Hi Guys,
Thanks for your prompt answers. I had a chat with him and it seems that it may well be a hardware problem. (Its difficult to tell from another country!!!)
He's running W98.
He doesn't seem to be able to get into the Bios setup either.
Also, of course, he does not have a start up disk.
Brilliant info EG, Thanks. It sounds as if it counts the memory but gets no further. He is in his seventies and only uses it once in a while.
I think he will have to get someone in.
Thanks again.
LP