Simple solution:

-Get at bare minimum 512 RAM
-Tascam FW1884 $1300 (control surface/mic pres/etc)
-Digital performer $329

When you have extra cash:

-A second hard drive dedicated only to audio
-UAD-1 Project Pak

For the time being you can use the softward based EQ, compressors, effects, etc.

Then even later down the road purchase some nicer preamps, mics, and outboard.

the only problom is we are trying to get a protools based system. the lap top we are getting has 1.256 GB ram and 30 GB internal harddrive and 200GB external
i was looking at the digidesign 888 interface but i need a pci expansion and a mix core card wich are very expensive so the other solution ive found was the digi002 but that dose not have the 8 xlr I/Os and 1/4" I/O wich are needed to run direct out into a backup hard drive recorder that we have

The Digi 002 does have ADAT Lightpipe inputs though! You can get like a Focusrite Octopre, Presonus Digimax, or even a Behringer ADA8000 and have those extra 8 inputs.

Why the need for Pro Tools? Do you just want the name or are you already fluent in Pro Tools?

i go to school for media arts and we have a hi end protools studio and i already no it very well

Cool.

Protools software only works with digidesign hardware. The other posters have made some good suggestions. Since you only have $1700 left to spend after you buy your computer, if you want to go Protools I think you should go with the digi002 rack. As therecordingart already pointed out the 002 has an adat light pipe input which means you can connect an external 8ch A/D converter with mic pres to your digi box and have a total of 16 inputs, 12 of those being xlr. You can buy the digi002 rack new for $1200 and the behringer ADA8000 for around $200. If you shop around you could probably find them used for less. I bought my digi002 rack used for $850. So assuming you buy those two pieces new you'll have about $300 left, which is about the minimum you'll need to spend to get something half-way decent for monitoring.