Restart Issues with MBP after Software Update

This is my first time posting here, and I couldn't find any other postings that helped me with this issue.

I bought my MBP 13" brand new less than a month ago. Running Snow Leopard still, but thinking of doing the free upgrade to Lion OS X. Any opinions on that, I've heard good and bad things.

Now onto my real issue... Since I've had my MBP every time I do a software update and it requires me to restart, the screen goes black and a loud beep comes from the MBP (is the beep normal?) after the update is done. Then the MBP does what it seems like to be trying to restart... After the screen goes black after the upgrade as described above, the white startup screen comes up, with the apple logo and the circle status bar... this screen stays on for about 5-10 seconds and then the screen goes black again as if its restarting again, then back to the white startup screen again for 5-10 seconds... then again restarts at this stage (black screen again and than the white startup screen)... This sequence happens about 3-4 times each time I do a software update... It's scary as hell !

Has anyone had this problem or any suggestions on how to fix this? Maybe I should be going to a Apple store and talking to a Apple Genius? This is my first Mac, everything else runs amazing so far!

Thanks for your help in advance and I will try to answer any questions you may have ASAP.

 

Thanks for your suggestion Mal. It didn't help.

I held down the power button and it restarts normally, but when I do a software update. The reboot sequence keeps happening. It doesn't seem to be normal.