Hi Acid44,

Thanks for your response, unfortunately the issue occurred on one of our classroom computers, which our IT department have set up so we can only access basic functions [like switching it on and off again and using some of the installed software] so,unfortunately, getting access to proper diagnostics isn't really an option! Our computer labs are notorious for the strange and bewildering number of glitches, bugs and general crappiness!

I figured I'd pose the question just in case someone had encountered this issue so I can cross it off the list of specific software/hardware issues we have at the school, which we are forced to live with - I've been searching online for references to similar cases and have come up with nothing. All my work colleagues, like-wise, have never come across this occurrence.

My student has resigned himself to restarting his lost work and the class has learnt that most-valuable and age-old lesson - make multiple back-ups of everything on separate storage devices... frequently!

Oh well!

Thanks so much again for the response! [I'll check out Pandora for my home systems!]

Cheers!

Simon