Default settings forced after reboot

[dev <dev kostiadis com>]

Hello all,

I'm running ubuntu 8.10 with NetworkManager applet 0.7.0 and I have  
the following problem:

The network manager has a default connection (Auto eth0) that uses  
DHCP. I do not want to use this setting and I have my own static eth0  
connection where I specify my own static IP and settings. Once I've  
logged in, I select it and everything works fine. The problem is,  
after I reboot, the default Auto eth0 connection is automagically  
selected again. So every time I reboot, I have to go and re-select my  
own static one, restart samba, etc. Even if I delete the Auto eth0  
connection, one is always created (and selected) by default. Can  
someone please tell me how I can force my own static connection to be  
the one selected when I reboot?

I have played with the "connect automatically" and "system setting"  
check boxes on the applet with no luck. I.e., I set things up so that:

auto eth0 connection has auto connect OFF and system setting on.
static eth0 connection has auto connect on and system setting off.

After the reboot, the auto etho config has the auto connect back to ON  
and it is auto-selected. Please help!

thank you in advance,
d.