asus m2n-32sli mobo questions

['Tor]

Hello, and welcome to the "Old Dog learns New Tricks" show.
I am building my first new machine in many years. How many? Pull up a chair, sonny, and don't expect me to get out of mine, my feet are tired...

Back in the day, I built the infernal device sitting before me. PCI-E did not exist for the home user. SATA did not exist for the home user. High end video cards had 128 megs of memory, and dual-core processors were mythical beasts...

Time passes.
Glaciers melt.
The cryo-pod hums, and slowly opens...

THE QUESTIONS-
I am planning a build around an ASUS m2n32 Deluxe SLI, using an AMD 6000+ Windsor 3.0ghz processor, 2gig Kingston Memory (later : 4gig), an eVGA 8800gt 512 card (later : SLI), a WD 320gig HDD, cd/dvd ROM (later : burner) and XP PRO (later : XP Pro X64). I have done extensive research on all components, but being an Old Dog, could use some small words to explain some things...

The mobo comes with "dual gigabyte LAN". Is a "LAN controller" the same as a "Network Controller"? In short- Will I need to install a network card? Can I just plug my modem into the "LAN controller" and go?

That's the main question. I know that the mobo on-board sound is crap, so I'm planning to throw a soundblaster into the mix, but the mobo only has two pci slots, hence the network card question.

Also, it looks like I can update the BIOS using a flash drive during the build, so I'm not planning on installing a floppy drive (I remember when they were actually "floppy"!). Am I reading that right?
Is there anything obvious about that setup that I'm not thinking of? I just don't want to pull an epic fail because I missed something that seems common sense to anyone who hasn't pulled a Rip Van Winkle on technology...

Thank you all for your time and attention!

[Jimmy0]

The onboard sound with motherboards is actually pretty decent these days, unless you are needing some high end sound quality for producing music or whatever, then I would try it with onboard sound before you go off and buy a separate sound card.

Also make sure you get a good PSU to power the build. (Around 500-600W will be sufficient)

[Khalil]

the only problem I see here is the SLI part, unless you buy the cards at the same time you are in for a world of hurting when you go add the second one.
Go with the M2N-E hands down the best PC motherboard on the market and stick to one 8800GT even better a 9600GT if you ever plan on upgrading to Vista.
That AMD 6000 is a beast and will eat through anything, in several tests it beat the Intel Q6600 quad core, so good choice there. Microsoft no longer support or released updates for x64 so you might want to consider Vista 64 with service pack 1 it is becoming bug free.

[Drunner611]

nvm, I post way too late

[doubledragon5]

Best place for one to buy parts is newegg.com. Next look at this link when purchasing a good quality psu. http://forum.pcmech.com/showthread.php?t=131195

Next before you assemble you parts into your case do this.
http://forum.pcmech.com/showthread.php?t=132409

['Tor]

Thanks for all the help guys!

A good power supply is in the mix (corsair650w). I almost cheaped out but clued in to the fact that a good manufacturer should offer a product WITHOUT led lights...

Eventual sound/voice recording, so a sound card is inevitable. I'll try onboard at first with games and dvds, but sooner or later...

I've been doing lots of research on SLI, and have heard that getting both cards at the same time is better. I'm doing the 8800gt even though the 9000's are out because-
I can't afford a 9800.
The 8800gt looks like it performs as well as or better the 9600's most of the time for about the same price.
The 8800gt has sold enough that support isn't going away anytime soon, Evga has released a cooler upgrade for it due to wide spread heat issues as well as a "new improved" 8800gt that changes nothing but the heatsink/fan to what you can buy seperately... This tells me that 8800gt is a solid platform (once the heat issue is dealt with) that manufacturers are sticking with. The 9000's have not been out long enough to get my money. We'll see next year.
8800gt prices will continue to plummet this year now that the 9000's are out.
I figure that if I don't get another 8800gt this year, the 9800's will be cheaper next year...

And a single 8800gt is fine for me. I game, but I don't need to run Crysis on high, or even at all.

I'll go XP pro x64 eventually. Vista has a bad smell to it. In two years Windows 7 will be out...

But this is a help thread, and you guys have helped a lot! Thanks to you all again!

I'll be back in a few weeks with either a build report or a help thread...

p.s.- I thought about getting the AMD 6400+ 3.2 ghz, but then I wouldn't need to learn about overclocking...