Can't see logon window (and a lot more)

Setup: W2K3 standard with SP1 running on a Dell 2400, 1ghz processor, 512 mb
RAM, RAID 5 with a container of roughly 180 gig, partioned into a C (for
system only) and a D for storage. C partion is relatively small (about 5
gig I think)

Current Problem: all we can see is the upper part of the normal logon screen
(after CTRL-ALT-DEL). the rest of the screen is black.

Prior to rebooting, we had a normal looking login screen however when we
logged in we go a message that said (as best as I can remember it) that
Windows was unable to load our profile (domain administrator) and was using
the default profile instead because there wasn't enough room on the drive.
After that message went away we had a black screen with icons on it. If you
clicked on the start button you would see the icons from the start menu but
no words. If you clicked on the icon for my computer you wouuld see the
icons along the left side and across the top but nothing else. If you right
click on my computer you can't see the dialog box. If you launched Internet
Explorer you would get the white screen that has the verbiage about enhanced
security and the icons across the top but nothing else. If you clicked on
shutdown you'd get the iupper part of the normal shutdown dialog and two
icons that are the new update icon (yellow shield). We figured an update
was in progress and left it along for 4 hours. Came back and there was no
change so we forced a reboot (powered it off). Came back in it's current
configuration.

Other Observations: If you log on remotely (remote desktop) you see the
exact same thing. If you open a share, the share opens but slowly. One of
the roles of this server is DHCP and, at least prior to rebooting, it was
working properly. It is also the primary domain controller. Our other
domain controller reports that it hasn't been able to back up properly
because it can't contact this domain controller. In the past we have had
problems with this server filling up the C drive so we moved the paging file
to the D drive. A couple of weeks ago we discovered that the paging file
had moved itself back to the C drive and was once again filling the C drive.
It was moved back to D. An update was installed but we didn't check to see
if the paging file stayed where we put it. We assume that the paging file
has moved back and is causing the symptoms we see but can't figure out how
to fix it. Other assumptions: we assume it isn't the video card as the
display looks the same on a remote computer, plus we booted it off a CD and
could see everything.

Sorry to be long winded but figured it would be best to describe this in
some detail.

Anyone have any ides?

thanks

Jim Pattison


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