Sempron 2800+ ABIT AN7 for budget 'organ transplant'?

Hi, some background. I've never changed a mobo, just cards, RAM, HDs… I
need a new HD, but my mobo is so old: SDRAM, Duron, ATA 66, pre-137GB
BIOS, & probable incompatibilities if I mix new with old. This led me to
think that a new "Combo CPU + Mother board" from Fry's looks the best
deal. Also, the ~160 GB ATA133 HD looks best deal (SATA still possible
in future with most mobos). And, PC3200 or 2700.

Fry's lowest priced combo is $60 for Sempron 2400+ ECS K7VTA3 Version
8.0c. But Usenet posts warn me off ECS or that board. So, REJECT. :-)

Next good deal is Sempron 2800+ ABIT AN7 nForce2 Ultra 400 Socket A
266/333/400 MHz FSB $90-100.
Jul 2004 Usenet posts.. implied AN7 was too new. But, I figure now, Sep
04, AN7 is 'mature'.

Any comments, cautions?
Do I have to be anymore paranoid about grounding than I do when
changing RAM? (I stay put when messing with the innards, but don't have
any ground strap for wrist or bodypart, though I could rig wire out
window to house's ground rod)

It's just a basic home use computer. Net, word processing, some basic
still image work. Port/connections used are only Ethernet, USB,
Parallel.