You know.. its also possible those sticks just wont REALLY do 1800 under all applications. Mushkin just shows that for clockers and success in stability is based on simple benchmark stress tests for sales... that does not mean the sticks will run 1800 in all applications. FSX is a memory subsystem killer so you may be stuck at 1600 and the numbers we came up with earlier on those sticks
if worse comes to worse, could we get 450x9 with 1600?
possibly I could get some Corsair and sell the Mushkin on ebay

btw, the corsair ram - is that the one that says it's only for 64 bit systems? ABout $400? I'd like to save the $$ if possible but what the heck.