Vista what is wrong... Not Getting my "wow" Experince!!!!

Let me get the specs out of the way first
Q6600 Intel @ Stock 2.4gh
4x 320GB Segate 7200.10's SATA in raid 5 (864gb
4gb G.Skill Memory DDR2 80
XFX 6800gt PCI-E (yes i know, i just built it and am waiting for R600
(tried 101.7's and 158.18
EVGA 680i SLI "A1" revision Motherboard (Latest Drivers
Vista Ultimate x64 (Sans "wow"

Now i have no idea what i did or if i missed a memo, but my vista "wow
experince is sucking -badly

Problem #
Games just really don't run. I was using the 158.18 drivers then no
even switched to 101.7 (did the uninstall the hard/manual/long way).
just can't play stuff, games stuter, even the opening videos. its lik
goooing-stop-goooing-stop. BUT if i log in and go strait to a game, i
works. Sometimes with garbeling/tearing/artifacts being throw around
can still kinda play, but definetly not enjoyable like this. Lost Cos
at x64 does work 80% times i try it, but HDR dosen't seem to work..
Games tried = Eve, Supreme Commander, Dawn of war, Counter Strik
Source. I need to play my games

Problem #
Probably related to #1 . wether using areo or not everything i
garbilish, not as bad as some screenshots i've seen people with bu
sometimes a whole corner tears off to somewere or the UI gets a whol
band of artifacts. Sometimes it's simply the shadows play funny or th
leftover of a window gets left behind. This is not fun

Normal Question #
I have an old audigy LS i think creative has support for it, but it'
dying and i hate onboard sound. I can tell the diffrence as clear a
night and day, and i use NICE headphones instead of speakers so it'
even more obvious. Recomendations? Xi-Fi? With Xram

Thanks in advance
Phil

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Philz