Help Needed: DDR 3 TWIN3X2048-1333C9DHX with QX9650 & MSI X38 Diamond.

Here are the exact specs of the new components I have bought and installed in my system:
MSI X38 Diamond X-Fi Intel X38 (Socket 775) PCI-Express DDR3 Motherboard

Intel Core 2 Quad Extreme Edition QX9650 "LGA775 Yorkfield" 3.00GHz (1333FSB)

2 x Corsair 2GB Kit (2x1GB) DDR3 1333MHz Memory CL9(9-9-9-24) DHX Heatsink TWIN3X2048-1333C9DHX G (so I have 4 of these, so 4 gig in total)
(all brand new)

I’m getting load of problems, and am now totally stuck and in desperate need of help.

When I turn the computer on, it takes almost 12 minutes to actually start to boot and display anything on the screen. The motherboard has a LCD display, and it’s sits on DRAM. I have looked in the motherboard manual and it says when it displays DRAM “Memory is not detected or is found not to be operating properly” If I plug 1, 2,3 or all 4 sticks of Ram, and into different slots, it displays the same error. It even however displays the same error with NO Ram in the motherboard at all when I turn it on. Another thing I have noticed, if I take 3 other sticks of Ram out, it takes around 3 minutes until the computer displays any bios screen or anything, instead of the roughly 12 minutes with all 4 Ram sticks plugged in. When it does eventually boot, it works for a very short while (5-10min) and either just restarts (and takes the 12 minutes again to even start to boot/display anything on the screen) or blue screens with various different errors.
My PSU is a 650 WATT, and I’ve been using it for a year, and my graphics card is a 8800 ultra, which has been working fine for a month. I’ve formatted my HD and it’s a clean install of vista 32 bit. And I have also set the bios to defaults and optimal settings, but get the same result.
So the only thing I can think of is either I have totally plugged something in wrong somewhere along the line, or either the mother board, or ALL 4 sticks of my ram are faulty!!!??

Please help!!!…I would be eternally grateful

How do I Clear the Bios? I loaded the bios defaults, but made no difference...

okay, I understand all of that...but I'm not quite sure what you mean by, or how you, "'shunt' the CMOS" ?

thanks again