Recurring BSODs only notice with FF/Opera open & Youtube

Solidox2k said:

The installation DVD says DELL on it, does that make a difference? The supplier specified it is a branded OEM installation DVD. It even came with a COA sticker on the case... does this still make it counterfeit?

Afraid so -
The COA sticker in legitimate sales is on waxed paper so that it can be detached and affixed to the machine - where it must live its life.
Dell disks are applicable to Dell PCs ONLY - and cannot legally be used on any other machines.
Legitimate System Builder disks come in a sleeve, rather than a case, with the System Builder License terms visible from teh outside so that you can agree to them prior to opening the pack - they then contain a booklet, and the Key, and a Hologrammed OS disk with Microsoft all over it - not Dell :)

Legitimate Retail packs are fancy affairs.

Here's a good post that describes some of the scams with apparently genuine Retail packs....
Blocked Product Keys

Here's the formal HowToTell page How to Tell

Interestingly, I just remembered something....
Some time ago, a poster in another forum asked about the type of thing you appear to have - except he was actually working in the place that was making them, and was worried about the legality of it. As I recall, he ended the discussion sayng that he was going to quit because of his concerns, and was considering reporting them to the authorities.
You may also want to look at another post whith this in mind....
Advice on Safe Software Shopping (revised 4/10/2011)

I can guarantee it is.

I have emailed the seller addressing this issue multiple times, and waited long enough without reply. I suppose I am left with no recourse. I'll google a way to report them to microsoft, unless you may have a specific link to do so. I've heard in some cases MS can give a discount or even a compensated copy for counterfeit cases... is this true? I can only imagine they must be pretty unique cases... to think I've been sheisted $100+

*sigh* All that disappointment aside, I have found the reason for the BSoD's:

I'm confident the drive is fine. I've run diags on it left and right, zero-d it out and tested again w/no errors. Regardless I swapped to a known good HDD with no change in the BSODs, so kept testing.

In the end, it turned out to be a memory module. I had ran a test before and nothing came up, I suppose it was a fluke 'cause I ran tests again yesterday (memtest86) and got lovely red colored errors non-stop. I narrowed it down to the problem child *shakes fist*, and once removed, I haven't had an issue. Lifetime warranty so I'm RMA-ing it now.

How to Tell - Home (change the localization as appropriate)