Nvidia issues and what processor should I use?

[OldSchool38]

A while back, I read that if you updated the bios on a dell optiplex 330 you could use a core 2 quad processor (2.66 gb socket 775) instead of the specified core 2 duo processor.  After the bios update, I was able to use the core 2 quad and even go up to 8gb of ram successfully.  However I noticed that every so often in windows (Vista and 7, 32 or 64 bit) I would get a 'kernel crash error'-especially when I was playing high power games.  However I've never had an nvidia crash when using linux-which makes me wonder-could my using the core 2 quad be putting things off kilter in windows since it's really not what the 330 was designed for?  I wonder if going back to a core 2 duo might be just the thing to help-but before I run off and get another one-has anyone had a similar issue?  I really want to use windows vista/7 again since the game options are greater than linux for now.

[Destro]

Absolutely not.   I have a machine that is win 7x64 with a X3380 Xeon 3.17 Ghz QUAD core w/ 8GB ram and a Nivida GTX 960.  Never has what you described happened to me ever. 

But the difference between your computer and mine is yours is a DELL.  Mine? Is a SuperMicro home made.   Ya and my comptuer is designed to be able to run that.  But you could be right that it's just your hardware is not designed to run that and it should otherwise work for everyone.