PC Crashes, even during XP Install

[arthurleung]

You need to take into account that you might have a voltage drop from what you select in the BIOS, to what reaches the RAM. In a some cases this can be enough to cause issues.
What mobo is it? It's giving you a really small selection in options for the voltage.

Also have to take into account that there could be a voltage boost from your mobo (mine does, +0.1~0.15v on BIOS setting)

I don't think there are any 775 C2D/C2Q CPU that can't be overclocked past 3Ghz easily, so you are definitely limited by ram here. I still think it is the timing is too tight or you have set the wrong ram frequency.

A CPU-z screenshot will help here.

[Agent]

Also have to take into account that there could be a voltage boost from your mobo (mine does, +0.1~0.15v on BIOS setting).

Are you talking about the lines being strong, or the motherboard putting another increased voltage on what you request for the RAM default?
If the latter, is it just a Vdroop modifier or something else?

[vti_786]

well the frequency is set to auto and to be honest the fsb is running at 250mhz so 500 mhz for the ram (can do 800mhz) and the cpu is 11 x 250mhz (2.750ghz)

so if anything, the ram is under-run.

when i tried 260 mhz fsb windows wouldn't load and would restart, which gave me the conclusion that i needed to adjust the voltage on the cpu

i really do agree with agent about the limitations on the g31 chipset, i hope i can do more on the p35 chipset, as iv heard the e4500 is a very good overclocker, even with the current overclock (2.75ghz) the temps are still at 20 degrees.

Also have to take into account that there could be a voltage boost from your mobo (mine does, +0.1~0.15v on BIOS setting)

I don't think there are any 775 C2D/C2Q CPU that can't be overclocked past 3Ghz easily, so you are definitely limited by ram here. I still think it is the timing is too tight or you have set the wrong ram frequency.

A CPU-z screenshot will help here.

[arthurleung]

well the frequency is set to auto and to be honest the fsb is running at 250mhz so 500 mhz for the ram (can do 800mhz) and the cpu is 11 x 250mhz (2.750ghz)

so if anything, the ram is under-run.

when i tried 260 mhz fsb windows wouldn't load and would restart, which gave me the conclusion that i needed to adjust the voltage on the cpu

i really do agree with agent about the limitations on the g31 chipset, i hope i can do more on the p35 chipset, as iv heard the e4500 is a very good overclocker, even with the current overclock (2.75ghz) the temps are still at 20 degrees.

It is possible that your ram is actually running at 1:2 which means DDR2-1000, rather than DDR2-500 you think you are. And I don't think the G31 is really holding you back. It is suppose to support 1333 FSB which means the NB will easily handle 11x333 if you CPU can do it.

Are you talking about the lines being strong, or the motherboard putting another increased voltage on what you request for the RAM default?

My Asus X38 board gives 2.05V when I request 1.9V (could be 1.95V).
And TBH putting extra voltage doesn't only help booting at higher freq but not fixing memtest errors.

[vti_786]

could the 1:2 option be selected automatically? as im pretty sure i haven't changed it or even have the option to change it.

the only thing i have fiddled around with is the fsb speed, and ofcourse changed the ram voltage.

plus i think i read somewhere that the bios changes the settings it displays according to the cpu installed, e.g if a cpu is installed that has a high fsb to begin with, like the q6600 runs at 266 fsb stock speed, the bios will support upto 333 for this cpu, and thats where you get your 1333

It is possible that your ram is actually running at 1:2 which means DDR2-1000, rather than DDR2-500 you think you are. And I don't think the G31 is really holding you back. It is suppose to support 1333 FSB which means the NB will easily handle 11x333 if you CPU can do it.