I know, a lot for my first post, but I need help.
I have recently built a new system, my 5th, and the first on e that i have had trouble with. And trouble it is. BSOD, hangs, etc. No two BSODs are alike. Close and similar, but not alike. 0x1, 0xA, 0x7, 0x8, 0x8E, 0x116, 0x1A, among them, with varying faults attached. The mini-dumps, some attached, have identified Vista driver errors, others are Nvidia driver errors, and unspecified hardware errors. I( would note that the errors only occur when the system is stressed slightly. Any 2d or 3d application trips it, including every game. Not some, every. However, day to day computing may not cause a problem, it has not crashed there yet. But once I try a game, then either a hang, crash, or BSOD. And not modern 3d games alone, but dx7, dx8 and games not requiring intense or any complicated graphics.

Hence my dilemma: everything is wrong.

What I have done:

1. Clean reinstall of windows vista, scrubbed of old drivers and replaced with the latest.
2. The latest bios, chipset drivers.
3. Memory tested.
4. disk drives checked.
5. BFG (Video card maker) insists it is driver issue and that I contact Nvidia, forgetting of course that nvidia says contact the manufacturer of the board.
6. PSU is well Rated for the board, and is a replacement of a DOA psu.
7. Temperature and cooling are adequate. Errors occur irrespective of temperature of chip or chipset.

Interestly sometimes the error report comes back with "this problem has been fixed in SP1". Which of course would be easy since I already have SP1 installed. It has said that for two different nonn-hardware problems, one Nvidia's error, one MS. Neither mattered to my machine.
What I would like to know is
1. Any suggestions as to what protocols I should use to find out where these things are coming from, and should I just send the video card back?
2. Any driver I am missing? Is Vista the problem and should I switch to XP?
3. Any good places for premature burial spots that might have pose chances for reincarnation?

ww

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This might be one of 2 things - one is a compatibility issue (most common between the graphics card driver and the motherboard) or two, faulty RAM. I would try swapping the Nvidia card for an ATi card and making sure that the RAM is on the list of approved RAM for the motherboard.

Thanks.
However, I don't have access to an ATi board. I tried buying one for my kid's computer last week and the local computer electronic's megastore didn't carry but one or two. Nearly all they had were Nvidia. I am assured by the respective manufacturers that the boards are compatible, albeit mine might be the exception. RAM checks ok through testing, but is not on the list of approved memories, although other OCZ memory was. No memory at the store was on the list, so it was difficult to purchase appropriate memory so I got as close as I could get. (telling me I should have mail-ordered.) I will try other memory tomorrow and see what happens. That I have, even though it too does not comply with specs.

Asus boards are known for being picky about their RAM. Interestingly that OCZ would probably work in another one of their offerings.

As for your 0x116 error this is what Microsoft has to say:

Bug Check 0x116: VIDEO_TDR_ERROR
The VIDEO_TDR_ ERROR bug check has a value of 0x00000116. This indicates that an attempt to reset the display driver and recover from a timeout failed.

You have mentioned issues with gaming, etc.

This 0x116 error is coupled with nvlddmkm.sys which is an Nvidia display driver and there seems to be quite a bit concerning this driver and Vista.

Indeed the 0x116 was attached to that error, as was a couple of others. But is that hardware or software? Is that the board not handling it or the hopelessness of not having a driver that will work?
ww

Are there Omega driver offerings for this card and Vista? I know some people have resolved these type of issues by going with these 3rd party drivers. I even know a number of people who won't use anything but Omega drivers.

I am not familiar with any third party drivers. It is probably not the memory, as I had the same result with other memory. I substituted a PNY 7600 and it seemed to work fine, leaving it to either the graphics card or it's driver. How can I tell which?

I'd put my money on the driver.

Any thoughts on how to cure it?

Agreed. I was wondering how many different drivers you've attempted. The reason I ask is because I have lost count of how many people have had to do the old hunt and peck method looking for the right driver that brings stability.

To sound totally naive, where would I find other drivers other than the ones from Nvidia?

It is not naive! You could see what other makers are out there with the same chip and try their drivers - very much suck it and see and it will not be a quick job.

Look at this and see if this is something you'd want to try:

http://www.omegadrivers.net/

Here is a reason to believe it is not a driver issue-- I ran Prime95 and get an error within a few seconds of it running. Either I am running it wrong, which is possible or probable, or it is hardware.

Hardware = video card?

I am awaiting responses from Intel tech support, nvidia tech support, and the power supply tech support. The power supply tech support last left me with "don't plug the card into the power supply using their plug." Their plug has two molex merging into one into the board, whereas the PSU from ANTEC has modular plugs, which has a PCIe plug with completely different plug set up than the card manufacturer. I asked Antec which one to use, and all they would say was "don't plug their's into ours." I wonder whether Antec's plug would not just fry the board. Since then they have refused to answer the question.

I don't know whether it is the CPU or the Video card, and don't know how to tell the difference under testing. Just part of my ignorance. There must be some easier way to know which is failing. If indeed it is hardware, which I think Nvidia believes. I think Nvidia and BFG should mud wrestle.