All pros are under AHCI and the cons under PATA emulation. Basically full performance of the drive is realized under AHCI among other enhancements.

Sounds good, i'll have to remember that when I set up my PC.

Wait, what?

Connect to the net and let Windows Update install all appropriate drivers before we all murder you.

I mostly agree, but it's really important to have network drivers just in case. Sometimes a computer will ship that isn't supported by one of MS' generic drivers.

I also tend to recommend that people have a copy of their security suite available for installation before connecting to the net.

But other than that, I don't personally see much point in downloading all that stuff before I get my computer. Although for the adventurous there are sites that help automate the process of downloading the huge number of patches that MS puts out so you don't end up having to reboot several times after installation. And so you don't download a patch which is rendered moot by a newer patch.

The MS update procedure really needs work with regards to new installs.

True. Had to format an Acer laptop once, don't know which wired / wireless network cards it had, but the generic drivers didn't work for both of them. The only machine that gave me this kind of a problem, but still, it can happen.
There's nothing to be comfortable or uncomfortable about. Windows doesn't connect to malicious sites on its own.

Just run Windows Update, and it should offer you MSE. That is if you're on 7. Using Win 8, you don't have to bother with AVs at all, it is all built in.

It's more common the older the OS disc is and the newer the machine is. I wouldn't expect it to be as common in the future as it is now with XP, mostly because of the shortened support cycle.

But, even so it's something I recommend, just because unless you have a second machine it's a real PITA to deal with after you find the problem.

As for the bios update, actually the gigabyte motherboards have an ultra easy way to do this. There's an app for windows called @BIOS and it automatically downloads latest bios for your motherboard and installs it. However keep in mind what the previous people said about consequences of doing it wrong.

I just bought a similar setup (UD3H instead of UD5H, and core i7-3770 instead of core i5-3570). Works great.

DOS doesn't support AHCI. You'll have to run off floppies. Not cool dude.

Well you can download that too.

With Gigabyte motherboards there is a utility on the disc that comes with it that updates your bios in the Windows environment. I would do it that way as if you get the wrong one then like previously mentioned you can brick your board and flashing a bios is not covered by the warranty.

At least with the utility you will definately get the right one for your board. Most cases though the motherboards come with the latest bios available unless it is old stock the supplier is carrying.

As for VGA card, don't really want to be messing with the bios on that as there are so many revisions, mess up and once again voided warranty.

Windows update will update everything that is needed with regards to system drivers like Chipset, Monitor, Sound (if you are using onboard) & LAN etc

Only thing I would get is the VGA driver and not wory to much about anything else.

I wouldn't do that. Windows generally has a generic driver for the chipset. It may or may not function as well as the OEM driver for the appropriate chipset depending upon how much customization the OEM did on the hardware. Sometimes it works fine, but sometimes it's unstable or not as well optimized.

I would rather avoid doing bios updates from windows side. Going through the list bios updates on your motherboard and the newest is from 2012/08/23. All the updates have been about system stability and compatibility. Everything should work with just fine with the bios which will come with the board.

If you find the need to update the bios, do it with the program inside the bios. You basicly download the bios file, unzip it to a USB stick and you select the file in the updater. And that particular Gigabyte motherboard comes with Dualbios. It basicly has second chip on it just incase the other one gets messed up. The manual should have instructions for this.

Windows 7 does all other needed driver installations but you need to go nvidias website to get the latest GPU drivers. Also I would install some antivirus program before you connect your computer the internet.

Exactly. New parts come with drivers for a reason. Windows generic drivers are practically placeholders to enable the computer to function while you install proper OEM drivers.

Does that mean GOG games using DOSbox wouldn't run?