>
>I think your hardware is ill.
>
Andy,

Yep, I'm afraid so...after trying a few times to boot, discouraged,
let it sit for awhile powered up...about twenty minutes or so..then
I shut it off...for about ten seconds, then back on, and she came
up to single user (I did that on purpose 'cause I knew the filesystems
needed to be looked at..), fsck'd them and on to boot, and it came up
fine...

must be a little off somewhere, and letting it sit powered up for 
awhile "warmed" it up...and all's been fine since..a little unsettling,
but it is an old box...if thats all it takes, I'll just do that and let
it warm up awhile before booting it..

:)
Paul