Hi,

I need to buy a desktop which has the ability to run MS Virtual PC comfortably. The Virtual PC might be configured something like one domain controller, one server (running Windows Server 2003 initially but then 2008) and maybe a couple of clients initially running XP Pro SP3.

The proposed OS on the desktop would be Vista Ultimate(64 bit), but wonder if XP Pro would be a better bet until Windows 7.0 is released (2010!).

Confused about the processor I want with the variations of Dual Core and Quad Core units on offer with the variations on clock speed. Understand that Intel are near to releasing the atom processor and wonder if I should wait for this. All I know is that I want to be able to comfotably multi task with the new machine and have the ability to stream web information comfortably.

Would, I think, want between 4-8gb ram and large HD (SIZE=?) with the best graphics card out there.

Can you provide some recommendations and perhaps inform me of other considerations which I might have overlooked?

cheers