Turns out it wasn't the bulb, but the chipset on the motherboard that screwed up, so I have to get ANOTHER laptop >.<
So far we're down to two contenders:
Toshiba Satellite
http://www.officedepot.com/ddSKU.do?level=SK&id=548815&x=49&Ntt=toshiba%20satellite&y=11&uniqueSearchFlag=true&An=text HP Pavilion DV6267
http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/navigate.do?dest=5&item=363172 Hopefully whichever wins will be a good one...