Pinpointing Freezes?

The past 2 months or so I have been having problems with my PC freezing up,generally at random,but seems alot while Im typing posts/emails *knocks on wood*or using mousewheel browsing forums(possible cooinsidence)....it also will lockup ingame Battlefield42/BFV and when this happens my sound will lockup very loud and sound like a broken record,and sometimes freezes up while Im afk and not using anything.All I can do on freeze is manual reboot...

Now Im no expert ,but I have tried numerous things including complete reformat,event viewer,updating everything I can find ,used a few tools here...I switched from a nvdia 5200...to ati 9600xt a while back but started to have the problem I think just before the switch..Ive had this PC almost 2 years now..Dell 8300,p4 In 2.6,gig of ram,ati9600xt,creative sb series live 5.1..


I am pretty much at a point of not knowing what to do next and seem to feel like Ive done evrerything(though definately could have missed something),Im trying to get it fixed without just buying random new parts,I need to locate the problem to see what part to buy if I need to...or any links or tools ,or general info on how to pinpoint the issue would be appreciated,Thanks.

Or just a general what should I buy first?

 

Also have cleaned inside,fans working,temps ok.

 

First try a virus scanner, because even after a reformat, it's possible to be infected. Do you have a firewall? Personally, I never recommend using the same brand firewall as AV, because they might both miss the same virus. Adware could also be doing it, as could spyware. Also consider a pop-up blocker to avoid them, if you don't already have one. Do you have another HD you could try? It's possible it might be a malfunction there.

 

Yes I sure do,Ive changed spyware and AV throughout this whole issue...Thanks for the reply though...I just read the other freezes post here and I also have a Linksys wireless in which I was confused on the setup with..so Im looking here bnow as It may have been around the time I installed this the probs began....if anyone else has ideas ,also appreciated.