Asus P5B - Which BIOS ver needed to allow PCI-e Rev 2.0?

Recommended by Wim's BIOS...

Does anyone know which BIOS version (of the 13 released so far at the asus download site ) is required to allow the newer PCI-e Rev 2.0 video cards to operate reliably? I am using Win XP.

EVGA tells me I need to update the BIOS (I am at ver 0806), but flashing BIOS is the last thing I want to attempt with the horror stories out there on the web about turning this mobo into a boat anchor when flashing BIOS.

I have a new EVGA 9600 GT that will not play games after anywhere from 10 sec to 20 min and results in black screen and audio looping. For all non-gamer applications the board works beutifully. An expert at EVGA thinks I do not have the capability to run PCI-e ver 2.0 with the BIOS installed (9600 bd is a ver 2.0).

Any help provided in much appreciated. In the interim I purchased a 7200 GS and the on-screen comparison to the 9600 is STARK (the 7200 is going back today). I used to have a 7300 GT that worked fine and gave acceptable results but it flat out DIED and EVGA thought they were doing me a favor (I guess) by shipping via RMA a 9600 GT - which appears will not hold up in my machine.

[edwin]

Sounds like something is overheating. Whether it's the card or your power supply is the question. Has nothing to do with the bios IMHO.

What is galling to me is the fact that I had a lesser card (7300 GT) that worked perfectly fine and did not require PCI-e ver 2.0, but suddenly died within the life-time warranty. EVGA sends me a RMA board (9600 GT requiring PCI-e ver 2.0) and now is trying to tell me the problem is with my PC Mobo BIOS!!!

Now that is some chutzpah, NO?

[edwin]

PCI-e ver 2.0 cards are backwards compatible per the standard. So if EVGA tries to tell you they're not someones is sleeping at their desk there. Unless they can specifically point out the new bios is indeed vastly improving compatibility with PCI-e 2.0 cards on that board (should be mentioned in the release notes for the new bios).

Another thing: your power supply may not be beefy enough to keep this thing running.