I have heard a lot of good things about machines having better interactive performance under 2.6, so it is probably worth a shot as it would be cheaper than the other options.
It would? I think it has the potential to be more expensive - futzing around with settings and whatnot. Could take all day if it goes badly. That's more expensive than a $150 HD. Mind you, things still could go wrong with that - copying the filesystems might take a while too.
Of course, if you're a postgrad student doing, say, a PhD. Time's cheap. Ay, Michael?
Cheers, Carl.
