new build specs...updated for increased 'waf'

[lfnfan]

Happy new year!

A few months ago, y’all helped me with a spec for a new PC, but since then I have had to put together a cheaper build (due to the low WAF of the original spec).

Please can you have a look see what you think, particularly if you see any compatibility issues with the components.

Also, I have gone for the lowest power Corsair PSU...what's your views? All the online wattage calculators tell me this well within tolerances, and it seems to make sense to me given the components I have being less power-hungry (specif: CPU 45nm processor, and HD4670 not needing its own power supply). I don't plan on doing any OC-ing, or at least only very mild.

The PC will be used for the same things as before – photo processing, some gaming, music, some video editing, internet, and the usual office applications, and a mix of multi-tasking these activities.

CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 3.00GHz 6M Cache S775 1333MHZ (previously E8500)
Mobo: Asus P5QL-E S775 Intel P43 DDR2 ATX Audio Lan (previously P5Q Pro)
RAM: Corsair 4GBKIT (2X2GB) PC-6400 DDR2 SDRAM 800MHZ non ECC CL5 (unchanged)
GPU: Sapphire Technology Radeon HD4670 512MB GDDR3 PCIE 750/1Ghz DL-DVI (previously HD4850)
PSU: Corsair 450W ATX (previously HX 650W)
HDD: Seagate Barracuda SATA 7200.11 500GB 7200RPM S300 32MB (now just one - prev 2 of these)
Optical: LG Electronics 22x DVDRW SATA (unchanged)
Case: Antec Three Hundred ATX (previously P182)
OS: Win XP Pro 32 bit
I already have PS/2 keyboard & mouse, Western Digital Caviar SATA 250GB HDD, and VGA monitor (will get myself an adaptor for the DVI GPU)

Many thanks!

[not important]

Looks good to me.

[jdeb]

nice

[lfnfan]

thanks guys!

[lfnfan]

Thanks to the great advice and info from you all in these forums, I made it through my first build and the new pc POSTed like a charm

I have to say that installing the Intel stock HSF was a nerve-shredding experience - that thing takes so much pressure to snap in to place, I was sure I was going to crack the mobo in two, even tho I was supporting it from behind....

anyway, all good so far. Just the os and drivers now! Tomorrow... the world!

[not important]

Glad to hear all went well.
You might want to read about the Seagate HDD problems that have developed in this thread: http://forum.pcmech.com/showthread.php?t=204660

[lfnfan]

I've seen that thread! I saw it whilst my components order was pending , and after much thought, decided to swap the Seagate 500Gb for a Hitachi Deskstar (yes, I know what their nickname is but... I've had a Hitachi D'star in my old dell for c. 5.5 years and it's been no trouble at all). I have had a few bad experiences with WD, and will already have a 2nd HDD in my new machine which is WD, so i figured I would spread the overall risk around two different HDD manufacturers (three including my Freecom off-site backups).

speaking of backups, I will also be continuing my existing backup routines - 'clean' and current o/s partition images (primarily made with Clonezilla) and select data backed up incrementally (using Syncback) on to 2nd internal HDD daily, and o/s images and all data backed up to two identical external hdds, one of which is kept off-site, rotated every couple of weeks.

thanks again