz/product_info.php?products_id=1735Go straight to the quad (Then take 'er to dinner with the money you saved by not having to buy that dumb CPU twice):http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16819115017The 8800GTX is a 768 ram'd card and an ExceLLent choice. Go for a lifetime warranty. Other than that, it does Not matter.Get the cheapest DDR2-800 with a lifetime warranty and get 4 gigs of it. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16820227269