Weird System Crashing...

Recently my system began to crash, seemingly related to video but the test results are unclear:

Things started while playing Oblivion one day. I got a freezing crash - not the typical Oblivion CTD, but a total system freeze. After a hard reboot, I discovered that Oblivion would no longer start. When I launched, the game would start for a few minutes and then the screen would corrupt and then a memory dump / reboot. Ultimately I reinstalled all my mods and the game will start, but as soon as I try to load a game or click new game the system fails.

I started the long process of trying to fix things:
* - memtest86 - the ram showed no errors after 2 hours
* - Vantage - continuous testing for hours and no crash or corruption
* - Updated all drivers in the system
* - Reinstalled 11.4 video drivers using Driver Sweeper
* - Rolled to original Dell verified video driver w/DS
* - Defrags, Virus and Spyware Checks
* - Cleaned out all dust in my system and I use a laptop cooler. Temperatures have been fine all along.

Nothing has resolved the problem, and now I have found it is actually more widespread than I thought.

I ran the Fast Duplicate File Finder. When searching for dupes, it was fine. When I click "delete checked files" so it can clean out dupes, it runs for 1-5 minutes and then the system fails. Every single time.

I installed Arcania. The game launched and when I select load or new game the screen corrupted and the system failed. Repeatable. This is exactly as Oblivion behaves.

Even playing YouTube videos on the website (not downloaded) has caused the corruption / crash.

Remember, every test I run though, the system passes with no errors...

Now, I do have my video cards overclocked to 667/1030, but they have been that way for quite awhile and there has not been a problem up until now. I was playing Oblivion for months with no problem until now. No change to my mods before it.

Anyone have any clue what might be going on with my system? I'm at a complete loss here.

 

I just checked and of course my warranty expired three weeks ago.

 

Try flashing your cards back to stock, then run your tests again.

 

I was having major issues with a recent win7 update, I was getting system freezess and BSOD left and right. I finally realized my system applied updates a few days ago so I did a system restore to a few days prior to the updates. Everything's been AOK since.

 

@Sir Gawain - do you know which update it is? I have SR turned off but I might be able to remove the specific file.

@MKelliny - working on that right now. I'll be back with the results.

 

I dont know which it was as it was auto applied on a shutdown sorry... Is there a way I can check exactly what update is installed now? Maybe you can back track and find the specific file that way.

 

I flashed my cards back to their original BIOS and the problem is solved. It's pretty weird...the system was stable for two months and through several burn-in tests but somehow the bios was bad anyway.

I'm not complaining though, my system works again. Thanks guys!

 

Glad you got it solved!