Computer Shuts off by itself

[Freddie]

I have a HP Laptop with 40G hard drive, 512mb sdram, 1.3 Ghz...

When I try to do anything that "taxes" the system, like playing games or internet video, or running virus and spyware checks, the computer will shut down. It seems to happen when the fan blows at the highest speed, it may do it for a few minutes, but then it will shut off... Tried with and without the battery. Any suggestions?

[2k dummy]

Any suggestions?

Yeah, get a real computer. (Just kidding)
You have a serious heat problem.
1. Keep the lid open while running
2. Elevate the laptop. Use bottle caps or something similar under the corners so that there is about an inch of air space underneath.
3. Open, and leave open, the cd drawer.
4. Buy a laptop cooler. 1coolpc.com sells a good one. If you can't find it on the site, drop them an email. They are not overly expensive and are well worth their money. Shipping rates are also reasonable.