Originally Posted by Moominpappa

Thanks guys that really is appreciated- but it's Norwich I'm afraid. In latitude terms we are closer to the North Pole than Birmingham so at least we're not softy southerners!....but I don't think I'm really north enough for you.

I'm resigned now to trying to re-install XP on at least our machine - son can make up his own mine as he did a runner to his girlfriends after the install c***up and is only gracing us with his company when her parents are away and therefore no-one will cook for him\them.

So one last question - all the guidance says make sure that your computer can boot from the CD drive, and seems to assume that I know how to do this - is there an idiot's guide somewhere that anyone knows of, (preferably for very dumb idiots like me - I know enough to be dangerous but not enough to be useful)