This is my job. I see it all the time. Electronics are very skeptical creatures. Sometimes the works, sometimes they don't. Then there is software. So there could be many problems dooming your new laptop.

Like others have said you walk a fine line between lemon and bad brand/model. The best option is to take it back and demand it be fixed/replaced/exchanged for free.

if you're a high roller and have a few grand burning a hole in your pocket, then go for average brands.

I am not a fan however of HP/Compaq except for their printers. However, dell produces some decent product. The keep cost down by manufacturing their own mother boards. Customer service however is horrible, as where Gateway in my opinion makes crap over priced equipment but has an excellent customer service. Its the name of the game, it's always tit for tat.

I'd say go private brand or Dell.

I think it will be two years this year.. in terms that we actually owned it... It was a Christmas gift. However, we don't have the original battery adapter or battery that goes into the laptop because the adapter lemoned out a long time ago and we just replaced the battery to the laptop last week. That is a foreseeable problem.

I hate this thing so much so I am thinking whatever is refunded if it can work will go twards a Macbook instead. My brother and sister (in law) have one and it is awesome! Maybe I will e-mail bb and ask.

Thanks. I appreciate the help and I didn't expect the answer I got that I could demand certain things. Thanks to the COLA (?) adjustment, and the 12 month interest free thing, I can pay off a new one easily.