I'm not 100% on the details - but I know that Microsoft have from time to time introduced a reboot after a short uptime period to non-legit or expired betas. For example the Vista Release Candidate that will expire soon - will then stay "running" only for an hour (for example) then reboot.

Will the laptop reboot after a period of use regardless - or is it only when a game is running?

(It may not be this - but it's worth considering).

Thanks for the hint... but it's even more complicated than that. It was a "floor model" that I got from Circuit City for a fraction of the retail price... and there was no XP CD. Then, I moved to Argentina and Microsoft will not ship or download an English version of their software here... surprising, but true. Only Spanish versions here, and I don't speak Spanish.

The only time the computer shuts down is when I play certain games... I'm having someone hand carry a professional XP CD to Argentina and I'll use a US address to register it when I buy a new computer here. What a pain in the __________

Hi Sagacity,
Just a shot in the dark, when is the last time you gave your "Box" a good cleaning? Too much dust, will cause your computer to overheat, and there is a built in failsafe that will shut your system down when it reaches a certain temperature.
For your other problem, take it back to the shop you got it fixed at, and get them to instal a legal copy of Windows.
A suggestion, when you buy your new computer, make sure you get a original OS disk with it, and keep it safe. With piracy being such an issue these days, sooner or latter, you will run into trouble without it.
Good luck,
Barry

Some of the games cause my computer to turn off suddenly and unexpectedly. The games that do this are all of the games from Alawar, and a few of the new games... including the latest game, Breakout Shooter (which shuts down the computer just as level 4 is completed).

The first few times this happened, I thought the problem was with the games... so I deleted them. But I have concluded that the problem is with my computer so I download them and just don't play them until I can solve the problem.

I'm running XP on a five-year-old HP Pavilion. I suspect that the problem has something to do with the fact that I had a technician repair the laptop a few months ago... and... he reinstalled XP, but Microsoft doesn't consider it to be a valid copy and they want $150 to make it legal... and I don't want to spend any more money on an old laptop that will be replaced soon.

Any help or suggestions will be greatly appreciated.