Straight is easier, but with the mixer in the middle you can obviously do more things.
Just go for it, try both and see what suits you better. And don't worry, you're not jacking a bomb in your PC. :D
I currently have a PIII 850, with 192 MB RAM, running Sonar 2.0 XL on Win98SE. 8 audio tracks + plugins works ok. With more than 8 audio tracks (all with plugins) I have some dropouts.
I have dual boot, where the one I use for Sonar is very clean (no antivirus, no firewall, no nothing), though...
Go to the mixer on the Audio HQ of your Soundblaster and select the recording device as 'line in'.
Based on your description it seems to be set as 'What U Hear', and this way you'll record anything that is playing (even from other programs, windows sounds, etc.).
Just change it.
;)
BShark
oh, sorry for mixing that up.
I had a similar problem with Sonar and a SB Live! once, and it was because I was because the input monitor thing was turned on. Don't know if there's such an option on your setup, though.
Don't know the programs you're using, but this repetition is called latency. Try to find it in your card mixer and in the recording software, and make it lower.
Hi, welcome aboard!
Can't answer all your questions, but here are some tips. Hope it helps.
As for your computer specs, you won't do much with this Celeron. This kind of processors are designed for simple algorithms, so they're indicated to run simple office stuff, like word processors...