XP Home boots to black screen with cursor

I've been a pc tech for 25 years and I have an old computer, it has tons of proprietary software on it, so I can't afford to do a clean install. Recently, after a normal shutdown the previous night, it now boots past the splash screen to a black screen with a cursor. The cursor moves, numlock works, but nothing else. Ctrl-alt-del doesn't work, nothing. Here is what I've done so far:

  • Tried last known good confi
  • Safe mode doesn't work
  • Safe mode with command prompt also doesn't work
  • Tried ghosting over to a brand new hard drive.
  • Ran fixmbr, fixboot, bootcfg /rebuild, chkdsk /r (twice)
  • Repair install with the latest XP disc and XP3 slipstreamed in.
  • New memory
  • New PSU
  • No blown/leaking caps.
  • Tried doing system restore back 3 weeks to 9/4, the earliest restore point available.
  • Removed add-on video card, using onboard video
  • Tried new optical drive.

I know I could copy off the data and do a clean install, but I REALLY need to get this thing going without a clean-install. I've run out of ideas right now and I need HELP. There HAS to be a solution that I haven't tried yet. Thank you.

~Zeoran
 
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