System Recovery Doesn't Even Work

Hello,

I have had Windows 7 Ultimate loaded on my home-built PC for about 1.5 months.
Today, I went to launch a game when my video card's output simply quit and then the card started it's internal screeching buzzer.
I immediately shut down the PC. I then tried to restart, but it would not boot BIOS because of the Video Card issue.
Next, I reset CMOS, disconnected the video card, and let everything sit for about 20-30 minutes. Re-installed everything and tried again.
Now, when I try to start from the installed OS, it goes to a black screen with white lettering:

Windows Error Recovery
----------------------------
Windows failed to start. A recent hardware or software change might be the cause.

If windows files have been damaged or configured incorrectly, Startup Repair can help diagnose and fix the problem. If power was interrupted during startup, choose Start Windows Normally.

+Launch Startup Recovery (recommended)
+Start Windows Normally



Now.... the two choices:
When I start windows normally, straight BSOD.
When I launch Startup Repair, it has the black screen with white bar loading and "Windows is loading files..."
Once the bar fills up, it just freezes. Repeatedly.

Tried loading from the CD..
"Windows is loading files..." and the white bar fills up again. When it fills up, BSOD again, waits about 10 seconds, and restarts the PC. It'll cycle like this all day.


So, I can't load from install, and I can't repair or even re-install from the CD.
If you can give me any insight to this issue, I would be so thankful.

No, sorry. No safe mode.

It won't even go to the screen that has the option to boot in safe mode.
The only time I get an option to boot types is between Startup Recovery and Normal. Both fail.

Now after letting it sit for over an hour with power disconnected, CMOS reset, CMOS battery out, and VidCard removed, it says:

"CMOS checksum error - Defaults loaded"

And it has the option to enter BIOS or F1 to continue, where it goes back to the Startup Repair screen, as noted above ^

After toying with it for some time, I was finally able to boot in Safe mode. It listed a few drivers being loaded for me, then went to blank screen and rebooted. >.<
The last thing it lists before reboot is:
"Loaded: \windows\system32\DRIVERS\CLASSPNP.SYS"

Hmmm...

Yes, it was impossible.

Had to finally wipe windows since I was getting nowhere. I had an XP disk here, so popped it in and tried to delete the partition and start Windows 7 over again from scratch.
Even with the partition empty, my 7 disk would not allow me to do anything. I installed XP so I could salvage my second drive with my pictures, etc.
I will get my friend's Windows 7 disk to try.. Maybe the disk was damaged somehow, and was adding to my other problem. It's still not trying to load Windows 7 with the partition filled with XP. Strange, since it's only a couple of months old...

Now, the issue with the card moving out of 16-bit. I installed XP without a hitch. It's sitting on 32-bit color with no problem now. Is this a possible hidden problem that could come back, or was it just some crazy registry glitch, stupid bug, or something else? (That is, in your opinion/best guess...)

Thank you.

For your information, if this issue comes up again...

I don't know what the original problem was that made my video card freak out. When I tried to re-seat the card and reset bios, it fixed the problem with the card.

However, the bios reset lowered my RAM voltage to default, which is 1.8. Being Corsair Dominator's power-hungry self, the RAM was not getting voltage required to make Windows 7 happy enough. After finding a post, days later, that was partially the same as my problem, I gave it a shot and it went straight into Windows 7 installation from the disk.

Apparently, Windows 7 had more requirements than XP, and that allowed me to install XP with no problem.


Thanks for all of your help.