Windows 7: New NVIDIA card causing freezes and driver-crashes

hi!

I recently purchased a new Graphic Card (Nvidia Geforce 670) and ever since I've experienced random freezes and moments where it's drivers stopped working.

When the freeze happens It'll remain frozen until I reset the PC and if I've speakers on it'll blow out a nasty BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ sound.
The freezes appear to occur randomly. It can go days without them and sometimes (like now, I had less then an hour inbetween)

In addition to that I quite frequently (daily at least) have my monitors go black and I get the "Nvidia Drivers stopped working" message. If I'm lucky it'll revert back to a previous stage where it worked fine and all I've to do is reboot the programs i'm running. If I'm unlucky, it doesn't stop until i've pushed the reset button.



I don't know for sure that it's the new card causing it but considering the circumstances and the issues I'd say it is. Before this card I ran AMD's 6970 without any issues.

I've already removed and reinstalled the Nvidia drivers and it didn't seem to help.

I'm running
CPU: Intel Core i7 2600k, Sandy Bridge.
12GB ram
Gigabyte Z68XP-UD3 MoBo
Nvidia Geforce GTX 670

Help & suggestions are extremely appreciated!

Thanks in advance,
Lajz.

Install Driver Sweeper and DOWNLOAD but don't install the new driver from NVIDIA.
Control Panel > Uninstall Programs > Uninstall "NVIDIA PHYSX" and "NVIDIA 3D VISION".
Then reboot your computer, and dependig on what model/build it is, enter Safe Mode (In my computer keep pressing F2).
Go to Device Manager (Start > Search Bar > Device Manager) and click on the little arrow nect to the tab "Display Adaptors". It should list all the graphic card that you currently are using.
Right click on the graphics card and select uninstall. Make sure that the other box/es are UNCHECKED.
Before you reboot again, open Driver Sweeper and select the boxes marked "NVIDIA CHIPSET", "NVIDIA PHYSX" and "NVIDIA DISPLAY". Select "Clean", and when prompted o reboot, select "Yes".

Now once you've rebooted, your computer should recognize the graphics card again.
Reboot the computer once more, and after that you can install the new driver.

Can't find a download link for driver sweeper.

Download:

Click here to Download (windows installer)System requirements:
The Guru3D - Driver Sweeper is fully tested on Windows 2000, XP and Vista. Both 32-bit and 64-bit versions are supported.

Guru3D - Driver Sweeper

Ancient version. Newer:

Phyxion.net - Driver Sweeper

which links to something newer yet (haven't tried it):

Driver Fusion - The Complete Driver Solution

Ultimately, a fresh Windows installation would give the most robust solution. No doubt you're eager to do that.

Well I've in fact been thinking about doing that because I picked up a new & better SSD a couple of weeks ago, I just haven't yet put windows on it. I've been lazy.

Do you recon I should do that instead? (Fresh windows installation).

Well if you're using the same graphics card you might as well fix it now in case it might corrupt your fresh windows installation.