I have a new Windows Server 2003 installation on a Dell Dimension 2350 (Celeron processor). This is the 3rd or 4th time I had wiped the machine and reinstalled from scratch to see if this problem is solved, but the same result happens every time.

Cold booting the computer will go through the motions, show OS splash screen, then darken like it is about to display the log in screen, but instead the HDD light will flicker for about 5 seconds, then stop. Screen will stay black. You have to turn it off again to reboot.

The only way to get past this is to cold boot into Safe Mode, then do a soft restart. I will then get the log in screen and can proceed normally. As long as I stick with soft reboots, I am fine. If I turn the machine off, then I am hosed.

This is really baffling. Any ideas?