Please Verify my Custom Gaming build

[moopato]

Here are all of the links to my components thus far. No Disk drive yet, but i'd love working suggestions.

Fan/heatsink, i would like this fan to work for a mildly overclocked CPU
http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=11130AC8843

CPU/processor
http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=10360BD4173

Computer case
http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=10370AC7236

Gddr3 ram kit
http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=15380BD3625

hard drive
http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=14120DR8025

Motherboard- Please have a good look at this because im skeptical but i've done my research =)
http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=10530BD6722

Power Source
http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=13220AC8686

Graphics card
http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=15180BD7757&vpn=HD487AYWFC&manufacture=XFX


OTHER QUESTIONS

- I am wondering if the motherboard will come with the network driver, and i would love to have some advice on installing not only the parts, but i really need some advice on installing all the software so that i can start gaming.

 

[coldsleep]

For disk drives, your options are:
1) standard platter-based drive, the technology that has been around for a long time now, and is very well understood. Pretty much everyone will tell you to get the Samsung Spinpoint (500 GB or 1 TB), then the Seagate nnnn.12 500 GB/1TB drives, and as a last resort, Western Digital.
2) SSDs - the new kid on the block, this technology is still being worked out a little bit, but it comes with much faster boot and load times. Not strictly necessary for gaming (or anything really), though it's neat. If you go this route, it would be wise to just put your OS and frequently used programs on here, and get a 2nd regular-style disk for storage. Tom's Hardware has a recent-ish article comparing the drives, I seem to recall that early Intel drives were unspectacular, but the most recent iteration is looking good now.

All motherboards come with a built-in NIC these days.

There is at least one very good guide on how to build a computer stickied at the top of the Homebuilt Systems forum. Unsure what your question is about software. It's not a lot more complex than install OS, install games, play.

As far as the rest of the gear, I'll let someone with more time to burn comment.

 

[moopato]

I am confident i will be able to wire everything up and install it all, but im not really sure if it matters how messy the wire management is. Also, once i install my operating system, is there a specific order drivers need to be installed?

 

[coldsleep]

For most people, good wire management is nice to have, but it's not like you're going to destroy your computer if you leave it messy.

For some people, it's an artform. And for other people, they actually need the small amount of additional airflow they get out of good wire management, because they're overclocking absolutely everything, though those people are very very few and far between.

Generally, the OS is going to come with generic drivers that will work ok with your hardware. You might try installing drivers for the video card first once you're up and running, and then anything else as it becomes necessary. If you're actually running into problems with something, or something isn't working, it's likely that the OS will prompt you to install a better/different driver.

Specifically in Windows, you can look at the hardware manager and there should be an attention indicator (usually a black & yellow !) by hardware that needs attention.

 

[moopato]

1. Once i install the operating system will my internet work? Also, since this is my first build and my processor already has 3.2 ghz, and i have good graphics card lined up, is it nescessary to overclock right away in order to have good performance in news games like modern warfare 2 and crysis?

2. Also will i be required to add extra fans to the computer case if im not overclocking and I put a good one on the CPU?

3. I will be overclocking at some point, so will I have to upgrade my cooling later on?

4. Any opinions on my graphics card? it was the best priced 4870 on the website im using. BTW i have to order all my stuff from this site in order to get free shipping and half tax.

5. Would I be ok to downscale to a minimum 3.0ghz dual core and still have good gaming performance?

THANKS SO MUCH