Dell XPS R.I.P

The prognosis appears to be terminal.

This started sometime back.

Everything was fine until I attempted to download Microsoft's Window's XP Service Pack 3.

My computer got hung up during the install and I was forced to do a hard reboot.

When I did I got a blue screen memory parity error.

From that point on, I was only able to boot in Safe Mode.

When I researched the problem I discovered that Microsoft was offering FREE TECHNICAL SUPPORT for XP SP# issues until April of 2009! For those of you familiar with Microsoft, you know that this is unprecedented and indicative of their foreknowledge that they had a problem.

So I have been availing myself of this support for MONTHS. I'm even getting personalized, persistant, 2nd Tier technical support. They even sent me a bootable Windows XP CD so we can troubleshoot at the next level.

Unfortunately, my computer has since ceased to function entirely.

I came upstairs the other night to find my computer turned off. I never turn it off. When I tried to boot, the power light went amber for a few seconds, the hard drive light didn't blink at all and the computer went dead. Nothing.

I've tried some troubleshooting suggestions from Dell.com and they didn't help.

I tried cracking the case, cleaning the innards and wiggling stuff around. That didn't work.

So. I have some decisions to make.

Do I spend hundreds of dollars replacing component by component until I stumble across the right combination that brings my XPS back to life?

Do I yank the hard drive and send the rest to The Geek Squad and spend hundreds of dollars to see if they can fix the problems?

Or do I cut my losses, spend $400 on a new laptop that does 80% of what I need (email, blogger, twitter & HD porn) and cannibalize the 200gb hard drive and whatever else I can salvage from the XPS?

Your thoughts?