BSODs'

Hi all.
I've been getting BSODs for a while now, the code is usually different but I have had two on the trot that are the same
STOP: 0x0000000A (0x00000166, 0x00000002, 0x00000000, 0x804E5433) with a Driver_IRQL message at the top of the page.
I've googled them and checked the Microsoft pages but it's just general stuff and 'possibilities'.

I don't get why they have programmed in such technical error codes if they don't tell what the actual error is but thats Microsoft I suppose.

Just before an episode there is a growl in the headphones, then, sometimes, on reboot I get a C-Media Audio Configuration icon in the taskbar that wasn't there before, then the icon will dissapear on subsequent reboots as though there are two drivers having a fight.
I've uninstalled reinstalled, downloaded updates, etc etc.
The problem happens sparodically so i am finding it hard to pin it down.
Can one problem throw up all these different error codes??
Any clues?
Cheers

 

is your sound card a C-media? I had realtek on another computer and windows update always wanted to update the drivers with the cmedia ones....never worked, can you download updated sound drivers from the manufacturer's site and install them?

 

Thanks for the replies.
plodr, I thought of the memory but this C-Media icon nagged at me making me think 'driver', plus, I rebooted this morning, the icon is gone from my taskbar again, it has a mind of it's own.
I downloaded the mem test, it comes as a zipped file, when i unzip it it is a bin file that opens with an unknown application, do i need something else before i can use it?

thesmokingun, Yes, card is on board C-media and yes i've tried several different drivers including the manufacturers, i've tried manually uninstalling every trace of sound drivers and then reinstalling the latest one but something isn't right.
That this icon comes and goes as it pleases is strange.
I'm not sure but i don't think i get a BSOD if the icon is in the task bar, it seems to happen when the icon is missing and sometimes, when i reboot from a BSOD the sound card is missing, I have to TURN OFF the computer to get the sound card back, rebooting doesn't do it.
I've worked with these stupid things long enough to know that this COULD be two seperate issues and plodr could be right, i'm wondering if a stand alone card may be the answer to eliminate one possibility?
Cheers.