New Cheap system.

IMHO stay away from a LGA775 platform system. Too old, doesn't offer an upgrade path, and your money can be better spend elsewhere...

MB + CPU - Are you open to an AMD build? If so, the AM3 platform is good for a budget build and can offer an upgrade path down the road (AM3 will be around for a little while longer).

HD - Scratch the WD and look at a Samsung Spinpoint F3.

MEM - ValueRam is fine (if you don't have to RMA it).

Thanks for your quick response. Ok, thank you for bringing the lack of "updatibility" of the LGA775, I wasn't aware of that obviously  

After taking that on board here is a new config I've come up with using a AM3 build (I hope)

£43.99 - Asus M4A78LT-M LE AMD 760G (Socket AM3) DDR3 PCI-Express Motherboard
£50.06 - AMD Athlon II X2 Dual Core 260 3.2GHz (Socket AM3) Processor
£37.99 - Samsung HD103SJ SpinPoint F3 1TB SATA-II 3.5" Hard Drive
£51.99 - Corsair XMS3 4GB (2x2GB) DDR3 PC3-10600C9 1333Mhz Dual Channel
£13.51 - Samsung SH-S223L 22x Internal Lightscribe DVD±RW SATA Drive - Black
£23.49 - Generic Miditower black with 500W Powersupply

Total - £221.03

Does this seem more viable? Better for upgrading in the future? I did want to ask though. Why scrap the WD hard drive? Are they no good? or is that personal experience, it's much of a muchness for me but i have never had any issues with them. Also you will notice I changed the RAM. I've always used Kingston, but I know that Corsair are as good, if not better nowadays.

So anyway what do you think ? Again I appreciate your help. This had to happen at christmas  

See how much more for an X3 at near the same clockspeed, or, even 100-200 Mhz slower if necessary.

I'd be afraid to buy anything on Ebay for fear of 20% of the purchased components being dead out of the box...

thing www.newegg.com for your computer parts needs....

I will look at that now, I only saw the PC on Ebay, and judging the price I thought I would try to make a similar system from parts I know. They didn't mention what HDD or Ram they were using, plus they listed the wrong processor. Hence me looking into it myself  

*Edited again   Newegg, don't ship outside the US, But thank you very much  

ok so I looked at the X3 and I found that AMD Athlon II X3 Tri Core 450 3.20GHz (Socket AM3) Processor was only a little more expensive than the X2 with same clock speed. However. And here is where the simpleton in me comes out   What is the difference? Is the Tri-Core the same as Triple Channel? Meaning I would have to run blocks of 3Gb RAM for best performance? Or is it just that the Tri "blocks" or "dies" work better for a PC??

Sorry for being ignorant but some of this terminology loses me sometimes.

Here's a build from ebuyer:

MSI 880GM-E41 880G
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/244433
Athlon II X3 445
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/235421
Kingston DDR3 2GB 1333MHz (you get one more stick later)
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/147903
Samsung SpinPoint F3 500GB
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/146252
LiteOn IHAS124-19 24x DVD±RW
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/176026
Coolermaster Elite 330 Case With Coolermaster Elite 460W PSU
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/135101

£226.16

LE Or better this PSU and case:

Antec 380W EarthWatts Green
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/185183
Coolermaster Elite 335
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/151368

£231.99

Well I know how important cases and PSU's are and I do understand how much importance some people would put on getting it right, but based on my budget that is the one thing that can certainly take the cut.

I have been looking at the other parts though. Why would you recommend that Motherboard? Just curious. I can see it has scope for more RAM which is nice though  

All the parts depend on the PSU, better not skim on that. As for the mobo it's newer and has the latest onboard video.

Ok so I can see now that the mobo is better, thanks for that. I will probably order them later today   But again with the case I do understand your point, but with money being a problem I need to try and cut the cost anyway I can. This seems a great package, I can always upgrade to a better case in the future, maybe January sales   lol.

EBUYER £48.71 - MSI 880GM-E41 880G Socket AM3 onboard graphics 8 channel HD audio mATX Motherboard
EBUYER £56.48 - AMD Athlon II X3 445 3.1 GHz - Socket AM3 1.5 MB cache Retail Box Processor
ARIA £37.99 - Samsung HD103SJ SpinPoint F3 1TB SATA-II 3.5" Hard Drive
EBUYER £18.99 - 2 x Kingston DDR3 2GB 1333MHz i5 Memory Module CL9 1.5V
EBUYER £11.99 - LiteOn IHAS124-19 24x DVD±RW DL & RAM SATA Optical Drive
ARIA £23.49 - Generic Miditower black with 500W Powersupply

Unless anyone has something to add, or dispute, I will be going for this package.

Thank you all for your advice it really is very much appreciated. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year  

Looks much better than your original build. With that motherboard, there is a chance you can unlock the 4th core of that processor and have a quad core. Plus you can upgrade to the 95 Watt six Core phenom II X6 1055T  

Yes Thank you. I have now ordered these parts, however I did cave in and also ordered the Coolermaster 330 and PSU that Mosox suggested  

Again thank you everyone for your help  

LOL stupid question, but Windows 7 would run fine with this system wouldn't it. I just read something about only allowing 1 core for Home Premium.....I get so damn lost with what they mean. Does that mean that Windows 7 only uses 1 core of the processor, or that it can only work with 1 core processors ???????

Completely lost now !!!