That`s was my first thought - then why would ever thing else work fine. I can open scenes up with textures just cant change the martial - the uv mapper works fine and paint effects works as well. Its the only problem I got with 2009. My second pc has the same set-up (well apart from twin monitors and the sound card is only 5.1 not 7.1) and it works fine there, and it also works fine in Maya 7,8, 8.5 and 2008.

Well they claim that there is 100 fixs (is it really that broke ???)

Full list of updates here