Weird startup problems - white screen - USB/Firewire?

Not even sure where to start on this one...
I've got an Intel Dual 2.0ghz 20" Imac. 3 gb of RAM. I have AppleCare, but not sure this isn't peripheral related, so don't want to start down that path just yet.
I've got two Western Digital MyBook drives: a 250gb connected through the firewire 400 port, and a 500gb drive connected to the 800 port. An Eyetv 200 DVR is connected between the 250gb drive and the computer. Multiple USB devices (Treo 680, CanoScan LiDE500f, Epson Stylus Photo R220, Ipod) through an externally powered Belkin 7 port hub. Bluetooth keyboard and mouse.
About once out of every 10 boots, the machine only comes to a white screen. I have discovered that I have to disconnect all cables from the back of the machine to continue the booting process. Sometimes the boot continues when the firewire plugs are removed, sometimes with the USB. I also have the issue, documented elsewhere, with the WD drives intermittently unmounting.
I've had other, possibly related, issues with Missing Sync hanging (whether syncing with the Treo or not). Curiously, when this problem manifests, Console also hangs in the same manner. Not sure what clears the problem, but after a few reboots, logouts, and resetting the power manager, it generally goes away.
My hunch is that the USB/Firewire buses are underpowered or overstressed. The problems have so far resisted my trying to narrow them down further.
Another oddity: After problems booting, the display brightness is often reset to its lowest (dimmest) setting.
The most frustrating part of all this is that I use my EyeTV device to record TV programs when I'm away. Obviously, if the machine doesn't boot consistently, I can't depend on this.
Anyone have any better hunches?
thanks!

Perhaps I'm on the path to finding the cause of this problem. I took your advice, and using a Firewire 400 cable, connected the 500gb drive in line with the other Firewire devices. After rebooting, I immediately had the same interrupted startup process.
I noticed when connecting the 500gb drive, that it also has a USB port. I have now taken this drive out of the Firewire chain and connected it via USB. I haven't tested very long, but so far so good. I'm beginning to think that the Firewire bus on my 500gb WD drive is bad. I already knew that the 800 port didn't work. Lets hope the USB works. This is solely a backup drive, so USB is fine (unless I need to boot off a backup, in which case I know that the FW 400 will work in a pinch). I'll keep you updated.

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