etho

My SuSE Linux picks up multiple network cards during boot. You could try changing the plug and play setting in your motherboard CMOS. If it is on then turn it off; if it is off then turn it on.

I switched from Mandrake to SuSE a couple of years ago because I had hardware problems with Mandrake. So if changing the motherboard CMOS doesn't work then try changing to SuSE Linux.

I know this is late, don't know if your problem si still a problem. It happened to me and drove me crazey resolved by unpluging some USB Windows only toys and now it not an issue. Picks up my card every time.

in the configure my computer,
network connections,
add connection, you should be able to add the nic and configure them both.

if that doesn't work,
try downloading from a mirror the linuxconf rpms,
linuxconf, linuxconf-libs, linuxconf-utils, gnome-linuxconf

linuxconf will allow you to detail what kernel module and ip config for each one even if drakxtools doesn't.
as well as start at boot options.