PC won't boot into windows until power down, then up

[lucasm]

I'm using an old Athlon 700 system as an internet server for my home network, and it has this strange issue where I can't boot into windows unless I power it up, press and hold the power button to shut it off, and then press the power button again to boot. If I try to just turn it on and leave it alone it gets to the windows boot up screen and the progress bar freezes before getting to the desktop.
I'm not at home now so I can't give the specs as to motherboard, etc. - but I just can't figure out why this could happen, is there something tangibly different about booting completely cold and booting the way that I have to?

 

[edfair]

There are time delay issues that might be affecting you. If the computer reaches ready to read, before the hd reaches ready, you can get lockups.
I've had several I've dealt with over the years that worked best if I hit the reset before it started to load, thereby allowing the drive to come ready before OS load.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[lucasm]

But in this case it doesn't work if I hit reset. I have to power down the computer by holding the power button and then press it again. Not a big deal especially since it is left on most of the time, but it really got on my mom's nerves when it was her comp, and I just couldn't stand that I couldn't find a solution.