I re-setted the GPU bios to the factory one via DOS to make sure...and I still didn't solve the problem.
I think its a motherboard issue like you're saying. The motherboard I have is:
Asus M4A785TD-V Evo AMD 785G (Socket AM3)
I read in some forum elsewhere that the 785G has some problems with 5850's
I think I'll have to wait for a BIOS update of some sort...
I have that board and my 5870 failed after a week and am on my 2nd card which has been ok for near a week now.