"F2 for setup and F12 for boot options." Are you saying you get this far and the computer REBOOTS by itself, if that is the case you start to consider a power issue here. How many files did the user want to save? Where are the 2 recovery disks that should have came with the pc, or does it have a recovery partition that you would have an option for after hitting F12 if you get that far. If you slave the drive run your options scan disk, check disk ect, the go to the manfactures site of the hard drive an run there tests on the drive. I wonder if you can get recovery disks from Dell for the 2400 series?

snidely - thx - I bet that's why sometimes when I roll my mouse around the screen zooms in and out - I never knew why. I bet my cntrl key gets stuck at times. i know a few others do. time for a new keyboard I know. My son told me that last wk when he visited from out of state. He just shook his head at my keyboard. It's also missing a key or 2... I took some off to clean under them and lost a few... my E has the F12 'key' on it. that one had a piece break off underneath it... yeah, guess I'd better do that yet this wk before I'm caught without any keys that work. thx - I will try that (on purpose). lol!

I've never used a paper towel, I'm scared of scratching the LCD. I just googled and they say to stay away from windex etc because they contain ammonia. The best bet is plain distilled water and a soft cloth. I always have distilled water on hand as we use it in the iron.

Hmm...great question! There are some here I would have to say 'ditto' to, but that's redundant so I'll say this for myself: I can't abide graphic sex or violence. I love to read children's books...they actually inspire me in many ways. I have certain times and places to read different genres: mysteries at night in bed or on rainy days while (locked) in my car at the lake, historical fiction and uncomplicated and light-hearted reading in the hammock rain or shine, devotions in my club chair next to the front window, magazines on the front porch with a note pad and pen to jot down ideas I get from them, paperbacks of short stories in the car parking lot while waiting for husband to run his errands and yes, I do read in the bathroom! I look up books on amazon.com, ebay and then try to find them at the library if I think I don't want to own the book...I do buy lots of books both new and used; however. I don't like to lend my books out to anyone...I've lost some irreplaceables that way. I write in all my books...favorite sentences, paragraphs, dialogue, etc. I use my stack of books as a coffee cup 'coaster' and have some rings on the covers, but I never turn down the corners, although I do turn fold the pages in on themselves for quick reference and I LOVE to make and use bookmarks...they are 'art' to me. I never read without a cup of coffee or iced drink nearby...an afgan just in case it's chilly and I always kick off my shoes before opening a book to read. I have many fictional 'friends and advisers'...oh gosh, I could go on and on about this, but I have got to get to the end of this book I'm reading right now...so, later! nola_anne