OT: Bugger, main PC dead.

You miss the point - dumping your 4 old drives means you don't need a big case or IDE support, and also means it runs quieter and uses less power. 1T of SATA disk costs bugger all these days. (except when buying IBM 'Enterprise' kit :-( )

What is Vista like on a decent spec PC? I'm only used it on some small Optiplex machines I was setting up for a school?

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I use 64 bit Vista on my PC, I'm *very* impatient but it all happens quick enough for me. 4gb DDR2, 2.2ghz C2D, and a good Geforce, but I can't remember what number hehe.

A workmate has one. He is an engineer for radio lolipop in his spare time, and they are looking at a system that the engineers can wireless link into the system to work out where the breakdowns are, and route things arround it, or even remotely take over a station and swap it from live feed to syndicated linked feed in the case of technical failure at the studio level, without having to go into location, but do it from wherever they are.

They work quite well.

Just thinking about the extra cost, and I have different drives I use for different things, keeping swap on one, and downloads on another, applications on another and games on another. If any one drive fails, it is a pita, but not everything is kaput. If I store everything on one big partitioned drive I lose that security.

You've got no security anyway. You've got to back the lot up anyway (ok, maybe bar swap). Any extra cost is bugger all, and you'll end up with a smaller quieter system.

Actually, looking at Ebuyer, I can build a similar q6600 system. for =A3505.31 delivered

Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 G0 Stepping (2.4GHz 1066MHz) Socket 775 L2 8MB=20 Cache (2x4MB (4MB per core pair) Retail Boxed Processor MSI P7N SLI Platinum nForce 750i SLI Socket 775 8 channel audio ATX=20 Motherboard OCZ 4GB Kit (2x2GB) DDR2 800MHz/PC2-6400 Memory NVIDIA SLI READY EDITION=20 CL5 Zotac 8800GT 512MB DDR3 Dual DVI HDTV Out PCI-E Graphics Card Seagate ST3500320AS 500GB Hard Drive SATA II 7200rpm *32MB Cache* - OEM Compucase 6XM1 Full Tower Gaming Case with Blue LED Front Panel and 12cm=20 Fan - No PSU Hiper 120mm Case Fan - Clear HiperFlow Frame & Blades - 3pin with=20 Adaptor/Screws Included

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I've always built my own PCs. A while back I started chasing faults around my old PC, bought a new graphics card but that wouldn't work due to the fact that the motherboard was too old etc (despite both obstensibly being within AGP standards) and I decided to f*ck it off and buy a Dell. You can very quickly spend a fair whack and still not have a working computer, whereas new PCs are available for rather less than the price of the components.

DMX dimension and quidco are two very good sites to look at - the first picks out the big discounts and quidco gives you cashback.

I'm with Tony on this, it was so much cheaper buying a ready built Dell of decent spec than buying all the bits and building one myself.

Vista SP1 runs very well on a machine built to cope with it. I run XPSP2 and Vista at work, not yet had a problem with Vista that wasn't my mistake!

You could also use Linux.

To get a dell, with no monitor but with cheap keyboard and mouse, same=20 spec as the ones I've been looking at building is =A3679.00 compared to=20 arround =A3500 for the systems I've specced.

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To get a dell, with no monitor but with cheap keyboard and mouse, same spec as the ones I've been looking at building is £679.00 compared to arround £500 for the systems I've specced.

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But the Dell does come with a genuine Windows I assume? I know it's still expensive of course. I assume you're planning on running a hooky Vista? If you don't have a source for a genuine key number (so effectivly running a legal copy) it's a right ballache. Trust me heh. I was lucky enoough to be given a key number however :-p

I use topcashback, =A370 back from a home insurance purchase on a =A3160=20 policy, and =A35.61 on a wii from Tesco + 1% cashback on my egg money=20 card.

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I use topcashback, £70 back from a home insurance purchase on a £160 policy, and £5.61 on a wii from Tesco + 1% cashback on my egg money card.

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Most people using Quidco seem to get more cashback than the cost of their policy for some things hehe!

Haven't decided what OS yet, might even be Ubuntu64 with something else running in Virtualbox seamless and wine.

I've heard Quidco isn't as great as it used to be. Not so many cashbacks track and pay as they should.

Have a look at

Greasy Palm yes that is an affiliate link that pays me, but only when you have made a certain ammount of cash back, and anyone can use that link, not just you Dan.

I got my cashback from Dell no problems :) First time (and only time) I've used it.

Not had any problems but Ebay have disappeared. Got about £90 since November and another £50 waiting. £20 just for setting up a new bank account.

I'm going to be buying all the bits and pieces I need for Whitby in=20 October off ebay and making a bit of cashback for xmas.

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You can keep your over priced Wind -

- Exactly the same except possibly a better battery than the Wind... And £80 cheaper :)