Holy S---, You guys are fantastic, I only wish I could understand what you are telling me to do, finally.
What I have is one of those old Dell Computers with a huge fat monitor unit and an equally large Processor Unit that sits on the floor underneath. I haven't used it to access the internet for the past 6/7 years since I got a laptop (several over that time, all inherited from my kids as they grow and discard for the latest version)
I wanted to use this old PC just as a Word Processor and for scanning and storing documents and photos (I write a good deal) I hadn't used it for some months and found it wouldn't go beyond that initial "DELL" Screen . If there is some way that I can get it up and running again I will be very happy. I have all the "stuff" that it contains on an external Hard Drive so it isn't a matter of life and death.
I am most grateful for all the advice and I am now going to start rollowing it. I'll let you good people know if I get it going.
(You won't be holding your breaths I presume :))