Need advice on finalizing upgrade

[CrazyFunkyTown]

My current specs:

Athlon XP 1800+
Soyo K7V Dragon+
GF3 Ti500
512 MB PC2100 RAM
Enermax 350W PSU
Lian-Li PC60 Case

I intend on upgrading my CPU/RAM/Mobo now and then the video card soon afterwards. I am going to get a mobile 2500+ Barton.

My questions:

1. Will a DFI Ultra400 Infinity mobo be a good choice for me to bring the CPU up to ~ 3200+ ranges? What other mobos might be a better value?

2. Is Samsung 512 MB PC3200 RAM acceptable for this or should I spent the extra $$ on OCZ CAS 2 RAM?

3. Will the Thermaltake Silent Boost HSF be acceptable, I have read great reviews but also some people have told me to stay away. I would love the have an extremely quiet machine.

4. This is a small point, but would I be wise to replace the 80mm case fans in my PC60 with Stealth Fans that push 27.5 CFM? Would this drastically decrease the cooling goodness of my case? These are inexpensive so if I could get away with the added temperatures then I would like to add these.

Thanks in advance for any advice you guys can offer, I appreciate it a ton!

 

[LeChuck]

1) As far as features go, I think all the NForce 2 boards are more or less equal. The Abit NF7-S is another popular Socket A solution, but it won't, to my knowledge, allow for any greater upgradabilty.

2) Most of the regulars here would recommend that you avoid OCZ as their bussiness practices haven't always been the most sound and though they're committed to improving on their image, it's still a risk.

I just ordered a gig (512x2) of Mushkin Level One PC3200 ($250 2 newegg) with 2-3-2-6 timings, but anything from the big names is a solid investment.

3) As long as you're not planning to overclock, I think it should be ok.

 

[CrazyFunkyTown]

I was purchasing the mobile 2500+ with the intent of overclocking it to ~3200+ levels. Would this cooler get the job done? If not, can you recommend a cooler that would be fairly quiet at allow this overclock? Thanks again for your reply.