Question Troubleshooting my PC build: crashing browsers, distorted images and chirping audio ?

[PCgamerN00b]

Built my first desktop computer a little over 2 years ago and haven't had any problems with it until recently. A few months back I noticed some strange behavior that has made my PC basically unusable.
This includes pixelated/distorted online images and "chirping" audio when streaming videos. While annoying, this isn't the end of the world. However, what is really causing me problems is that every Internet browser I use eventually crashes when switching between tabs. These issues all started arising at once, so I figured they must be related. Last summer, I installed uTorrent on my PC and used it literally once to download something that I'm worried installed malware on my computer; it was only after that event that I started noticing problems with performance.

Assuming it was malware, I ran multiple virus scans, but the OS came up clean. I eventually ended up backing up all my files on an external hard drive and doing a clean wipe of all my drives and reinstalled Windows 10. However, the issues persisted. This made me think it was a hardware issue. I asked around, and some friends suggested it might be the RAM, even though the task manager said I wasn't even close to maxing out my memory. I swapped out the RAM sticks but to no avail. Then, I thought since these issues only occur when trying to use the Internet, it could be an issue with the built-in Wifi of the motherboard. I swapped out the motherboard and used Ethernet connection to get online. Still, no improvement.

Lastly, I thought that the SSD on which I installed my OS must be corrupted. I bought a new one of those and installed Windows 11 on the new drive. STILL these issues persist, after swapping out the motherboard, RAM, and SSD. I also noticed that when I download Steam games, I can play them for one session. However, once I exit the game and reboot the computer, the launcher no longer works. I am deeply confused and don't know what to try from here. I can't find anything else online that details these similiar issues with the exception of this single link, and it's unclear if this issue was ever resolved: https://forums.tomshardware.com/thr...rted-still-images-videos-in-browsers.3697794/

Any thoughts on what the problem could be?

 

[PCgamerN00b]

An update for anyone who is searching the Internet to solve similar problems. I eventually replaced all of the components in my old PC build, until none of the original parts were left. It was only after switching out the CPU that these problems went away. I thought I had tested the CPU individually already, but perhaps on my initial attempt the RAM or GPU weren't secured properly. It's hard to know because I have tested my system so many different times.

Ultimately, my upgraded system is now running with a new motherboard, power supply unit, and CPU, but swapping out just the mobo and PSU didn't solve the issues on their own. So if you're experiencing issues with your Internet browser crashing when switching between tabs, online images appearing distorted and pixelated, or poor audio quality characterized by glitchy, chirping noises, you might need a new CPU.