Sadly the repair didn't quite go as desired. First time around the (repair) installation hung at 99% with a slew of files not being able to be copied - after about the 10th one I figured it was likely a dirty disc so popped it out, cleaned it, back in & the installation completed. Only problem was that after it rebooted, I was left back exactly where I'd been prior to the installation - with the cursor hanging up in the top left & acting as if it was being presented with a data drive rather than a functional OS.
SO, ok I thought - try another reinstall in case popping the disc out missed something etc. Only this time it wouldn't progress past 55% before doing the same thing with endless files not being able to be copied.
At this point I'm beginning to wonder if the partition is going to be recoverable in any sense (i.e. even with a full new installation), so am wondering whether it would be possible, to copy/backup the Windows partition, remove it, format the partition, install new copy of Windows, but then overwrite it with the old one again? I'm just keen to try & keep the programs etc that I have installed as they are as a few have awkward settings I wouldn't know where to start trying to regain.
Or does anyone figure there might be a simpler solution to it than that?