Pixels is an option in the new document settings, but I changed it to points and I still got the huge artboard. Same for picas. I also have it set to Basic RGB. Still no luck. Maybe reinstall AI CS 6. Could be a corrupt script somewhere.

Its not the pasteboard, because I can scroll to the top of the huge artboard and see the pasteboard which is set to gray. I did set the Profile to Basic RGB and still have the problem. I then actually uninstalled AI CS6, and reinstalled it, and the problem is still there. Something in some other part of the computer that has to do with this program did not get deleted, so it was active when I reinstalled AI. The problem is ruining my projects because when I save them with that 6000 pixel artboard, it takes 30 seconds to save it, and of course, it is a huge file. I am dead in the water until I repair it. I can't even edit existing graphics files, because they open with the artwork on that huge artboard instead of the original 1200 x 750. If I can't resolve it, I will have to use Inkscape for new projects. Adobe? I need you in on this. No one can figure it out, and it's destroying my workflow. I probably need a script that deletes everything that the installation put into any directory on my computer and then reinstall it.

I found all kinds of AI CS6 files left over after the uninstall. They were on the C drive under users, and in several sub-directories. I deleted everything that had anything to do with AI CS6, and then re-installed CS6. All is OK now. Adobe - Uninstall means remove EVERYTHING that the program installed on the computer, not just the exe file. All the leftover garbage files prevent a proper reinstall. Some settings file somewhere in that leftover mess was creating the oversized artboard. Please revise the uninstall function to remove ALL of the files that the program installed.