So the problem does not seem to be the motherboard, you have a signal onscreen. Is the replacement motherboard identical to the one that failed? Did you simply pop the hard drive back in with the original Windows install on it? Do you have the CD that came with the newer mobo? (If not the drivers will be available online but expect slow downloads fro the Asus site if you use them) Have you tried putting the XP CD in the drawer and doing a repair to see if this will overcome the issues? Remember if you do this you will need to download and install every update and patch issued since the CD was created.

Might be a system restore point would fix it. Hold down F8 when you power it on. It will beep beep beep way too much for a long few seconds and present you with a screen of choices. Probably want to pick the last know good restore point.

Maybe you could download a bootdisk and make a bootable floppy then you should have access the C: drive. If it doesnt start to a dos prompt you'll need to access the bios and set it so it looks to boot from floppy drive (FD) before Hard Drive (HD). This guy has a boot floppy exe that you download, then insert a floppy before running it and it automatically formats and makes a 98SE bootfloppy. I havent used this, he was first one that turned up in a search. It's hard to believe it wont let you get to a dos prompt. Have a feeling you've a loose wire or connection inside. Or maybe upset the memory or another card and need to reset it. Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.onecomputerguy.com/software_download.htm

The usual boot of the computer is one thing that I hadn't thought much of ... and thanks for the info: I was surprised that it was traceable to the good Baron Munchausen! As for the occasional use ... it depends how mad I am a it! One doesn't want to boot hard enough to break one's toe, though ... so great care is indicated, despite the anger, when wearing slippers. As for the "How do you do?" when greeting someone: in earlier times major hunger was often somewhat widespread, and there was more disease, with much less effective treatment available, than in modern times, so inquiring after someon'e health and well-being was more important than recently. In countries where hunger has been common more recently, e.g. Korea, a common greeting was, "Have you eaten (rice)?", with sometimes the "rice" included, sometimes not. ole joyful