I described all the problems I've been having, and the detailed steps I've taken to address them, expecting to be told "slick the box and reinstall have a nice day."
Dell's reply:
Hello Peter,
Thank you for the very detailed troubleshooting steps. Given the information you have provided I have set up a tech to come out to service the machine with a Motherboard, RAM, Video card and Heat Sink. I feel this will solve the issue with this system.
Wow