Not related to your laptop problem, but I've been having a shitload of trouble with my Dell...well, with all PC's I've come in contact with lately, really. (maybe I'm sending bad vibes or something) I've been thinking about switching to a Mac, but I don't know enough about them to convince me they're any better. :-P

Hope you can get it fixed cheaply. If not, a new laptop sounds like a nice going-back-to-school incentive. :-D