I think the easiest thing to do is buy the drive and computer and then use something like Acronis true image to do a sector copy of the computer's hard drive to the SSD. No re-installing anything.

That makes sense, thanks. I'm just looking for an open bay, normal rails/etc, SATA cabling?

Most SSDs are 2.5" so you might need a 2.5 to 3.5 adapter bracket, but a lot of SSDs come with them. They use standard SATA connections so you just need a SATA cable.

Any SSD brand recommendations?

Also, I wonder if there are Windows 8 gotchyas...with 7 I'd move the AppData user folders off the boot drives. I hope that's not a complex operation. I want future proof (ha!) but not hard work (sure...).

So far my experience with Windows 8 is that it's a awful like Windows 7 once you get past the Metro UI.

I've had an Intel and a Samsung, and neither has given me any trouble. In general I think I'd just look for SATA 6gb capability and high read/write rates. 'Course that's pretty much all of them anymore.

I've been using an OWC Mercury EXTREME SSD for a couple of years now on 2008 a Mac Pro and am very happy with it. The one time I suspected it of slowing down I got some very good support from OWC.

Having an SSD for the boot disk on a Mac makes worlds of difference. No more spinning optical disc!

My last desktop was an HP, and I have nothing against their hardware. It's been so long since I looked at buying desktops, though--I'm entirely out of the game. I don't need amazing power--intermittent image editing is the most that I'm going to ask out of the machine--it's mostly there so I can use Office at home (that's another question--Office 365, or haul out my legal copies of Office 1985 (they feel that old...)? and the apps I can't run on a Mac or well on a laptop.

Also, where's good to shop? I can't believe this used to be my JOB.

(I can't believe, truly, that I'm having the second Lenovo hard disk failure inside of a year--entirely new work laptop, same "can't back up your hard drive" error...)

I just built a Windows 7 64bit desktop with an SSD. It was easy-peasy. I got this Samsung model, which did NOT come with a bracket, but the case I bought had a special spot for a single SSD drive.

Newegg! Why am I not shopping from them??? There's no point shopping in meatspace since I can't carry shit, so they're a great place to start.

Is there anywhere in particular I should start if OS X starts refusing to show folder contents? Doesn't matter if it's local or network, Finder or Path Finder. It just spinning balls. I can usually cancel out, and I think rebooting makes it okay for a bit.

eta: Finder won't relaunch either. It disappears from the application running list and won't come back.

Sounds like a failing drive.