BEWARE: long and geeky post ;-)
Well, it works. Not entirely install problem free but it works and I quite like it.
Tried it straight from cd first, then plucked up the bravery to install it to usb disc (bios will boot from usb), which is when things started to go wrong. Couldn't reboot from either the usb or windows from the c: drive - GRUB error 21. Did a bit more worried googing via the liveCD (still ok) then swapped out the usb disc with the C: drive. Re-installed and here I am.
Except....my music was all on the c: drive and happily playing from it( now installed in the usb caddy) until the ship took a heavy roll and it fell off the desk unplugging itself in the process. Now none of the ships (XP or vista) will read it or ubuntu on the laptop mount it.
On the plus side the built in wifi card has been connected to network for last 24 hours. Never got more than an hour from XP then had to reboot to connect again