You can edit the Windows registry.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
Edit SHELL replacing windows.exe with cmd.exe
Reboot and you get no desktop.
You get a command prompt, just like Safe Mode, but with all your drivers.
huh, this is very cool - thanks for the tip!!
(I assume you can run c:\windows\explorer.exe if you decide you want gui?)