osx freezes at "login window starting"

I am using a pbook 17" osx 10.3.5. when it boots it gets to the "login window starting" with the progress meter almost all the way to the right then it just stops. the meter is moving but not progressing. I have ran Diskwarrior, Norton disk utilities and repaired disk using startup disk. In firewire mode I threw away the login plist from the root/library/preferences.
any ideas

Have you installed any new software or hardware recently? also, try starting up while holding shift to boot in safe boot mode, if the mac starts up all the way, theres an extension conflict. also, try repairing permissions by booting from the panther install disk 1.:mac:

No new installations, the only mode I can boot into is single user mode, unfortunately I am not a command line wiz so that is not real useful.

powerbook hd appears to be ok,
is what I got on the first try.

I had the exact same problem after a system crash. I tried all the usual methods of fixing my Alu PB 15" but eventually got it working by starting in safe mode (hold down 'Shift' on startup) & deleting the 'loginwindow.plist' & the 'com.apple.loginwindow.plist' from both the HD Library Preferences & my Home Library Preferences. I then did a Permissions Repair & it started up. Hope this helps.

I am having the same problem. I got it to start rebooting in Safe Mode, but it still froze at "login window starting"....

try zapping the PRAM...hold command, option, P and R at the same time and power on the machine...hold it for about 10-20 seconds, then let go and try that....