The sound+video freeze for 1 sec, but not at every resolution

[xax]

This is a weird one.
First of all, the components (the PC is few months old, zero issues until now):
mobo: Gigabyte 965P DS3, rev 3
cpu: E4300 (not OC)
video: Leadtek 8600GT
psu: Enermax noisetaker 420W
monitor: Samsung 226BW 22"
A couple of days ago I noticed during a game that the video and the sound would freeze for 1-2 seconds (every 10-30 seconds). I thought it was the video card driver: uninstalled it, installed the latest: the same. I had a clean windows installation on another partition, tried some music: the same. Reinstalled the sound and chipset drivers: the same.
The I took the PC to another room to test it further, I connect it to a 17" monitor: no problems, everything is crystal. The problem remained even when the pc, connected to the 22", ran on lower resolution (1280x1024: the 17" native resolution).
After a restart, if I just start the player and don't start any visualizations, the sound is ok. When the video is used the prob returns and remains (also when the video is not used).
I ran a few benchmarks (cpu and video): the cpu got high points and the video 8190 (I can't remember exactly) on 3dmark2005.
The CPU is at max 0-5% during movies.
My guess is bad video card, but I don't understand why there are no issues when connected to lower resolution display and problems when connected to a 22" monitor but on low res.

 

[Aikouka]

What OS are you using?

 

[xax]

Originally posted by: Aikouka
What OS are you using?

Windows XP 32bit

 

[xax]

An update for anyone who's interested: I've replaced the video card (8600GT) with an old 6600GT and there seem to be no problems at all. The 8600GT I installed in another PC and again no problems. With the video cards swaped everything works perfectly.
It looks like the suspect(the video card) is innocent and there are no suspects left.

 

[myocardia]

Originally posted by: xax
It looks like the suspect(the video card) is innocent and there are no suspects left.

Actually, most problems like the one you've described occur because of the video driver, or more specifically, interactions between the video driver, and other drivers in the system (sound, chipset, TV tuner card, etc).

 

[xax]

Originally posted by: myocardia

Originally posted by: xax
It looks like the suspect(the video card) is innocent and there are no suspects left.

Actually, most problems like the one you've described occur because of the video driver, or more specifically, interactions between the video driver, and other drivers in the system (sound, chipset, TV tuner card, etc).

I thought of that, but I've been using the same driver for a month without any problems. The only thing that I think I've installed before everything started was rivatuner 2.03, but I have it in both PCs and uninstalling it did not help.
The new video card is in my other PC and today, during Medieval 2 Kingdoms, the PC slowed down and alot of artifacts appeared. After a restart I continued playing (same game, different world) and no problems after few hours. I don't know if this is a game bug.