Dying laptop?

So suddenly, I've been having issues with my laptop, starting last night, when it just hung, with a funny screen. Funny, meaning this:
Naturally when computers hang, I attempted to restart it, but every time I restarted my laptop, that 'black/white screen of death' appears, and I'm unable to do anything. (Except to turn it off). So I let my computer shut down and leave it a while.. Pondering my options if indeed my laptop broke, and what to do.

Since it happened around midnight, I then went to sleep, hoping it would be okay in the morning. However this morning, I was still greeted by that 'friendly' screen. I was extremely worried and unsure, especially when I have major assignments due within three days, and all my research data and stuff, was scattered around the desktop on the computer.

Another thing it kept doing is restarting itself, while that screen is up. It does go black again when it restarts, then it shows that ugly scene again. While hijacking Sindy's laptop for awhile, in hopes of finding out service centres or call centre for support, I was advise to do something, that left me having my laptop on for a slightly longer period, where it continuously restarted itself.

However suddenly at one point, it restarted and started up normally o_o I was so relieved. First thing I did was back up all my research stuff x) And today, spent the day working on one of the essays due Tuesday.

Then barely 30 minutes ago, it happened again. And this time I managed to get a picture of it...

I still don't know what's wrong.. is it my laptop? Windows Vista? *shrugs*