hey anne. the off topic section is for pretty much anything (as long as it doesn't violate overall boards rules... gossip, flaming, obscenity, etc), so don't worry about being, well, off topic here.
as for your laptop, you're right. it shouldn't have been doing that. sounds like a mechanical fault somewhere in the cooling system.
i'd suggest calling tech support or customer service. if it's only been 7 months, you computer should still be under warentee.
i wouldn't worry too much about the data. overheating is a problem first with the CPU. the hard drive should be intact. so, if they have to replace rather than repair, just make sure to keep the old HDD.
good luck, and sorry i can't be of more help.
Paul
