Is there any way you can capture the boot up screen, so as to see if
any drivers or else are missing etc

Try using this to help you with your boot process.

http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=664

Unfortunately my computer is win98se and that prog is xp. 
Thanks all the same

The only way i know of capturing a "screenshot" of the boot up screen
is to boot up an operating system in a virtual machine like VMWare. 
Then you can take screenshots virtually.

Thanks bumble bee, but that would probably not give the right messages
- the messages relate to the current opsys booting up, don't they.
Also, to install that prog - too hard. Was hoping for an easy fix.
THink these days with video tel phones, probably best way is to simply
take pic??
Thanks anyway for your answer

I'm not a Google Answers researcher, so I'll do this for you for free!
Note that I have Windows ME, so the process may be slightly different
for you.

1) Go into your Start menu and click run.
2) Type "msconfig" into the box.
3) In the General tab, click the Advanced button.
4) Check the box "Enable Start Menu".
5) Press OK on the Advanced menu and then on the msconifg menu.
6)

And that is why I'm not a google answers researcher. I accidentally
post stuff that is unfinished. continued.

6) Restart your computer.
7) When the boot menu comes up, select the option "Logged"
8) You will find a log of the boot at C:/BOOTLOG.TXT. [note: this
bootlog may be a hidden file]

Go <a href="http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/tsgeninfo.nsf/docid/2002092715262339?Open&src=ent&docid=2002092514302348&nsf=ent-security.nsf&view=docid&dtype=corp&prod=Symantec%20AntiVirus%20Corporate%20Edition&ver=8.x&osv=&osv_lvl=">here
[symantec.com]</a> for info on showing hidden and system files. Hope
that this answered your questions!

-drgames-ga

My dear drgames-ga, That is ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC. Can't wait to get
back to my other computer which has lots of messages 'press any key to
carry on', to see what it writes. It really bugs a novice like me to
reformat a hard drive, reinstall windows and then see it come up with
a plethora of messages about so and so driver cant find - find program
to match - as if in the hundreds of progs used, I can find that
vms.dri or whatever. But at least this way I will be able to monitor
and send to tech and ask him where to find. Thanks ever SO much.

Glad I could help!