Okay got my new system up...
AMD 4200+ dual core
2gb Corsair XMS 1gbx2
Nvidia 7600GT x2 running in SLI
Creative X-Fi Soundcard
Asus A8N-SLI Premium mobo
On board LAN
Windows XP Pro Media Center Edition 2005
Okay...everythings up to date. Nforce drivers, video drivers, sound drivers, Bios, Windows, etc....
Running games is like a dream. CS:S at 1280x1024 with all options maxed at 140'ish FPS. Only one problem........
When I open up programs or windows on the desktop. Firefox, folders, etc... everything is fine until I close the last window. Then I get a 2-3 second freeze on my screen, but I can still move my mouse. If I try to open up a new program/folder nothing happens until the freeze is over then suddenly they all open up.
Sounded like a video driver problem, so I've tried varying combinations of nvforce drivers/video drivers, with and without Soft and Quiet, with and without Dual core optimizers, etc...and yet....still the same problem.
Also only happens when I've been up and running more than 10 minutes or so.
Any ideas?