Alternatively you can create a bootable installer thumbdrive of almost any macOS following
these instructions. It is the equivalent of a recovery drive on a thumbdrive complete with Disk Utility.
Actually, I had forgot that, when I gave the machine to my daughter, I had made a bootable thumb drive. (Sorry, artie, for the earlier misinformation). However, the thumb drive does not boot either. Because I could hear the machine running, I took a flashlight and tried to see if I could detect the dock behind the glass (thinking failure to backlight) but I couldn't see anything.
Long story short.....it appears that the machine might need a shop visit which is not a logical option, given the machine's advanced age (14 years). I have decided to advance my decision to replace my existing 27" with something newer, so I'll pass the old one to the grand kids.
Thanks everyone for all your thoughts and time....but keep your keyboards close. I'll soon be looking for directions to ensure a smooth changeover from one 27" to another.
