Nope, that didn't work. The folders on the lappie are all back to detailed text mode again.
The desktop's fine. Any other suggestions, anyone? The desktop clearly knows something. I know I "fixed" it but that was yonks ago and I've forgotten how.
I got the Ubuntu USB pen drive working - the desktop PC would boot from it OK, and I could collect mail and the like with it. It would add software. The laptop wasn't patient enough to wait for it to load its boot stuff.
Then it checked the Ubuntu site and found a new core, which it downloaded. That killed it stone dead.
The same tiny 4GB USB chip is installing Fedora 9 at the mo.