Random Freezes InGame & Audio Looping - Win7 x64

I keep getting random freezes during gameplay (TF2, Portal 2, Total War: Shogun 2 [does not seem to be any specific game, just games in general]), and when the screen goes black the audio starts looping.

-I have performed a clean boot of Windows 7 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929135)
-I have checked the minimum specs for each game and I have confirmed that they are able to run on my computer.
-I have run a Preboot System Assessment without any errors.
-I have tried uninstalling my graphics driver in safe mode and reinstalling it normally through Windows.
-I have checked the temperatures and power supply of both my motherboard and video card.
-I have monitored my CPU usage during gameplay.
-I have run Memtest86 and have not found any errors.
-I've disconnected all devices except for my monitor, keyboard and mouse.
-I have tried disabling Aero effects.
-I have checked with my computer manufacturer and have validated that I am running the newest driver for my audio card, video card, BIOS etc.
-I have tried lowering all game settings to the minimum setting

but still i get the same problem - the screen freezes and blacks out, and the audio starts looping. No BSoD... yet.

Hello,
know you said it hasnt crashed yet, but if you could please provide the upload we normally request when a system BSOD's per https://www.sevenforums.com/crashes-d...tructions.html it also contains information about what your system is running on as well as any events that may shed light on this.

Here:
Windows 7 x64
Original installed OS on Computer
Full Retail Version
Age of my System: Roughly 2 and a half years
OS installation: Never reinstalled it

well,

looks like you did have a few BSOD's

Code:

*******************************************************************************
*                                                                             *
*                        Bugcheck Analysis                                    *
*                                                                             *
*******************************************************************************

VIDEO_TDR_FAILURE (116)
Attempt to reset the display driver and recover from timeout failed.
Arguments:
Arg1: fffffa800b081010, Optional pointer to internal TDR recovery context (TDR_RECOVERY_CONTEXT).
Arg2: fffff880059b0260, The pointer into responsible device driver module (e.g. owner tag).
Arg3: 0000000000000000, Optional error code (NTSTATUS) of the last failed operation.
Arg4: 0000000000000002, Optional internal context dependent data.

Debugging Details:
------------------


FAULTING_IP: 
nvlddmkm+e7260
fffff880`059b0260 803d71b8960000  cmp     byte ptr [nvlddmkm+0xa52ad8 (fffff880`0631bad8)],0

DEFAULT_BUCKET_ID:  GRAPHICS_DRIVER_TDR_FAULT

CUSTOMER_CRASH_COUNT:  1

BUGCHECK_STR:  0x116

PROCESS_NAME:  System

CURRENT_IRQL:  0

the nvidia drivers appear to be from 2009

Code:

6: kd> lmvm nvlddmkm
start             end                 module name
fffff880`058c9000 fffff880`0638c300   nvlddmkm T (no symbols)           
    Loaded symbol image file: nvlddmkm.sys
    Image path: \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\nvlddmkm.sys
    Image name: nvlddmkm.sys
    Timestamp:        Mon Oct 26 14:37:50 2009 (4AE5FA8E)
    CheckSum:         00ACC430
    ImageSize:        00AC3300
    Translations:     0000.04b0 0000.04e4 0409.04b0 0409.04e4

Please uninstall the drivers for nvidia, reboot and then install the ones from here
Drivers - Download NVIDIA Drivers

funtimeerror said:

well,

looks like you did have a few BSOD's

Code:

*******************************************************************************
*                                                                             *
*                        Bugcheck Analysis                                    *
*                                                                             *
*******************************************************************************

VIDEO_TDR_FAILURE (116)
Attempt to reset the display driver and recover from timeout failed.
Arguments:
Arg1: fffffa800b081010, Optional pointer to internal TDR recovery context (TDR_RECOVERY_CONTEXT).
Arg2: fffff880059b0260, The pointer into responsible device driver module (e.g. owner tag).
Arg3: 0000000000000000, Optional error code (NTSTATUS) of the last failed operation.
Arg4: 0000000000000002, Optional internal context dependent data.

Debugging Details:
------------------


FAULTING_IP: 
nvlddmkm+e7260
fffff880`059b0260 803d71b8960000  cmp     byte ptr [nvlddmkm+0xa52ad8 (fffff880`0631bad8)],0

DEFAULT_BUCKET_ID:  GRAPHICS_DRIVER_TDR_FAULT

CUSTOMER_CRASH_COUNT:  1

BUGCHECK_STR:  0x116

PROCESS_NAME:  System

CURRENT_IRQL:  0

the nvidia drivers appear to be from 2009

Code:

6: kd> lmvm nvlddmkm
start             end                 module name
fffff880`058c9000 fffff880`0638c300   nvlddmkm T (no symbols)           
    Loaded symbol image file: nvlddmkm.sys
    Image path: \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\nvlddmkm.sys
    Image name: nvlddmkm.sys
    Timestamp:        Mon Oct 26 14:37:50 2009 (4AE5FA8E)
    CheckSum:         00ACC430
    ImageSize:        00AC3300
    Translations:     0000.04b0 0000.04e4 0409.04b0 0409.04e4

Please uninstall the drivers for nvidia, reboot and then install the ones from here
Drivers - Download NVIDIA Drivers

I contacted Dell Support before (sorry for not including that) and they told me to get my drivers from support.dell.com - the drivers for my nvidia card on the site were dated back to 2009. Do I still do a clean install of my nVidia?

i would go with the drivers from nvidia's website.

http://www.nvidia.com/content/Driver...s&type=GeForce

that should be the link to the driver you want

BSoD also shows nvlddmkm.sys crash, just uploaded a new .rar file if it helps>

I've been looking around some other forums, and supposedly it's one of these problems:
1. Video Card Issue.
2. Power Issue.
3. ACPI Error.
The minimum power supply for my Geforce 310 is 300W, and my PSU goes to 350W. Is it one of these problems or is there something I'm missing?

You are correct in the regard that those are the likely culprits. The reason I had you update your nvidia drivers was just to make sure it wasn't a issue with the drivers being either corrupted or calling functions that have sense been deprecated.

How long have you had your 310 card and for how long was it working with the card prior to the issue?

If you have had that card in that system with a 350W power supply for over a year with no issue then I'm inclined to say that the issue is with the card and not the power supply. My friend recently had the same BSOD off a brand new card and had to get it RMA'd.

If you have another old graphics card laying around you can try using it and seeing if the issue persists.