Optimal configuration for writing orchestral music using kontakt 2

[economicsprofessor]

I am a newbie so please forgive my total ignorance. Having read many of the threads here it is not clear what the optimal system is for kontakt 2. I do not want to buy another machine. I have:

Windows XP Japanese Professional Service Pack 2
A pentium 2.2 with 1 gb of ram
Sonar 4 producer
Finale and Sibelius
Creative Audigy 2 ZS with WDM drivers installed

1. Should I get an external usb sound card with more appropriate drivers? If so, what should I get? Is there one that is compatible with Kontakt and Sonar?
2. External dedicated hard drive?
3. Can you compose in Finale or Sibelius and play your orchestral score using Kontakt2?
4. So many of you have problems with Sonar, should I dump it and get something else????? Is so, what? Cubase??????????

Thank you, Thank you. If these are annoying questions please guide me to a good thread.

[Billy Reuben]

Hi,
I can help a little...
I'm recieving Kontakt 2 this week. As you probably know it comes with 15 gigs of library that streams DFD (direct from disk). Ideally you should have 3 hard drives.
1 for your operating system
1 for recording your audio
1 for storing your sample libraries- ie: the 15 gigs of samples that you will get
with kontakt 2.
You can use external hard drives via USB 2. It must be USB 2 not 1... or you can use a firewire connection if you have one one your computer.
The external drive MUST be 7200 rpm or higher with 8mb of cache. Also seek time of around 8.5 ms. I just got a Western digital 200 gig external HD from newwegg.com for $165.00
I use Sonar and love it (it's all I know)
I have a MOTU 828 mkII audio interface which connects via firewire to my computer.
I use one computer. I too am rather new at this but the above I know from extensive research on these forums.
I have yet to attempt to load a big orchestral piece and I'm pretty convinced I may be limited because ideally one should be running more than one computer...however I'll probably be able to alot with my current set-up
Everyone says get more RAM - 2 gigs (I also have 1)
Not sure how you will be affected by a 2.2 ghz speed. (I have 2.66)

[Billy Reuben]

Thats newegg.com.....sorry