Having an issue with Windows 98 SE on boot...

Machine boots, splash screen shows and runs, the machine kicks back to a DOS screen with Verifying DMI Pool Data, etc... and just sits there. The cursor goes to the top of the screen and blinks. Its not the Pool Data issue as if you boot the machine after a hang and the 98 options menu comes up where you can choose Safe Mode or Normal Boot, and you chose Normal Boot, the splash screen shows and it then kicks back to the 98 Options screen with Normal Chosen and sits there with the cursor at the top of the screen. I know 98 will does this where the splash screen shows, then it kicks over / back to DOS Screen for last loading and then the OS loads....but its not getting past that

I can boot into Safe Mode fine. There are no issues in Device Manager as everything is installed properly.

Any clues I can look for as to what is going on before I end up wiping this and starting over? I have a lot of various software installed so hoping to avoid that.

The machine ran fine for a long time with no issues. It had been off for about a month and I booted it up last evening for the first time and this happened....

Machine has a GeForce Ti4600 and Dual Voodoo2 SLI Cards in it, as well as a Soundblaster Audigy / Audigy Drive and Aureal Vortex 2 Soundcards. Initially I thought the issue was with the Vortex as the last thing I saw on the DOS screen was something about loading the Aureal Driver, but I went into Safe Mode and completely removed the Aureal Drivers and Card, which made no difference....