I too have an old toshiba laptop that, when first bought, was used like there was no tomorrow. 6 years later, and it's still booming along, although due to the spec of it (400mhz) I never use it now and let my old man play solitaire on it. Depending on how well you treat them (keep them clean, keep them away from food and/or drinks), handle them gently and not bashing them about, they can last for years.
dang! heh, so are laptop's meant to last awhile, or no.. ? :'(
Yes, Dell pc's are not the best and some even consider them just problems but their laptops are pretty top notch. I've been in sites and ratings where dell laptops are rated number 1.To be honest, although their desktop machines arent the greatest, if you pay enough money Dell offer some nice laptops. I've used a fair few of them and they seem pretty sweet to use.