Ok, as promised, the network issue solution:

Unload the module:

rmmod e1000

Goto the new Kernel Driver path

cd /lib/modules/2.6.26.3-2.1.smp.gcc3.4.x86_64/kernel/drivers/net/e1000e

Load the module

insmod e1000e.ko

Bring the Ethernet devices up

ifup eth0
ifup eth1
etc....

To make this change permanent (also after rebooting) do:
edit /etc/modprobe.conf:

alias eth0 e1000
alias eth1 e1000

to:

alias eth0 e1000e
alias eth1 e1000e

The other issue I was having with the autonegotiating at only 100Mb was resolved by playing with eth0 and eth1 configs + changing the cable between them… something very weird, I can only guess it was reset in some way, because all of a sudden it just synchronized right and that was it.

Ozzik.