HD6870 problem

have you tried a different version of Catalyst Control Center (CCC) latest version is 12.6

You need Netframwork 4 for CCC to work. This may be your problem (http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id..., here is the link.

Yes, I downloaded the latest version.
Forgot to add operating sys: Win 7 64 Pro

Thanks, will try.

Yes, Net Framework is important.

Did you previously own a GeForce Card? Make sure you uninstall all of the Nvidia drivers and software.

No. This is the first card with this moboard and CPU. Also I did a clean install of the operating system.

I downloaded Netframwork 4 as you suggested - I can open up the CCC program for Basic, but as soon as I go to 3D the frame rate becomes nonexistent.

Wha resolution is your monitor, what resolution are you playing at, what do you mead by " but as soon as I go to 3D the frame rate becomes nonexistent", do you open CCC while playing, what settings are you using in CCC? Please try this; in the 3d settings select the default button at the bottom and do the same under Performance/AMD Overdrive. Please use the advanced view for CCC. In Skyrim what settings are you using? Does the framerate suffer everywhere in game or just at certain points?

The resolution is 1920 X 1080. I changed the settings in CCC to the defaults for 3d but for ATI Overdrive (you wrote AMD, but I guess thats what you meant) the settings were all grayed out anyway so there was nothing to change. If I go to basic instead of advanced, as soon as I click on 3d the cursor freezes and the screen goes black for a few seconds and then flashes back on and this sequence repeats until I reboot.
When I try to load Skyrim, I chose the lowest quality options, and IF the startup screen comes up, the cursor won't move, after a while the screen goes black for a while, comes back on with the cursor having moved but frozen again, and this is what I'm referring to as a "non-existent frame rate".
However, ASUS has agreed to an RMA of the graphics care, so I'm sending it back tomorrow, although I'm still not sure if this is a moboard problem.
Thanks for the tips, and if you don't mind, I would like to contact you when I replace the board - either for further advice or an update?
Dave