Thanks Frodo for your offer to help...I think it was the 'patch' I had downloaded which was causing the problems, so I've deleted it, re-installed and started QFG I one again.
As I said I've played it so many times before without encountering this problem: as Fighter, Mage and a combination of the two
This time nothing worked.
Actually there are two reasons why I keep play the QFG series again and agin:
1. I love this game;
2. Except in QFG IV (Shadows...) I never get the full score, so I thought the 'patch' will help
k:
Happy Questing!