Getting into the bios wasn't a problem but finding the bit about video
card is... FOR ME anyway! I can't find it on my other machine which is
a compaq.

Tinkering this afternoon the screen went some funny colours and i can
only assume that the onboard graphics is utterly shot! However, trials
this afternoon - i managed to find what i was looking for
1] onboard VGA 2] plugged VGA so 2 was selected and saved. Booted up
and it seems it started to load grub ... and didn't get much further.

Perhaps i've knackered that card. So i'm going to have to test it in
my other machine or get another card if it's damaged. Or ask someone i
know if he's had any more P3/P4s for chucking. That is one great
beauty of linux... one can offer a 'good home' for a slower ex-windoze
machine.