New Build - Two Questions

[flippedout]

I am about to purchase the following system. All of the other components (DVD, Case, etc.) will come from my existing system. I selected this set up due to its performance for the price and the ability to upgrade later. Also, the integrated graphics on the MB will get me by for a little while so I can later buy a graphics card. My first question, will this all work together? Based on my research it should not be a problem, but would appreciate your insight.

Second question, I have Vista Home Premium running on my current system. Since I will no longer use that system, I would like to put it on the new one. The old system was home built and Vista is a retail upgrade version so I should be able to transfer the license. Is there a way to boot up the old hard drive (which currently runs on a P4 630 @ 3.0 Ghz) on the new system? If not, can I still clean install Vista on a newly built system even though it is the upgrade version?

Here are the new system's specs:

GIGABYTE GA-MA790GP-UD4H AM2+/AM2 AMD 790GX HDMI ATX AMD Motherboard
AMD Phenom II X3 720 2.8GHz Socket AM3 95W Triple-Core Black Edition - Newegg combo on MB/CPU - $229.98!
G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F2-6400CL5D-4GBPQ - $39.99
CORSAIR CMPSU-400CX 400W ATX12V V2.2 80 PLUS Certified Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply - $54.99 (everything I have read says this PSU should do just fine)
Western Digital Caviar Black WD5001AALS 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - $69.99

Total build cost is $394.95. Not bad, I think and within my budget.

One more thing, I do not have my router near the PC so I currently use a Linksys 802.11n PCI card. Should I install this after I have made sure the computer will POST and Vista is running smoothly?

Thoughts on the build and the Vista installation? Thank you!

 

[aevm]

Your setup will work fine. However, the 400CX will not allow you to add a serious gaming card. Are you going to play games? What kind of games, and at what resolution? Have you picked a graphics card yet?

I would install the PCI card along with the rest of the hardware.

I wouldn't try to move the old HDD to the new PC, because the registry and config files are set up for the old hardware, not the new one, and you'd keep discovering problems later. A clean install is the way to go.

 

[flippedout]

Thanks. I haven't decided on the graphics card yet. Figure I will let the onboard work for now and save the money for one in a couple of months. I was looking at a ATI HD4850 or GTX260 as I figure those prices will come down around the summer. I have a 17 inch lcd monitor that I run at 1024x768, at some point will upgrade that and probably run normal programs at 1680x1050. As for gaming, max settings are not that important to me, so I don't feel I need a ridiculous card.

As for the clean install, are there any tricks to using the retail, upgrade version of Vista since it technically will not be upgrading anything?

 

[shortstuff_mt]

Your PSU is a high quality unit, but it's not designed to run high-end GPU's. It will barely run a 4850 and will not be able to run a GTX 260. Your motherboard also supports crossfire (ATI GPU's), but not SLI (Nvidia GPU's). That ought to make picking out a GPU a little easier. I would try to pick up a 4830 for cheap since they're stopping production on them.

 

[aevm]

A HD 4850 needs a 450W or larger according to Sapphire recommendations, and a GTX 260 a 525W PSU or larger (according to BFG). I'd suggest an upgrade to Corsair 650TX for $25 more. The HD 4850 will work with the 400CX but it's kind of pushing it.

Is your old computer using XP retail or XP OEM?

 

[flippedout]

The old computer is running Vista Home Premium, upgrade. I bought it retail, Office Depot or Max - one of those places.

 

[aevm]

Do you have any operating system that is NOT an upgrade version?

 

[flippedout]

Unfortunately, no. Just that one.

 

[aevm]

Damn... I don't know, man, sorry.

I read somewhere that there was a way to install Vista once without activating it and then run the upgrade on top of itself and activate it. I have no idea if Microsoft still allows that. Logically, it makes no sense for them to allow it because then nobody would pay extra for the full retail version.

You could buy the Vista Home Premium OEM 64-bit from Newegg for $100 too, if nothing else works.

 

[flippedout]

Damn. I will look around to see if I can find out how to do that (if possible). Otherwise, it looks like I will be forking over another $100

 

[flippedout]

After some research, it looks like the only way to do this is to install as trial, then reinstall and activate. I imagine I will have to call MS since the hardware will be different, but the license transfers so that shouldn't be a problem...I'll provide an update if this works so others that may run into this have a solution to follow.

All of the parts came this morning and I'm taking Thursday off so I can have the whole day to play (hopefully not filled with a lot of cursing).

 

[ryanb213]

M$ shouldnt have a problem transferring your vista