Microsoft updates causing random crashing and game crashes?

First, I have searched, but there is so much information and possibilities, I don't know where to begin.
Second, I really am not sure where to post this.
Third, I really don't know who to turn too and this community has always been very knowledgeable when it comes to internet communities. I am hoping I could at least get some direction as to what to do with my problem.

Is this a windows update/software problem?

So, I recently installed WoW I believe on Friday night. I had been playing it all weekend and using Microsoft word with no problems as well as being able to transfer files (with my jump drive) and use Itunes (with my Itouch).

As of the 19th, I started playing WoW and my graphics started distorting. A little at first and then it consumed the entire screen. It stayed distorted and frozen for about 10 seconds, then returned to playable. About 10 seconds later it did the exact same thing except I needed to do a hard restart.

When my computer came back up, I found that I was (and still am) completely unable to even have WoW running (at the login screen) for more than 3-5 minutes before my computer automatically restarts.

Also, when I was transferring data from my desktop (because of a reformat) to my laptop, when I would plug my jump drive in while I had my Itouch plugged in the other USB, it would sometimes crash. If I left the jump drive in, it would not let me restart the system saying something along the lines of:

Something device plugged in unable to continue boot, please try again.

At which point it wouldn't let me pass and would give me that error every time I pressed a key. THEN, when it booted up after that crash it would give me the blue screen of death and restart yet again. It would continue this cycle until it felt it didn't need to anymore or until I went into safe mode in order to restart into normal mode.

What I have done so far:
Uninstalled my graphics driver
Went to nvidia
Downloaded the up to date 9m series graphics driver
Restarted... No luck.

There was a windows update on the 17th and it looks like (according to my device manager, installed windows files) there were some updates on the 19th?

My laptop:

Asus G1S
Intel Core 2 duo T7500 @ 2.20GHz
3071MB Ram
32 bit Vista Home premium
Nvidia 9500m GS

Should I: Try system restore?

If that doesn't work, what should I attempt to do/look at next?
Is it possible this is hardware related?

I am afraid of a reformat on this computer because I am not sure where my reboot cd's are...

Once again, I am sorry if I am in the wrong spot, I just got done spending 9 hours troubleshooting my desktop and I am starting to confuse myself. Any help or insight would be much appreciated as I don't have the money to bring my computer to a fixer.

Also I think my warranty time has expired.

 

wipe it & win7.. for great justice

 

You can roll back the updates. Look under Programs & features to uninstall updates.

 

have you run burn-in diagnostics on the cpu and memory sticks?

 

You can tell Windows to go back in time before the update. It should not affect your files in your profile folder, but I recommend to backup just in case. You won't be able to go forward once you go backward.