Well, well, well ... Seems like the clean install actually did the trick. No more crashes in at least two games, both of them notoriousl crashers in the old setup.
Still don't know what the actual cause was, but I'm happy. Well, I guess my brothers are happy. I'm not going to be around that computer much for the next couple of months, I guess. Anyway - hip - hip hooray!
-Gerko, got some pretty mean looks from his youngest sister for not saving all of her MSN emoticons. Oopsie.