Well, as you all know, I’ve finally got my parts collected. In the past, I’ve done a ton of hardware tinkering, installing and replacing RAM, swapping out PCI cards and PCI-X cards, and the like. However, I’ve never fully built my own system before. I still haven’t, but basically what I’ve done is gutted my old system and gotten a new Motherboard (the Gigabyte DS3) a new CPU (the E6600) and new RAM (Corsair XM2 DDR800 - which is on the supported list.)
So, anyhow, that means that the Hard Drive, DVD Drives, Floppy Drive, and Video Card (nVidia 6800 GT) are all a bit older (like 12 months or so) but should all be entirely compatible. :look:
I’m getting nervous. I don’t really know what I’m doing. I have everything figured out (I think) up until the point where I turn it on… I know that I’m going to want to update the BIOS, and I’m going to want to wipe the drives clean and reinstall Windows, but I have no idea what is going to happen when I turn the system on for the first time.
Do I have to fiddle with BIOS settings right off the bat, or should it recognize the Windows XP installation that is already on the connected harddrives? All of the drivers will be incorrect, so I imagine it’ll be really unhappy :wasted: - how will it react?
I guess my main question, when it comes down to it, is as follows: I just replaced my CPU, Motherboard, and RAM. What is going to happen, and what am I going to need to do, when I turn on my computer? :h::pa:
Thanks. 
-R
