Hard Lock @ Welcome/Login Screen during Boot-Up, unable to resolve

I've recently reinstalled Windows 7 due to this problem, and everything was running smoothly up until today (approximately 4 days after I reinstalled the OS). This morning, I attempted to boot up my computer as usual, and it simply hardlocked as soon as the Welcome screen came up.

This hardlock only recently started happening with my PC when I hooked up a fourth monitor to my GPU, to produce a 3x1 monitor arrangement, plus my Cintiq tablet. (Currently, the Cintiq is in the shop for repairs.) When that configuration was plugged in, the computer started hardlocking. After that, I reinstalled Windows 7 over the weekend, and it was all working fine. Up until now.

There have been no BSOD's at all - even with the hard locks, and I attempted to use the driver verifier to see what was causing it, as this is my greatest suspicion. I rarely find that my computer builds have problems, though I don't have the tools to test my RAM yet (would like some help in this regard).

This is my workstation that I use for my art. I would like to resolve this ASAP before the week is over. Please help! ; 3

Have you tried the System Repair Disc you can make in Win7's Control Panel, Backup and Restore? It has to be for either 32-bit or 64-bit but your System Specs do show you have the 64-bit version of Windows. It doesn't necessarily have to be made from a specific computer.

I don't think a System Repair Disc will help here. The computer has been booting up just fine until this morning, and the OS installation is only a little over 72 hours old. (In other words, it's a brand-new OS install)

Annnd my computer stopped recognizing the windows drive. I tried disconnecting all other drives and that somehow caused it to Bork. I'm now attempting to do a reinstall, but the files are not decompressing. I think the os drive finally kicked it. We'll see. I'm taking a break while my computer tries to do a reinstall. If there is no progress when I get back, that'll be proof that the drive is indeed dead.

... This is a nightmare. An error saying that it could not find all the necessary files... What the hell? I have never seen this in my 10 years of building my own rigs.

rvcjew said:

Sounds like you have more than one issue at this point to to be clear your 4 drivers were not in raid or any kind of array correct? Also your cintiq may have caused a a short (how did it die?) frying say your gpu. First thing iw oudl try is remove your gpu then try to use one display with your integrated one then get the os installed and from there after getting all drivers then install your gpu and drivers for it.

The cintiq was dead because the power button stopped working. It is a non issue.

I think the hard drive is dead. I've reformatted the os drive three times and attempted to install windows on it. Each time, I got an error 0x80070017.

I will be looking at getting a new drive shortly.

I've removed the other drives for now and moved the rig to a place where I have more room to work. With everything isolated, it's still experiencing the expanding windows files problem. The disc, as far as I can tell, is fine. I'll test it with my other disc. (I have two copies of windows 7 ult.)

Edit: there it goes... It's expanding now. Once I've got the base install done, I'll have to connect my drives to get at the system image.

I still think the drive is in bad shape, though...