Unknown issue: Games are failing...hardware issue??

I have had a few problems with my PC:

Specs:
Intel Core2 Duo CPU E8500 @ 3.16GHz (2 CPUs)
4GB DDR2 800mHz RAM (2GB,1GB,1GB)
320 GB SATA2 7200RPM 16MB Cache
NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT 512MB DDR3
Black CMV 5ms 22" Widescreen Monitor
Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3L Motherboard
1x Lite-on IDE DVD Burner
Stock 460W PSU & Coolermaster Centurion 5
Razer Lycosa
Razer Lachesis

I reinstalled Vista Home Premium SP1 (due to software issues) and installed Fallout 3 and Far Cry 2.
Installs seemed to go ok, although the PC seemed to lock onto the installs and take a while.
Both games are updated and have run perfectly before now.
Fallout 3 crashes to the desktop every few minutes in large open areas and Far Cry 2 when loading new/saved games. No error message...just straight to the desktop.
I also tried installing the Crysis demo I downloaded a while back (which has worked fine in the past) and it blue screens the PC while installing.

PC up to date (windows update, GPU drivers, bios, motherboard...)

Could someone please shed some light on what may be the problem and a solution???
Thanks

Try to right click the shortcut of the game and select Run as Administrator.

Hello, I need one more thing.

Start >> type in DxDiag >> Enter. This will start the DxDiag utility.

Once the DirectX Diagnostic Tool appears, click on the Save All Information button at the bottom.

Upload it to mediafire.com and post the link to the log here.

I reinstalled Far Cry 2 (it bluescreened again) but works now. So does Fallout 3 now, without reinstall though which is weird. Crysis works also.
So these games now are fine to play yet they still bluescreen while installing.
COD4 had no issues installing or playing.

http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=cf749034c678f380b94117dade8fc295e04e75f6e8ebb871

Just uploaded the DxDiag.txt too
Thanks for your help so far

Hello.

Update your sound drivers and set the game graphics settings to low, and try the game.

It's not the games themselves anymore. Sound drivers are up to date so that issue is sorted.

The bluescreen while installing is the concern. Of course installing is from the DVD's, and I just tried ripping a DVD (movie) and the PC froze after the optical drive slowed down to a stand-still mid-way through the ripping process.

PC completely froze except for the mouse and i couldn't eject the DVD. No activity from the DVD drive at all - no light or anything.

From this I believe it to be an optical drive issue; yet I don't know what is causing it or how to fix it.

What are your thoughts on this?

Thanks a lot

Ah. Ok then. Could you provide me with your optical drive's model?

It is a Lite-On DH-20A4P.

I created a Nero InfoTool file with all the details. Hope it helps.

http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=cf749034c678f380b94117dade8fc295e04e75f6e8ebb871

The link you gave has nothing in it.

If you click the link it opens a page which shows 2 files. The DVD drive file is the "InfoTool.txt" file. Just download that.

This may be a semi-direct link (still need to click download)
http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?jdznkjijmma

Either way I still gave you the model number.

Not sure if this will work.

Download the latest driver for your DVD driver here and install it:

http://down3.driversdown.com/CDROM/liteon_dh20a4p_fw9p59.zip

If still doesn't work, then it could be a fault with your DVD - dirty/scratched DVDs. if not try to connect the optical drive properly in to the motherboard and motherboard to optical drive.

Gave the link a shot. Giving me an error message:

"This error (HTTP 403 Forbidden) means that Internet Explorer was able to connect to the website, but it does not have permission to view the webpage."

If you can manage to download the file and upload to mediafire it would be most appreciated, so long as the file isn't too big for your sake.

http://www.liteonit.com/global/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=251&Itemid=67&limit=1&limitstart=2

If the firmware download on this link is the same let me know.

Thanks

The firmware is the same as the one you provided in the above link.

Sweet thanks. I'll give it a shot.

No luck unfortunately. I already had the latest version, updated anyway to make sure nothing faulty in previous drivers though.
Still the issue.

I am beginning to think unstable RAM, is that possible. I had previously 2x 800mhz ddr2 1GB sticks. One for each channel. Bought recently another 2GB stick (same brand and model etc, just the 2GB version) and shuffled them around so I have 2GB on each channel now.

Only recently installed the games and this ripping so perhaps it could be RAM related.

What do you think?
Any way to be sure??

Try to switch it back to the old RAM sticks and see how it goes.

Switched back to the old ones as suggested. No difference.

Just trying a few things, I copied all the DVD files to the HDD and then ran DVD Shrink on them...it failed with each attempt I made... I tried on my laptop and it worked fine.

Would this count out the DVD drive or not as it wasn't using it when DVD Shrink failed.

The error is:
"DVD Shrink encountered an error and cannot continue.
Failed to write file "D:\LINEWATCH\VIDEO_TS\VTS_02_1.VOB"
The drive cannot find the sector requested."

BTW, copying the files from the disk did not falter at all.

What should be my next step??