BSODs while playing games (Left 4 Dead 2, Borderlands 2)

If you want me to tell you how I do it, I'll be happy. But if you get all your drivers on a USB drive, all the program installers you want to install on a USB flash drive, all activation numbers for any software, back up your email (if necessary) the install will be pretty painless. In other words, get everything you need in front of you and you can be up and functional in a short time.

When I start having problems with mine, I will try to fix it. If it takes or is going to take me more than an hour to fix it, I do a clean install. From working these cases, I have learned that in the time it takes to find the problem then the time it takes to fix it, I could have done a clean install 10 times, with a few hours left over. That is what I do. I have a folder of all up to date drivers on my computer and most of the installers for the main programs I use in another folder as well as activation numbers for software in a folder. I have a USB flash drive with all of them on it, put up somewhere. If I need to do a clean install, I get that flash drive and the Flash drive with the installation files on it and just do it. After I get to the desktop, I install the drivers and then install the Windows updates, most of which I have put into the installation files, and can be up and functional within a couple of hours after I finish the Windows Updates. It is not that bad, really. Just as long as you are prepaired. That is just the way I do it. A little forethought will make it much easier than all the horror stories you have heard about.

I do a lot of stuff with my computer, most people don't do. So, I guess because of what I explained above, I end up doing a clean install at least every 6 months. I have it down to a fine science. A lot of people do it different. They are not wrong, there are many ways to do it and none of them wrong. That is just my way.

Honestly, I don't have that much to back up. All the essential files and folders I need are already on USB memory sticks, the rest is not that important so I can just do a complete install.

I'm looking at the page for downloading the ISOs however, and I'm not exactly sure which one I should pick. Both the original retail copy and the pre-installed version of Windows that I have are Home Premium 64bit but I don't know which ISO I should pick when they have (media refresh) (old) (RTM) next to them in their descriptions.

Also this is going to sound like a dumb question, but even if my original DVD has a slight crack on the rim, is it worth trying that first to see if it can work or will it cause problems?

EDIT: In reading about it some more, an ISO file is usually burnt onto a CD/DVD, which I don't have any spares lying around. Is there an alternative way with an ISO?

Yes, if you have a blank USB Flash drive at least 4 GB. It will erase everything on the drive, but will create the installation media from the ISO file Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool

I do not see a UK edition which comes with no Internet explorer or Media Center, I believe (thanks to the EU), I would download the X64 Media refresh US edition which does come with those. It should be in the second group labeled
X17-58997.iso as best as I can tell.

it is and is common, look at the updates and don't install the ones for your GPU, just un check it. It is a much longer process, but it's easier to only update about 20-25 at a tine. Also, go to Windows updates and install them manually, when you uncheck the ones you don't want clock OK at the bottom, then click install. When it is finished, it will tell you to restart, do so and once finished, use th computer for a while to make sure it runs ok, then install the next 20-24. That way, if an update causes you problems, you will have a good idea of which one.

The windows old will have your old data if you need to copy it back. This will tell you how to delete it when you are done, Windows.old Folder - Delete

You are more than welcome. I am glad I helped a little, but you deserve a lot of credit too. You did all the work. I hope your good luck continues. Give it enough time to make sure it is fixed, then please mark this thread solved and give us another update. Thanks for giving us feedback.