Last weekend my laptop could not start up. I did everything the support site suggested, reset PRAM, reset SMU, and hard reset without battery. I also tried to start up from Install disc and....nothing, complete blackness. I was about 50% sure that it is the video display problem. Then, I phoned the support line and was told that there was a video drive defect, higher than normal failure rate, in my laptop model. So, I made an appointment, Tue 12:00pm... knowing too well that it's a bit too early, but they didn't have any other time. Either that or wait till Fri.
So, come Monday, I got out not as early as I had hoped and was about 10mins late. (I wouldn't be late if I didn't have to wait for TWO cars parking slowly and taking their time in the parking lot .... ). And, they cancelled my appointment :(. The lady there said that it's like a dentist appointment. I thought to myself that that is not true, I usually had to wait 40mins when I got to my dentist in time. She suggested that I should go to the downtown store, they have a lot more slots there and there is one opening @ 12:45pm. I'm not a person that likes to change plan., so I said I'd rather reschedule Friday.... Then, after 5mins walking out to the store.. I changed my mind and went back in and rescheduled to 12:45 and took the Skytrain to Pacific Center and made it with 10mins to spare.
After all that, I only had to wait a day, and they fixed it up for me, all free!! Yay!!! Note that my laptop is not under any warranty and I did not purchase any protection plan.