M2N32-SLI Deluxe. Am I screwed?

The second day of owning it, I used the included MyLogo3 util to customize the BIOS logo. Followed instructions. Flash worked. Reboot and POST hangs on logo screen. No way to access BIOS, no way to re-flash, at all.

I do a little searching with google and find this forum thread in which someone with the exact same problem says he got a new chip from Asus, removed the old with a paperclip, so he could replace it with the new one.

SO, I contacted Asus tech support. They send me new BIOS chip and say the old one can be pulled out with a paperclip/screwdriver.

It doesn't come out. Contacted Asus tech support again, and after some discussion they realize my chip is soldered on so I have to RMA the board and just return the new BIOS chip for a refund. Yeah, after I pulled and tugged on the old chip, possibly screwing up my motherboard. But now I KNOW the BIOS chip on it was physically damaged. (but it needed to be replaced anyway, right?) By now, POST doesn't show up at all upon turning the power on.

I'm a n00b at this sort of fixing, but that's obvious, by now.

So I begin looking at all the photos I've seen of this mobo, newegg (where I bought it) and even Asus' own website. Guess what? They *all* have *socketed* BIOS chips! I suppose the fellow on the forum thread got a socketed BIOS chip, too. Good for him, bad for me.

The BIOS chip is on the lower left.
Newegg
Asus website

Why doesn't my *deluxe* mobo not have a socketed BIOS chip instead of being directly soldered on? It would have made things much easier. Could this be a case for false advertising?

So I've sent off an RMA request, yesterday (9/27), but was notified that some fees may apply if a component on the mobo should be serviced.

What should I expect?

I'd much prefer a replacement mobo with a socketed BIOS as pictured. What I have in my favor (in my mind):

1. I used Asus' own util MyLogo3 which corrupted my BIOS.
2. Asus tech told me to pull old chip out without clarifying whether or not it was socketed/soldered.
3. All pics I've seen of this board have a socketed BIOS chip, while the one I received has a soldered chip.

Or will Asus throw the above out the window and charge to replace the chip or find the mobo damaged beyond repair and not offer me a new mobo (preferably one with a socketed BIOS)?

Looks grim.