slow X and kdm startup

[Joe Mc Cool <joe@benburb.demon.co.uk>]

Sarge, and with either 2.2 or 2.6 kernels:

at boot up I get a login prompt at the F1 console ok.

After about 10 secs, the screen goes blank.

After another very long delay I get an hour glass in the middle on the 
screen at F7.

There is another very long delay before I get a KDE login prompt.

How can I track this down please ?

Joe.