The infamous crashing computer is back at it again. I tried to install vista sp1 on friday but windows update was trying to install another update unsuccessfully and would not do anything else. So then I tried to remove a previous update, at which point the computer became unstable and would not boot into windows when not in safe mode. I tried resetting the bios to default, to no avail, the system would not even offer to log into safe mode anymore, but just return to the post screen after post. Then I removed the motherboard battery and it seemed to get into safe mode, but not in regular windows, which would BSOD right after logon. I have tried repairing windows through the vista dvd and through system recovery but both get me BSODs even in safe mode. I have tried running memtest and got an error, removed one stick of ram and ran it again for half an hour and didn't get an error. I'm now running in safe mode with 1 stick of ram and I just don't know what to try anymore. I checked pretty much any connection I could think of on the motherboard and disconnected the ones I didn't need such as floppy disk and memory card reader. I ran speedfan and the temps all seem to be normal. Any ideas? My specs are ASUS p5ld2, e6400, 1x1GB generic ddr2-667 ram vista home premium 32-bit.

The thing is that I'm not sure that it is not a hardware problem. I would dual-boot with xp but vistabootpro won't install in safe mode. If no other solution arises, I will wipe the hard drive and reinstall indeed.

Did you try memtest on the ram stick that you took out by it self without the other ram stick in? If it also does not error than you may have a motherboard problem.