E4400 is tested here http://www.madshrimps.be/?action=getarticle&articID=610

This CPU requires 1.55v to get to 3.27Ghz; 1.4v @3Ghz and 1.38 with vdroop, down to 1.35 during heavy load. Stock Cooler can handle 1.4v at 3Ghz easily.

Thank you. I did read that link several times :ws: I guess what I am asking is more your personal preference....

I read the articles at Tom's Hardware...and I know that they are a paler shadow of the tech site they used to be but this line....
"We can't really recommend running a 65-nm processor at a voltage this high anyway, since we can't rule out the possibility that the core could be damaged beyond repair over the course of time due to electron migration. Simply put, you run the risk that the conducting paths inside the CPU could literally be ablated and thus destroyed by ion migration. The result is that one day, the computer suddenly shuts down and will never start up again with that CPU. We only ran our CPU at these speeds for a short while to determine its performance at these settings. On the other hand, some models may very well run at such high speeds without even needing the slightest core voltage tweak."

They have this Caveat EVERY TIME they OVERVOLT To 1.4Volts & ABOVE. Even though I think this statement is overly cautious, I was looking for personal thoughts....like "as a general rule I never go beyond 1.## volts on a chip I want to keep for three years or more" (that kind of thing). I haven't got my OC foundation fully formed yet.

1.4v at BIOS here running 3Ghz on E4400 daily use because of vdroop on that particular motherboard. In fact, vdroop is built into the design to prevent sudden power surge when CPU process drops. The same on E4500, 1.4v at 3.2Ghz. I too keep my CPU way over 4 years. :)

Understanding the law of diminishing return is always a good thing (virtual). :)

Thank you, again. :ws: Yes, with OC'ing if I am not careful in the heat of battle I can get a little greedy, but in a calm outside state I am very conservative. ;-D and RESPECT THE LAW. I am wondering if I did a pin mod for 266Mhz FSB would/should the board automatically kick up the voltage therefore doing some of the work for me, given my problem reaching even stock FSB my current 190FSB stably at posted V-Core of 1.28Volts?

No, they are two entirely different things.

My board will boot my chip in the current unmodded state at 250Mhz (that's boot into XP but won't pass Bmarks) but no higher. So likely if I did the 266Mhz pin mod ONLY, I would not get a boot or at best just a boot without further voltage Pin modding?

Okay, under the condition you mentioned, it should work only if your mb supports 266FSB CPU. What MB do you have?

Gigabyte 8I865GME-775-RH, yes it supports 266Mhz processors. It has them listed on the Gigabyte's mobo product page and specifically mentions they are supported. There is also a special setting in the BIOS if the processor is a default 266Mhz...It kept prompting me that it detected a C2Duo processor and asked if I wanted to enable this 266 feature. Tried it once for S4ITs & Giggles on the unmodded E4400 but had to reset.
The BIOS Allows adjustment from 100 - 350 FSB.