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Message: <blockquote data-quote="bearhntr" data-source="post: 834595" data-attributes="member: 117357">M,  I appreciate your response.  I was surprised that I did not have 10 replies within 2 hours after my post.  I guess these forums are not as busy as some of the others that I visit.  <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" />  I have tried HANDBRAKE, but found all the knobs, switches, pulleys, cranks and levers too much to handle.  I never could get consistent results - even using the pre-sets.  Maybe I will give it another whirl.  I am building the system again from scratch, and want to install the minimal amount of software to do my tasks.  I will be ripping my CDs and the remainder of my DVDs to this machine.  I would really like to get more movies on the machine by going with a .MP4 or .MKV file as apposed to the .MPG files which are 4-8GB in size.  :-(  I was under the impression that MP was not going to play the .MKV files if I was not able to double-click on them in the folder and get them to play, while the .MP4 files would play.  I do know from SONY (I e-mailed them) that the receiver I have (circa 2003-04) will not play AAC, only AC3/DTS.  The .MP4 and .MKV files that I had tried were playing with Dolby PL or PLII (simulated surround) - whereas my receiver is capable of 7.1 surround.    I would really like to have the extra space back.  I know nothing about the SAF unlocking - so my assumption is that I did not do this.  I will have to figure out how to PM on these forums.  Are these the best CODECS to use for a new install?    I am trying to get as much information as possible for the build so that I can do this only once.  ;-)Thanks again for your reply.Curtis  <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite8" alt=":D" title="Big Grin    :D" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":D" />J,  Thanks for your replies.  I had thought about the SSD for the machine - but not cost effective for me at this time.  I got a really good deal on the (2) 1TB HDDs.  That is why I want to get the OS installation going, and then GHOST it.  That way I have a restore option.  I am going to get an external HDD (until I can build my backup server - to be used for backing up all the machines in my house - will be running Windows Home Server).  Maybe I will decrease the OS installation partition to something like 30-40GB and go that route.    As for the MSSQL vs MYSQL - we have several applications in my office that can use either and I got the same response from people here.  They say go with the MSSQL, and I did use the installation guide from MP to get the MSSQL 2008 installed to the machine - I had no errors with that at all.  I am assuming that I would want to install that onto the driver where I choose to save my TV shows (i.e., D: drive).  The C: drive should only have WINDOWS and MP installed and any of the other apps I choose to use??Thanks again,Curtis  <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite8" alt=":D" title="Big Grin    :D" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":D" />Ray,  Thanks for your reply.    I have never heard of that application to RIP DVDs.  I will have to look into it.  I think I have tried everything.  So work great, and others not so great.  One that I was using would crash 60% of the time, or stop at the 1-2% mark and just act as if it was ripping, but in actuality was doing nothing.    Thanks for the information on the HDD configuration.  That does make a lot of sense until I can get my Windows Home Server up and running to keep my backups.  Curtis</blockquote>

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