Is there a way to verify if a projector lamp is truly in need of replacement?

We have an Acer H5370BD that is approximately two years old. It has seen very little use and, in fact, has been in its original box on a shelf for the last 8 months. Recently, we plugged the projector in and the lamp will not turn on. The standby light turns on when we plug it in, and the standby light turns blue when we press the power button. The unit is then silent for a few seconds, then beeps and the fan kicks on. At no point does the lamp light up, even a little. This cycle of silence, beeping, and fan blowing happens about 4-6 times before the "Lamp" light on top of the unit begins to flash. Presumably, this means the lamp needs replacement, but as previously stated, it should be nowhere near the end of its life. Before shelling out $200+ for a new lamp, are there any visual indications on the current lamp I should be looking for that would suggest it indeed needs replacement (perhaps yellowing or black marks on the bulb, etc.)? I pulled the lamp out of the projector and it looks pristine, as far as I can tell.