Updating Sytem, need suggestions

[dennykyser]

I am updating my desktop PC and need some help.
I am a photographer/videographer so my system is used for high end graphics and rendering apps, not games. I am a multi tasker.

Current system.
Win XP Pro
Pent D 820 Smithfield 2.8GHz 2 x 1MB L2 Cache LGA 775 95W Dual-Core Proces
4 Gigs DDR2 Ram
Intel LGA 775 Intel 945P ATX Intel Motherboard
11 Hard Drives, 3 Internal & 8 externals.

I need more power to run my video editing software.
Plan on replacing 1 Internal HD, Mobo, and Processor for now.

My questions are.
1) How can I save the content on my C Drive, it has my OS and Adobe software. For me this is a lot, Photoshop CS3, Premier Pro CS3, and many more Adobe software apps. I will get a new HD for my C drive and get rid of my smallest internal.

2)What mobo, and processor do you suggest. I am wanting the sweet spot, meaning most power and speed that is in the good price range.

Thanks in advance on any advice and suggestions. This will be the first time I have updated a system. The last three I just made new builds and replaced. I really dont want to do that now, I have a great case, ps, videocard etc.

I should also add, re installing os is not a killer, I have the oem info and disk I purchased when I built the system.

 

[veg1992]

get a q6600 (it'll help with your photoshop) and a P35-ds3l

 

[heister]

DEF get a q6600 (quad core) it is a beast at multi tasking from what i hear... a mild overclock on that wouldnt be a bad choice either. Also if you dont have it now i would highly suggest getting a board with firewire 800... wicked fast connection for your external drives also you can link them all in a chain

 

[dennykyser]

Thanks, any other board recomendation. My memory is (4) 1 gig mods. so really need 4 slots.

Also anyone have any good suggestions on clone/copy program to clone my C drive before switching out board?

 

[ThirdLeft152]

Thanks, any other board recomendation. My memory is (4) 1 gig mods. so really need 4 slots.

Also anyone have any good suggestions on clone/copy program to clone my C drive before switching out board?

q6600 and the abit ip35-e should suit you fine.

seagate makes a very nice utility i believe called disk wizard or something of the sort. it worked well for me in the past when i made the switch from ide to sata.

 

[Trotter]

You will need this: How to: Upgrade your motherboard without reinstalling Windows. - [H]ard|Forum

Follow the advice given there to avoid having to reinstall Windows and all you apps.

 

[dennykyser]

Ok, slight change in plans, not sure if I will have to start a new post to get the answeer or not.

I am just going to build another system, not that much more and need a desktop instead of a laptop in the projection room anyways. So this will be the projection room PC.

I will take one of the HD's out of this pc, not a drive that has programs on it, just data.
My OS, Adobe Creative Suite 3 Production, and Phase One C1 Pro are on C:
Most other programs are on D: which is a seperate drive, not partitioned.

Is there a way to get all my data and programs except the OS of those two drives and onto my new system?

 

[Trotter]

Data, no problem. Programs... hmmm.

You could Ghost your drives (OS, programs), and then follow the above and see if it works. The programs would only work with that particular installation of windows, as they are set up in the registry. But, then, you would be pirating your own copy... unless you just transferred it to the new computer.