In all fairness, it was sold as having a fault.., but just a broken screen - which I've replaced. I bought it cause the spec was pretty decent for a laptop, assuming i'd just have to replace the screen.
Like I say, according to the previous owner it was working perfectly with Linux.
Jue has just put two different versions of XP on the HD but put the HD in his ancient lappy and both installs went like a dream. So its not the HD.., its a component within the lappy itself.
Oh well, tomorrow is another day.., time to look at the CPU I guess and maybe replace the DVD drive when I can. The killer is gonna be if its the mobo. I'm not sure if I wouldn't be better just selling off the hardware I know works and saving up for a brand new one. I don't have to buy many more replacement parts to have paid out the same anyway.
take care all, I'm off to bed x x x