[DeadZone]

Sounds like the processor to me
I use to get the same problem on certain games with my AthlonXP 1700+ (1.47Ghz)

Wot it is is that it is overheating for wotever reason, I suggest opening your case and cleaning out any dust, especially on the CPU and case fans, *when touching inside your PC, make sure you have grounded yourself, if you dont you run high risk of destryong your PC*
If you dont wanna risk above sugestion then just take your covers off and leave them off, I also suggest getting a faster fan to help keep it cooler

If none of the above work and you have all the latest drivers and have tried all suggestions here then either re-install windows as it could be a corrupted file or get someone who knows wot they are doing to look at the PC to see if anything is physically wrong with it as I (and other PC tech heads here) can only do so much across the net
If after all this it still dont work and/or you're getting the error with other games/programs I strongly suggest you to look into a brand new PC (you can get some really good ones at low prices nowadays)