Windows 7: Stuck on Starting Windows screen

I'm having computer issues, can't get it started. Happened randomly a couple days ago.
Doing a Normal startup, or booting from the Windows 7 cd it will get so far as the Starting Windows screen, the Microsoft copy-write shows up briefly greyed out some, and just sits there. In Safe Mode, it loads everything seemingly, lastly avgidsha.sys, then sits on Please wait...
I have narrowed it down to hot the HDD or memory. I've put another HDD with Windows 7 on it, getting the same results. The MemTest 86+ cd actually loads and runs, came up 100% with no errors.
Other suggestions that I have found use bootable CDs that want to start Windows first. The Windows 7 CD, Windows Defender Offline, Windows Recovery disk all get stuck at the same place as the HDD, the Starting Windows screen.

I'm at a loss, so any help would be appreciated...



Intel i7
Asus A8N SLI Deluxe
Antec 900 PSU
Western Digital HDD

So you cannot do a reinstall?

Welcome aboard.

You have done a lot. Your efforts are really appreciable. Do one more thing?

Reseat the ram modules and sata and power cables. First open those, clean the edges carefully, clean the dust inside the computer, if any, seat all the RAM, sata and power cables, start your computer.

Earlier when I used to use an Asus motherboard, I have faced that problem many a times. This trick worked everytime.

Erik,
Welcome to SevenForums.

Your windows DVD is from where?

Windows 7 Home Premium is from Best Buy. Just noticed the disk says 32-bit software on the front, but the computer is 64-bit. I guess that isn't much of an issue in that the computer has been running well for some time.
"So you cannot do a reinstall?" No directly, I just cloned my laptop again using some freeware only a spare HDD I had laying about. No dice though, computer still unhappy.

the 32bit will be no problem. 32bit Win 7 will run on a computer with a 64bit architecture. The other way around does not work.

end result--Null Problemo.

Which did you buy? OEM (system builder), Upgrade or Full?

Best Buy has been known to unknowingly sell counterfeit versions of Win 7, but that is unusual.

Did your DVD come with a 25-character Product Key? Yes/No?

Do not post the key. That's what you paid for and which is yours alone.

Cleaned and reseated RAM and power supply connectors, same result. The second power supply connector to the MB should really not be so close to the CPU, always hard to access with an aftermarket cooler.
Ended up purchasing a full new install disk of Windows 7, new in the box not OEM. Purchased a Samsung HDD with the system, and the HDD died (along with the Samsung monitor, bad caps)... cloned my laptop's HDD onto a new Western Digital, which did well on the computer but somehow it knew it wasn't on the Toshiba anymore, and wanted me to enter a brand new cd-key.

You are cursed. Bad DVD, Bad HDD, Bad Monitor.

Hope you hit a winning combination soon.

No doubt. Fortunately, this computer has been running solid for a good year until this recent development, so not all doom and gloom.