Not a silly question. That was my total since I've been using the same XP SP2 disc for the last 4yrs or so. Forgot to edit that. Sorry. I'm sure most everyone already has a copy of XP Pro SP2 by now, but if not, you can pick it up for $80-90 if I'm not mistaken.
Syp, sounds like a great recipe. I've never built my own machine before but could a real novice attempt this build with the right manuals? Also, would the E8200 2.66Ghz wolfdale processor be a viable dual core alternative for this rig. Thanks.
My brand NEW DELL T3400 Precision Workstation arrived today at my doorstep and it is configured with the E8200, 2 gigs of PC-6400 memory, a 525 watt power supply, Windows XP Pro, and 2 NVS-290 graphics cards to support 4 monitors, for $900 + tax. I'll let everyone know how the E8200 runs. Am anxious to see if there is any difference with all that 6mb's of L2 cache! It was only an additional $139 upgrade from the basic 1.80 processor that was offered when I configured the machine brand new from Dell on their Business website. 3-year warranty too.
I've had a couple of dells and they have been pretty solid apart from fan problems and the hassle of tracking down reliable parts. I suppose this will always be the problem with branded systems though. Designing and building a custom machine really appeals because of the quality of the components, the ability to upgrade and maintain and the right tool for the job. Just don't know whether it's worth putting in the time to build one myself and have it checked over though. Can it be done without too much pain I wonder?