It might be worth adding this info to OP:
The main reason X-FI systems either lock up or BSOD is to do with PCI latency issues and conflicts between Graphic and Sound cards. It largely depends on what order components in a system were installed, in most cases, the sound card is installed into the machine after the video card, and this is what causes conflicts. Drivers wont ever fix it.
Potential conflicts can be seen by doing the following: Run msinfo32.exe and navigate to Hardware Resources > IRQ.
The workaround is to uninstall both sound and graphics card drivers, removing both cards physically, clean the OS with driver sweeper (
v3.2.0 is the best version for creative) and to install the sound card first, video card second. This way each card its allocated its own IRQ address. I'm unsure if physical removal of cards is necessary in fact, perhaps IRQ are allocated at software install alone. Its the way I've done it and it seems to work. This workaround and largely depends on chipset implementation, i.e. whether or not PCI lanes are shared by a single chip and/or if there are only two pcie slots.
Alternatively it may be worth changing PCI Latency first to see if this alone prevents Bsods/hangs. This solution won't work for PCI-E cards, only those that use legacy 32bit PCI (e.g. Xtreme Gamer):
Most Creative soundcard issues are the result of how they work on the PCI bus. Generally speaking, Creative cards are bus hogs. They make good sound but rely heavily on a clean PCI bus.
Yes. The fix: adjust pci latency. Default pci latency for all devices is usually set in the motherboard bios, typically 32. When you install video card drivers, the install program often sets pci latency for the video card at 248. Reduce the latency of the video card so that it is not more than twice the sound card (in multiples of eight). My latency values are 64 for sound and 128 for video.
Source
PCI Latency and IRQ conflict are related but 'X-fi clicks' are soley a latency issue. I've experienced these clicks (though not in PR) even after having the fixed the bsod problem.
So in short, with new builds; install chipset drivers then sound card then video card.
As SnipingCoward already pointed out, chipset / SMBUS drivers can be make or break system performance.