Sorry folks, not ignoring you all - honest!
I thought that before I did a complete reinstall of XP I'd have trudge through some forums and see if this is a common problem. Seems like it is but in various flavours
I tried a few other things out like uninstalling the drives and the various XP hardware interface programs. Even took all the drives out of the pc and ran it up and down a few times, changed drives from other PCs into it .... suffice to say none of the exciting activities made a difference.
I did try the holding power button in for a while and that didn't help either (any port in a storm as they say).
Now collecting information from the kids as to what applications they NEED to have kept on the PC and it's a frighteningly long list. Parental veto might just have to be applied.
I'm now gathering the CDs and DVDs needed to re-install the apps and games. I just hope that the reload of the OS fixes the drive problem, otherwise I'm goosed for a week or so until I can get a new mobo.
The biggest problem I have is that I can't just stick the XP disk (pre SP1) in and "repair" it because of SP2 and the way it's changed major bits of the OS. Time to bite the bullet.
Hope you all had a good holiday
all the best for 2005
ST