Shut down without any warning

[xfile]

Hi,

I have never experienced anything like this, so appreciate if you could help
me to ID if this is more likely an OS or hardware problem.

It just started a few hours ago, without any warning or any sign, my desktop
computer will shut it down when I was in the middle of something without any
warning.

I have done nothing for adding or modifying or deleting any hardware or
applications other than routine updates in the past few months.

When I tried to reboot:

(1) If I pressed F8 and selected Safe Mode, I could log into the account and
everything seems to be fine. And the next "normal" reboot will be fine
until it suddenly shut itself down when I was doing something.

(2) If the reboot was done immediately after the shut down, the monitor will
have a "No Signal" error message after passing BIOS check during Windows is
loading. When this happened, I need to manually shut down the desktop again
and do (1).

The problem is that I have no idea if this is a hardware- or OS- or
driver-related problem, but I tend to rule out the later two.

But if this is a hardware problem, which part might be the problem, VGA or
M/B or HDD?

Since I have no ideas for the possible cause, so I cross-posted this
message.

Thanks in advance.

 

[xfile]

ok, it might be the problem with the latest updates which might affect the
game - Age Of Mythology.

Well, I did not mention I was in the middle of the game But this game
always played fine until now.

Tested for several scenarios and everything went fine and went to the game
newsgroups and saw someone is having the problem for Age of Empire.

Thought might not the same but otherwise nothing is wrong with the system.

I have to say - I am very disappointed that updates would screw up a game