devolution: @critialcloudkicker oh i have a rather large and expensive surge protector, it just didn't seem to help.  there's really no rhyme or reason for it dying, it's just dead now, and it wasn't before the power blinked :\ 

@extremedash it will be in the long run, since it was the onboard LAN that fried.  hopefully i can just RMA it and get it replaced, but if i can't, then it's time for a new motherboard.