BSODs still continue after wiping C: drive + Windows reinstall

[star-gazer777]

Particulars:
6-core AMD processor 3.2 GHz
16 GB RAM
AMD/ATI HD 5970 video (1 GB)
Corsair CX750M P/S
Boot drive: WD Raptor 10kRPM 250GB
O/S: Windows 7 Professional 64-bit, full OEM version

* I'm not sure if this is a Windows or hardware issue; I decided to begin here.

OK, in the past, I've had just about zero BSODs when using Windows 7. In the past several months, I began experiencing a few BSODs, maybe one every several weeks. In the past 2 weeks or so, I've seen 3 or 4. Now it's like every 3-4 days. Today, I had a BSOD, restarted the PC, and another BSOD occurred maybe 30 minutes later.

This is very unexpected/upsetting/frustrating etc., as I just wiped the C: drive and did a fresh reinstall of Win7. I had BitDefender Total Security running immediately, and not one single nasty item was found. The first BSOD following the Win7 reinstall occurred the very next day -- that took me by complete surprise, as I expected the C: drive wipe and Windows reinstall would stop the BSODs.

So considering that I just did a fresh Windows install, and nothing is showing up using BitDefender or MalwareBytes, what are the next few things to suspect, in order of 'most likely?'

Thanks in advance,
David G.

[Midknyte]

Did you run any hardware diagnostics? I'd run a memory and hard drive test first. If those pass, you can look more at software.
If you haven't made one already, go to the UBCD5 Guide link in my signature. Run Memtest86+ and Western Digital Datalifeguard diags.

Can you provide the exact BSOD errors? Use BlueScreenview to get the dmp info.
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/blue_screen_view.html

Did you install SP1 or not? Did you install Windows Updates or not?

[star-gazer777]

Midknyte,

I've been away and just now read your post, so I haven't tried that yet. However, I opened my PC case, and I've just noticed that the cooling fan on my video card is barely working/spinning. Could an overheated video card result in BSODs?

[Midknyte]

Could an overheated video card result in BSODs?

Yes.

[Train]

Could an overheated video card result in BSODs?

Lock ups and BSODs are just the beginning.

[star-gazer777]

Well, it's been a rough 2 weeks. Finally completed diagnostics -- memory is fine, video card is good, and the power supply is fine. It turns out the mobo shorted against the side panel (right side looking from the front of the PC). There were shutdowns and BSODs even with new hardware attached.

Anyway, the case apparently got whacked from a cross-country move. I'm getting a Corsair Obsidian 750D case and a GigabyteGA-990FXA-UD3 AM3+ that will accept my older 6-core AMD processor. Will be several days before I'll have it up and running again, but I'll be VERY glad not to experience shutdowns and BSODs anymore!

[star-gazer777]

A small edit to my previous post -- I got an identical replacement for my mobo: a Gigabyte GA-990FXA-UD5 AM3+ ... same as I had before, that got fried, but a newer revision.

[Train]

Thanks for the update!