Just an update - this being posted on the problem machine!
Google-ing the message produced some 19 pages of similar sufferers and a variety of solutions - none of which worked for me.
Cabled connection to the router still doesn't work, but using an old wireless adaptor does ... but required an extremely convoluted series of actions to produce a result. Many thanks to a chap in the 'States' who took an ancient adaptor to pieces to check the workings and chased up a suitable set of drivers for it ... quite amazing!
Still no idea what has caused the problem and the ever-helpful MS have, so far, managed to avoid recognising that there IS such a problem
Hey Ho! Onwards and downwards to the next hiccup.
