Windows 7 - Random crashes and unable to boot

Hi there team, I'm sorry if there is a thread already like this, but i have been searching for days (when i can actually get my computer to boot) and have not been able to find anyone with the same symptoms as mine. So let me start off.

About 1 month ago, my computer was running fine, it would have a crash when i would play a video intensive game (skyrim to be exact) but has never had a problem before that. The crash would be the screen going in a green, blue, and teal led pattern then shutting off approx a minute later. The video card i had in my computer was very large in comparison to the shell, so i swapped shells, and that's when it all happened. i have a good basic knowledge on how to hook up the comp and where things go, and took pictures before to make sure everything was hooked to the motherboard properly just like it was before.

What my computer does: I cant boot my computer, it gets to the loading windows screen, i start to see the 4 orbs, the computer goes to the blue screen that says "system memory dump" for a fraction of a second and then shuts down. I run a system restore, they all fail, only on occasion can i find one that, even after it fails, allows me to boot up and get in, much like i am now. While in the system, if i try to run anything relating to the video card having to actually work, it'll give me that speckled colored screen again and crash and the whole process starts over. I cant boot in safe mode, because i get the same memory dump, I cant install the video drivers correctly because the comp wants a shut down before i can install the new drivers, and then it gets reset back to the old way when i have to do the restore. So I'm at a loss. There are some nights where i can play for hours and nothing, and then some nights i can even look at turning on a game like minecraft and my computer loses its mine. I don't know even where to start let alone where to go. I don't know if its a registry issue, a video driver, audio driver, or to even how to diagnose the issue, so i turn to all of you.

Any ideas on what can cause this sequence of events and how i can combat it?
Also, I'm not opposed to reformatting my hard drive, id really like not to, my only concern is that i received windows 7 from the student deal, so it was like a large patch, and i have it stored on my thumb drive as a zip file if i remember correctly, so i don't really know how to go it off of a file rather than a physical CD.

Thanks a lot
-John


Here's my system and video information:

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System Information
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Time of this report: 12/8/2011, 13:18:28
Machine name:
Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit (6.1, Build 7601) Service Pack 1 (7601.win7sp1_gdr.110622-1506)
Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: Gateway
System Model: DX4800-05e
BIOS: Default System BIOS
Processor: Pentium(R) Dual-Core CPU E5200 @ 2.50GHz (2 CPUs), ~2.5GHz
Memory: 6144MB RAM
Available OS Memory: 5888MB RAM
Page File: 2213MB used, 9559MB available
Windows Dir: C:\Windows
DirectX Version: DirectX 11
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
User DPI Setting: 96 DPI (100 percent)
System DPI Setting: 96 DPI (100 percent)
DWM DPI Scaling: Disabled
DxDiag Version: 6.01.7601.17514 32bit Unicode

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Display Devices
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Card name: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280
Manufacturer: NVIDIA
Chip type: GeForce GTX 280
DAC type: Integrated RAMDAC
Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_05E1&SUBSYS_055710DE&REV_A1
Display Memory: 3691 MB
Dedicated Memory: 1003 MB
Shared Memory: 2687 MB
Current Mode: 1680 x 1050 (32 bit) (59Hz)
Monitor Name: Generic PnP Monitor
Monitor Model: Acer X223W
Monitor Id: ACR0009
Native Mode: 1680 x 1050(p) (59.954Hz)
Output Type: DVI
Driver Name: nvd3dumx.dll,nvwgf2umx.dll,nvwgf2umx.dll,nvd3dum,nvwgf2um,nvwgf2um
Driver File Version: 8.17.0012.7533 (English)
Driver Version: 8.17.12.7533
DDI Version: 10
Driver Model: WDDM 1.1
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Driver Date/Size: 5/25/2011 01:09:12, 15223912 bytes