Is this common place for some of you guys?

I got a BSoD with 0X000000F4 error and I determined it to be the HDD which failed, it chirps every so often with very faint clicks, no like the ones where it's reading data. When I go to boot it just hangs on the Thinkvantage Diagnostics window, even when I try to boot to Windows 7 normally.

I ran the BIOS diagnostic and that turned up empty handed as It ended only after a few seconds giving the error code 0000, meaning that it could not even Read any data off of the HDD to begin with.

What would be the appropriate actions to take for US customer support?

Is it going to be Thinkpad support, or does the Edge series have its own line of customer service?

Also it says my warranty is up...which seems hardly possible considering the machine was manufactured in March and I bought it from BB about 3 weeks ago (1 week past their return policy) so my receipt would confirm a warranty date of sometime late July...is there a specific email I have to send a scan of my proof of purchase?

This is very upsetting to have happen, I noticed the system would lock up briefly at random, surely it was a forecast of the HDD going...which I'm surprised there was no preinstalled software to notice.

Also I'm not too confident in the hinge on the Edge either, I even feel more comfortable with my Y510 hinge than the creaky plastic hinge on the Edge 14 (unless I'm mistaken and there is a steel component beneath a shell).

The lack of webcam software built in is frustrating and confusing, since why have it if you require third party software to run it...how does one know its working at the quality it should or is intended?

I own a U26 model which happens to have built in backlit keyboard...which you cannot see unless the screen brightness is turned all the way down and there is no addition ambient light what-so-ever.

But these gripes aside, the laptop has been great...

My HDD died about 2 weeks after I got the machine.  Sounds like similar symptoms -- random hangs and overall buggy behavior.  You need to contact Lenovo support (which is delivered by IBM here in the US.)

Regarding the warranty, be sure you've registered the machine before you call for support.  I wasn't able to do so properly (long story) and spent way too much time trying to get IBM and Lenovo to figure out that the machine was indeed under warranty.  I couldn't get any warranty info from the website when I entered my machine type and SN.

When I got the machine back, it needed drivers for the wireless card and sound card.  I suspect it didn't get the right image and they don't check because the install is finished by the user.

As I was saying to a customer today, not an example of outstanding customer support and one reason this may be my last ThinkPad.

Agreed on the hinges -- note that on the 15, the display only connects to the hinges on the outside (the inside of the display/lid near the speakers doesn't touch the hinges.)

Also agreed on the lack of webcam software.  I don't really need it, but I would expect there to be something basic installed on the machine.

Overall, I think the Edge is a consumer-grade laptop with a ThinkPad name.  Granted, it's less expensive than other ThinkPads which makes it a little easier to accept its shortcomings.

Good luck!