hey guys i was having losts of trouble with random bsod while browsing the internet, playing games and other times.
i thought id try formating and reinstalling one thing at a time.
so i tried this and while installing microsoft xp service pack 2 the computer blue screened.
so im not sure but it only leaves the RAM, CPU, MOBO, PSU
i have a 4 gig kingston ddr2 800 ram
intel Q6600
Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3L
550 watt cooler master PSU

also am running 3 hdd and a dvd burner rom
5 fans and some lighting
any ideas and ways to check problems would be great
iv already done a mem test on all 4 gig of ram and that came up ok

many thanks

If I had to pick something off the cuff, I would say dump the cooler master and get a better PSU.

Is memory on correct Volts? Try running Memtest86 overnight. What video card?

Mike.

I was going to suspect the RAM until you said you ran memtest. Was it memtest86+? Because I have had memtest pass and memtest86+ fail before. If memtest86+ fails within at least 5 hours, then it could be because you have 4 sticks. Sometimes using 4 sticks causes problems. Dump the PSU anyway.

Try running the install with only one stick of ram in, if it fails, try another stick until you've gne through all of your sticks.

If that fails Try running a surface test on your HDD (you should be able to download tools from your HDD manu's website).

Should your HDD pass i'd look at your motherboard next, it's very rare for your CPU to be the failing component nowadays.

originaly i had 2 GB of ram and i ram memtest86+ on each stick for about a hour and both were ok
i only resently got the extra 2 GB coz it was cheap
i have a Leadtek 8800GT the model that comes with the aftermarket cooler
iv also heard that gigabyte boards and kingston ram are ok together
if it is the PSU how can i go about getting another one try get my money back?
what size PSU should i be looking for?
700, 800?
also the ram is at the correct volts
thanks for your help

If I am not mistaken Windows xp has trouble installing with 4gb of ram. Try installing with 2 gb and after installation is complete add in the other 2gb.

Since it was OK before installing the extra 2GB, I'd suspect memory:

You say all of your sticks pass Memtest, so we'll eliminate that for the time being. Running 4 sticks *is* more stressful on your motherboard, so:

(1) Manually set all timings to the maker's recommended - Standard, NOT the EPP
(2) Manually set the voltage to the upper range of the maker's recommended range - Should be around 2~2.1volts, but check.
(3) Ensure the command rate is set to 2T
(4) If the BIOS has a voltage drop setting (vDroop or vDrop), enable it.

That normally is enough. If it is not:

(1) Bump FSB voltage a step at a time until it's stable - Watch your temps, and don't go more than a few steps.

(2) You might have to underclock your memory, but normally that only applies to running high performance stuff...



Once your computer is stable again, then you can consider going back and tightening it up some.

i checked the ram and the ram is 1.8v it didnt say a max anywhere
also did memtest on the new ram and came up ok
i have no idea how to set the timings or what the makers recommended timings are
have a small idea how to increase the voltage for ram
couldnt find a command rate or if the bios had a voltage drop setting
thanks for your help

If it passed memtest86+ for at least 5 hours look for another cause. Memtest86+ will usually find the problem in the first pass, but it's good to let it cook to be sure.