Windows 7 boots, freezes after several minutes, driver issue?

Problem is that now the OS freezes after roughly 3-10 minutes post-boot. I can access the web, download updates, and most other things, but eventually I simply cannot use the mouse anymore and it completely freezes up.

Also when it boots up now, i get a RunDLL error:
There was a problem starting P17RunE.dll

P17RunE.dll is not a valid Win32 application.

I looked up the problem and it seems to be related to a creative device, i.e. my sound card which is a Creative labs Audigy SE. The system also seems to lack the updated drivers, but windows cannot find the right driver when I look for it (I've learned all this over several boots since it freezes).

Also, control alt + delete freezes the computer immediately.

Could it be that this sound card isn't compliant with the x64 software? Would a new soundcard fix the problem?

comp specs:
Windows 7 x64 Home Premium
core 2 duo e6600 @ 2.4 GHz.
6 gigs of ram 6400 ddr2
250 gig sata hdd
msi 975x platinum mobo (which i was thinking of flashing)
Nvidia geforce 8800 gts w/ 320 mb.
Creative labs Audigy SE PCI sound card. (which I think is the problem)

It could very well be the Sound Card. I have an Audigy 4, I remember when I was running the RC I had some troubles with it. It refused to work right with my Razer Barracuda surround sound headphones, and if you remember how my mic was really shitty, that was the soundcard's fault, not the mic. I think Creative has terrible 64-bit drivers, and that's what's doing it.

Do you currently have the driver from creative installed or the generic windows driver? Try uninstalling what you have and see if it doesn't lock up on you.

i removed my sound card and it still froze after a little while, specifically when I tried to install digsby.

Any ideas?

It runs fine in safe mode.

We tested with a different video card and its the same. We tried disabling the sound/video/cd drives in safemode and its the same. I found a 12v power connector on the motherboard that wasn't connected, connected it and its the same. They also went through all the RAM 1 stick at a time and it still happened. We took out the battery and reset the BIOS which didn't do anything.

Sometimes it fails very quickly, other times we were able to run videos on youtube, download and fully install drivers, etc. before it crashed. It doesn't seem to be stimulated by anything specific, it just happens.

I installed the proper sound driver which cleared that runDLL error noted above.

There's something thats different in safe mode than in normal other than what's been noted as tested for above which is causing this error.

Any ideas? I suggest a call to the motherboard manufacturer (MSI), I noticed that this board is not on their official Win7 compatible list (which could be the issue) but I want to inquire as to why it isn't (it's possible they just never tested it)

If iTunes cannot find a playback device it will not work.

I would try the onboard audio. Uninstall the ones that are loaded first, then load some of these new drivers, some list as supporting Win 7.

http://www.msi.com/index.php?func=d...o=1&prod_no=235