A reformat would definitely resolve any software issues that might have cropped up in your laptop. This service costs $99.99 plus tax at Future Shop; check to see if the laptop came with the reinstallation disks, or if it came with a Factory Image Restore program built in before checking it in to save yourself some money. Also note that most Dell computers (and presumably Alienware computers) come with a built-in diagnostic test, which checks the hardware of the computer in the event of failure. If some hardware is defective, this could save you a needless reformat. Check the computer's Boot Menu for bootable diagnostic tools -- F12 on startup for most Dell computers, and I assume the same for Alienware.
If the issue persists even after erasing all the software and reloading Windows, you've likely got a hardware issue, which can be serviced by Alienware under their warranty.
