[djglenn]

Just ordered the following components, thanks Eskro for your guide it was extremely helpful:

Intel G840 Retail - 1155
Gigabyte GA-H61-S2-B3
Corsair 4GB (2x2GB) DDR3 1333MHz
Sapphire HD 6450 512MB DDR3 HDMI
Seasonic S12II-380 380W PSU
Scythe Big Shuriken Cooler
Silverstone Milo ML03B

I am planning on installing my two existing 2TB Samsung F4 drives into this build with a 30GB partition for the OS.

I have a SSD in my main rig and appreciate that it boots faster, however apart from boot speeds will XBMC run that much better with an SSD?

I am planning on using Windows 7 as I have a spare licence available from a previous build.

Its a further £60 for me to buy an SSD, which pushs my current finances pretty bad..

[Mallet21]

Its a further £60 for me to buy an SSD, which pushs my current finances pretty bad..

Then I would just hold off. You can always add 1 later.

[Kirky99]

You don't NEED an SSD, but I was much happier when I had one in mine.

I want to make a suggestion if I may. Allocate 60G for a Win7 OS, or better yet, match the size of the SSD you would get. I used to keep it small, but a few times I got burned with not enough space available. Currently, I'm at like 25G free on a 60G drive, this is Win7, XBMC, MediaPortal TV Server and a few other pieces of ripping softwares, etc. It's my workhorse audio/video PC, so I do more than I probably need to. I think a fresh install of Win7 was like 26-27G last time I did it.

A "new" trick I learned after my OCZ drive failed is was to create a matching size partition on the spinner inside my HTPC and I backup the OCZ drive every so often to that partition. It's not active, but if i need to RMA my drive (again), at least my machine isn't hosed.

Also, this way all my drive letter remain intact so I just make the partition bootable and I'm off to the races.

[djglenn]

Fk it...

Just ordered one as well.

Your both right, I can get away with it, but in the end I will get one (so why not just do it from the start).

I will just do without beer this weekend, and that will cover the SSD.

Just looking forward to my bits arriving so I can start the build :-)

Thanks for the help.

[wsume99]

Fk it...

Just ordered one as well.

Yes. SSD FTW!

[Balinus]

I will just do without beer this weekend, and that will cover the SSD.

Some people do not have the right priorities.

[eskro]

yes. Ssd ftw!

+1 :d