Help with KT7-RAID installation / First Computer Build

[Wyvern]

I just recieved all the parts I needed for building my first computer. This is what I have:

AMD Duron 700Mhz
Abit KT7-RAID
128MB Mushkin Mosel Rev 1.5 PC133 RAM
30GB IBM Deskstar 75GXP HD
Pioneer DVD-115 DVD-ROM
Hercules 3D Prophet II MX
SB Live! X-Gamer
Linksys Etherfast 10/100 NIC
Fong Kai FK-603 Case w/ 250W PS
Windows 98 / Windows 2000 / Linux

I plan on putting this together later tonight, so I wanted to get some clarification to ease the installation of everything. I plan on instaling Win2k for a week or two to make sure everything is stable, so most of my questions will revolve around that. Here goes...

1. What are the current driver/BIOS versions, and where do I get them?
2. Should I connect the HD to the ATA/66 or ATA-100? Is there a difference? My understanding is that
the ATA-100 is a lot more trouble and doesn't provide much of a performance boost.
3. If I use the ATA-100 interface, I understand that I will need to connect the drive to the ATA/66 interface
first so that the drive will be found. Then after installing the OS and the Highpoint drivers, I should
connect the drive to the ATA-100 connector otherwise, the drive won't be detected. Is this correct?
4. I've read some problems with enabling AGP 4x, should this be enabled or disabled?
5. Since this is a new build, can I update the motherboard BIOS before installing anything?

Also, what's the best method of getting everything installed? Right now, I see myself:
1. Placing all the drives, motherboard, etc in the case and posting. Then, adding all the cards and
posting, and finally installing Win2k while the drive is connected to the ATA/66 interface.
2. After installing Win2k, I install the drivers for the Highpoint controller, and the remaining drivers for
the sound card, etc.
3. I can then updae the BIOS and move the drive to the ATA-100 interface.

Is there a better way to do this?
Sorry this is so long and seems like a lot of common sense questions, but this is the first one I've built completely from scratch and I'd like to make sure I don't forget something that could help me avoid problems. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Again!!

 

[hungrypete]

Well, this won't be as well structured as your question, but i hope it helps some. I put together a similar system for my little brother, so I can tell you my experience. Other people can probably answer this far better though.

1. From Abit's website. I didn't update the bios on his kt7, and it runs just fine.
2. You will probably have to install windows with it on the ATA66. Then you can install the ATA100 drivers and move the drive to the ATA100 if you like.
3. ^
4. Start out with it disabled, then switch later to 4x and see if it works for you. It works for some people, doesnt for others.
5. You can if you like. Don't know alot about KT7 bioses.
--------------
1. Put it together, but when installing windows the first time, I've found you're better of to ONLY have the bare bones. Put in all the NECESSARY stuff like vid card and cdrom, etc. Leave the sound and NIC, etc, out until later.
2. Yup
3. If you like.

Hope this helps a bit... you'll have a nice system when you are done.

 

[blurredvisionx]

Most everything that hungrypete said is correct. As with the updated BIOS, I would suggest to go ahead and update it. Go to ABIT, and it should ask you for a language. Choose that, and you should be able to navigate your way through that. As for hooking up your hard drive, I would suggest to hook it up to the ATA/66 first, then install the HPT370 drivers when getting Windows installed. This doesn't necessarily mean it wouldn't work, it would just provide you with the least problems since this is your first time. As for the AGP4x, enable it, and if you experience any video problems at all, just go and disable it. Simple as that.

As for installation steps, begin with basics, as motherboard, processor, RAM, hard drive, floppy drive, video card, power supply, mouse, and keyboard. Then, like hungrypete advises, install sound card, modem, NIC, and anything else later, after getting windows installed. It gives you a much easier time if you wait to install extras later.

Hope this helps. I had a similar setup to yours when putting my system together, and it was my first, and had no problems whatsoever. Good luck.