Hadn't kept up with this thread as, being a computer dummy, I had nothing to add, but after reading the last few posts, will now note that this happens to me too. Just didn't connect it with Art's problem.

When I forget to take a CD out of the external R/W drive (not the old internal read-only drive), my computer freezes up whilst trying to initialize -- every time. Unlike the worm who had to be burned nine times before it learned not to go that way, it eventually occurs to me to check the drive. If there's a CD in it, I take it out, do Restart, and there ya go!

Thought something was hooked up incorrectly, or that I had too many peripherals (love the word, don't care if I used it incorrectly), but apparently my system just can't figure out what to do about the CD. Makes no difference if it's blank or home-burned. Startup is not affected by a commercial CD, by the way.

~;o) Mary