Configure new computer right from the start

Well, although I have only ever owned laptops and started surfing the internet when it was expensive over 30 years ago in 1987, the day has finally come for me to own my very first desktop system.

I want to set up the software correctly from the beginning.

I am outlining the hardware first since that might affect (effect?) the software.

I invite any and all suggestions for partitioning, antivirus, firewall (am using a d-link router), additional external drives, any- and every-thing...Having uttered too many times the words "sometime today would be nice," and being extra careful NOT to become violent and hurt the equipment (that solves nothing), I am now going for speed with an eye toward future expansion and upgradeability.

I do photography and may edit video. I'll probably not overclock. I often have way too many browser tabs open (20? 30?) along with Word, Excel, Photoshop, & Outlook...

Here's what's coming:

HARDWARE - In a giant, well-ventilated Full Tower box will be...

CPU: i7-920

MOBO: GigaByte GA-X58A-UD3R Intel X58 - CrossFireX Ultra Durable™3 Mainboard Triple-Channel DDR3/1600 ATX Mainboard w/ 7.1 Dobly Audio, eSATA, GbLAN, USB3.0, 2 x SATA-III RAID, IEEE1394a, 4 Gen2 PCIe, 2 PCIe X1 & 1 PCI

RAM: 6 GB

HD: 80 GB SSD (solid state drive)

DATA DRIVE: two 750 GB mirrored 7200 RPM discs in RAID-1 configuration

CARDS: Video - ATI Radeon HD 5770 1GB DDR5 16X PCIe Video Card [DirectX 11 Support - MOBO can support three cards]. Sound - Creative Labs SB Audigy SE

I'll wait for USB 3.0 external drives to be available, and have tons of USB 2.0's and bluetooth available onboard already.


SOFTWARE

Win 7 - 64 bit - Considering performance and future upgrades/repairs, does an SSD need partitions? How about the RAID-1 discs?

Office Professional 2007 [12] - planning for upgrade to Office 14 - should I run the Office 2010 [14] beta? Although I suppose most programs should be on the SSD, should I ask Outlook put its always growing .pst files onto the data drive?

Photoshop - where to put the scratch disc?

Page file: how big and where placed? -on a partition with a set size?

Antivirus - have been using AVAST! on my old machines. Am re-thinking this topic and I want the very best protection without too much bloat.

Firewall - Which one?

What else?

I want to do things as best I can right from the start.

TIA

--drcarl

 

May I just say,

THAT IS ONE BEAST OF A COMPUTER

thankyou.

 

and a Beast is exactly what I am after....MUAH hah haaaa

(and to the other comment: what adware?)



Still hoping for and inviting input


-drcarl

 

i have a new system running w7 home prem 64 bit & first thing i did was dump norton internet security & installed avast 4 home & comodo firewall. well, after 3 months, avast stopped reporting when the last scan was done & comodo started freezing when i would open the program, splashscreen etc, so looked around & opted for microsoft security essential for a/v and pc tools plus firewall. so far, no more lockups etc. i looked into an i7 but thought a phenom IIx4 945 was more economical & that intel was overpricing. your vid card is better than mine, i have a radeon hd4650 but i like realtek hd audio over your creative card. i installed avast 5 on my aging dell xps with xp & it would freeze almost every boot, so dumped that as well until they fix the bugs. just read around on forums & you'll get the big picture what to have or not. it's a personal choice mostly i think. have fun, i love windows 7!!

 

Most interesting: I am beginning to understand how one size does not fit all.

For example, a program that runs just fine with a quad core CPU can bring a lesser system to a hang, or halt. As I continue to research this, I see that some users want total simplicity, and others (like me) prefer to be presented with all the options.

Most important for all the security-ware is efficacy...like, man, its gotta halt those baddies in their tracks!

Looks like I want more robust programs since the hardware is there to run just about anything.

I'm still learning....

--drcarl



(and I still wonder what the reference to adware was in the 3rd post...Is my mentioning specifics considered adware? Is something happening with my posts that is not happening elsewhere on the site? Or, was THAT an "ad" itself??? Perhaps I wonder too much.)

 

Without re-looking it up, I think the scratch disc issue with PS is mainly about seek times, and with a SSD with "near instantaneous" read times, perhaps it's no longer an issue...though I'm not sure (hence the post).

I will probably be starting some threads with individual questions since my original post really does cover a lot of ground. The next first one might be on how to configure Outlook...where to put the old .pst files that I call Archive0001, 0002, etc...so that I can access them. See, that's really a question for an Outlook genius.

The more I read about AV/AMalware, the more good things I hear about Microsoft's Security Essentials, MS's own firewall, and Malwarebytes. I guess I need to put MWB next to SuperAntiSpyware to see who wins.

Is your system fast? I bet it is even without a SSD. I am admittedly going for speed, and, well, right now it's kind of like I can't wait for Santa to come...lol...

At least this borrowed laptop is still working!

Be well, and THANX!

--drcarl