Benq PB6200 projector lamp or other problem (by 2 users)

I have had this projector for 3 years. Twice this last month it turned off on its own. (no bad lamp warning yet) Two days ago, the projector turned off again on its own and the red light indicating a bad lamp came on once for the first time. I turned off and on the power switch from the back of the unit. Now, when I turn the power switch on, instead of causing the power green light turn on on the console, and the bad-lamp red light turn on too (assuming the lamp is bad), nothing happens. (There is only a green flushing barely visible not on the leds but on the buttons of the console, as if a malfunction problem is happening.) How do I figure out if the lamp is bad (I removed the lamp and no black/smoky areas are visible) or there is something wrong with the unit. I see no point replacing the lamp on a broken unit, but I have read that sometimes units behave abnormally in the presence of a bad lamp, and replacing the lamp fixes the problem. Thanks!