New Computer Specs Help Needed!

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Hi,

My wife and I run our own company from home, and we use the computer about 8 hours a day running multiple programs at once. I also enjoy playing FEAR multi-player on Friday nights for a couple of hours!

I have built my last 2 computers and thought I was doing a good job. Until a friend cam over, and said that I had 'mis-matched' hardware causing performance issues with the RAM. Saying I had too much RAM for my hard drives to handle.

Our current set up is now nearly 2 years old, and time to build again. But before I do, I am after help please on what to get next.

Here is our current setup:

Antec P180 Case
Enermax 600W PSU SLI / Server Ready, PFC
Thermaltake Jungle 512/Socket 775 CPU Cooler
Intel D955XBKLKR Socket 775 Motherboard
Intel Pentium D 820 2.8gGHz DT 800FSB Socket 775
Crucial 4096MB PC5400 DDR2 667MHz (4 x 1GB strips)
Segate 160GB Serial ATA 7.2k 8MB Cache (3 in a RAID 5 set up)
Sony DVD-RW (x 2)
ATI X800XL 256MB (x 2)
17" Samsung 703b Monitor (x3)
19" Samsung 931b Monitor
TigerVista multi-monitor software
Microsoft Windows XP Professional W/SP2

I wish to keep the following:
RAID 5
We did have a disk failure 7 months ago. It was great how we just removed the damaged disk and inserted a new one, and did not have to close the computer down.

Intel Motherboard
It has never let me down yet, and I am not interested in over-clocking.

My thoughts for the new computer are:
1) Intel 975XBX2KR Motherboard
2) Intel Core 2 Duo Processor
3) 10k or 15k hard drives (SCSI)
4) Corsair DD2 - Dual Memory. What is the max the Intel board can take, as in size and speed?
5) ATI Radeon HD 2900 XT 512MB (x 2)
4) Power supply - not sure what power level to get.

Thanks!

 

[PC eye]

Let's give you a Welcome to the Computer Forum first! http://www.computerforum.com/70672-official-welcome-thread.html and a reminder to new members to review the http://www.computerforum.com/52038-forum-rules.html

QUOTE: "Saying I had too much RAM for my hard drives to handle." The 32bit versions of Windows are limited to 4gb in general including Vista. Exceeding that is an OS problem not a hard drive problem. We'll get that cleared up fast. Most gaming builds will see from 1gb to 2gb or ram especially the later if you are planning to run the new version of Windows.

For multitasking on a regular basis your concern would be on more of a work horse type build there. Fear and others games can easily run on 2gb pf memory installed. The time where a real need for over 2gb would be large engineering programs like CAD, graphics design work, and to simply have more memory with Vista having more features running in it using more ram over XP.

For a stock build you may want to look at DDR2 800 or faster memory now available for a new build. When going to order an MSI Radeon HD 2600XT it was suddenly seen sold out at one vendor namely newegg. That offered a faster core clock and memory clock over other makes. A Crossfire setup for a work horse not gaming build would be for multiple monitor application there.

The best place to look for information on power supplies is the new sticky prepared for just that to give you some good ideas on makes and models to consider. http://www.computerforum.com/90118-useful-psu-guides.html