[Semi-OT] Need advice on AMD mobo

[<ron.l.johnson@cox.net>]

Just got an ASRock A780GXE/128M, and it seems to have difficulty seeing more
than 4 devices.  (I've got 4 SATA HDDs, a SATA DVD-RW and a PATA HDD.) 
 
Here are my needs: 
- AM2 socket 
- ATX form factor, 
- 6 (or even 8) SATA sockets, 
- 4 DIMM slots. 
 
On-board 1394 would be useful. 
 
The A780GXE has all those features, but apparently doesn't implement them well.  
Just in order to get it to boot from CD-ROM (I'm now running from an Ubuntu 9.04 
Live CD), I had to disconnect the lone PATA drive.        
 
I'd break down and get an AM2+ CPU if the mobo were *great* and didn't support 
AM2. 

Also, I'm running Sid with 2.6.30, so "modern" doesn't scare me.
 
Thanks