Mobo LAN and audio malfunctioning Asrock Z77 Pro 3

[UnknownEngineer]

System

I5 3570K @4.2GHz

Asrock Z77 Pro 3 

Windows 7

 

WARNING: This is going to be quite long post, as I have a tendency to write details, be warned.

 

For quite a while now motherboards onboard audio has been randomly dying mid use, usually it the audio it is playing glitches and then the whole PC goes mute. Disabling and re-enabling the device fixes the issue, but I also need to restart ALL running apps. I once had notepad ++ running and the fix didn't work until it turned it off too an redid the procedure.

As much of a pain as it is it only seems to happen in ARMA 3, and a few other games, even then it isn't all that concerning (I have a spare audio card standing by)

 

The LAN however, is much more concerning, my PC will randomly drop the connection to the modem, not detecting the cable in between at all. The cable hasn't been disturbed once, and my PC still loses it completely (red cross at the bottom right). My PC may also just lose connection to the modem, while still detecting that it is there, and a cable is present (yellow warning triangle).

 

My modem, as much of a shite as it is, isn't to blame for all these issues, I have personally checked it and other PC's connected to it.

 

 

My current queued solution, still awaiting assessment and approval.

I have a ~500€ budget, and before the issue had appeared I was considering doing some upgrades to my PC, just not the CPU or mobo.

The initial plan was for me to buy a 24" or 28" 1440P display, as I am currently running a 32" 1080P tv (oversized IMO), and simply run with that.

 

But since all this came up, and even my friends R9 270's HDMI stopped working with his TV, he is looking to buy my 280.

If I were to upgrade my GPU to a GTX970 (and get 2 games I want), I could sell my 280 to my friend for 175€, and possibly get a new mobo entirely, or a cheap network card (a second friend informed me of a solution for 13€)

 

BUT, there is an issue with both solutions. 1. My mobo is out of warranty, and the audio issue appeared almost directly after it expired. I have no idea what else will fail. adding more cards to the mix will not help then. 2. I could buy a brand new mobo, but the most expensive one I can find for my socket (from my preferred store), is the EXACT same one, and costs 20€ more now than 2 years ago. 114€

 

Help me out here, I need to make a decision regardless at some point, I just want to make the BEST one.