DVD/CD-RW causing shutdown?

Recently got a system back up and running from a major crash and burn that required multiple hardware replacements. Everything remained compatable though. For some reason though, now, whenever a disk is put in that checks the system's hardware, the system dies. It may just be the display, since the system sounds like its still running, but I haven't had it happen with sound enabled yet, so I don't know for sure. Essentially, put in Audio card install disc, crash. Mobo driver install disc, crash. City of Heroes, everything's fine, Max Payne, groovy. Any ideas as to what's up?

 

does it display any error messages before it shuts down or does it just crash?

 

no error, just all of a sudden the monitor shows its "no display signal" icon. The system sounds like it keeps going but I can't tell if it actually does.