troubleshooting dbus startup

[Thomas A. Moulton]

I have an old eMachines T1120:

CPU: Intel Celeron Processor 1.20GHz (w/256KB)
Operating System: Genuine Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
Chipset: Intel 810e chipset
Memory: 512MB SDRAM (PC133)
Hard Drive: 40GB HDD
Optical Drive: Built-in 16x Max. CD-RW Drive; 3.5″ 1.44MB FDD
Video: Intel Direct AGP 3D (810e shared)
Sound: AC ’97 Audio
Modem: 56K ITU v.92-ready Fax/Modem
Peripherals: Keyboard, Mouse, Stereo Speakers
Ports/Other: 3 USB ports (1 on front), 1 Serial, 1 Parallel, 2 PS/2, 
Audio In & Out; 1 Midi/Game on front, Mic-In & Head Phone jack on front

tom at w2vy:~$ lspci
00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation 82810E DC-133 GMCH [Graphics 
Memory Controller Hub] (rev 03)
00:01.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation 82810E DC-133 CGC 
[Chipset Graphics Controller] (rev 03)
00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801AA PCI Bridge (rev 02)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 82801AA ISA Bridge (LPC) (rev 02)
00:1f.1 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801AA IDE (rev 02)
00:1f.2 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801AA USB (rev 02)
00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation 82801AA SMBus (rev 02)
00:1f.5 Multimedia audio controller: Intel Corporation 82801AA AC'97 
Audio (rev 02)
01:0b.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL-8185 
IEEE 802.11a/b/g Wireless LAN Controller (rev 20)
01:0d.0 Ethernet controller: ADMtek NC100 Network Everywhere Fast 
Ethernet 10/100 (rev 11)
01:0e.0 VGA compatible controller: ATI Technologies Inc RV280 [Radeon 
9200 PRO] (rev 01)
01:0e.1 Display controller: ATI Technologies Inc RV280 [Radeon 9200 PRO] 
(Secondary) (rev 01)
tom at w2vy:~$

I am now running with the ATI card removed (01:0e.*) to make the system 
simpler, I get the same problem with it too.

What can I do and where should I look to get clues as to why dbus is not 
starting?

Tom