Can't get past a black screen during installation

Installing Windows 7 64 bit over Vista Ultimate 64 (clean install). When I get to the point where the PC is starting Windows for the first time, I get the splash screen that says, starting windows, the screen goes black, the hard drive churns for a while then stops but I never get a display. No cursor, no functions, nothing.
I tried ctrl+alt+del, nothing,
pressing various keys nothing.

When I restart the computer i get the prompt to start in a different mode. I try safe mode and the PC tells me it can't finalize setup in safe mode and prompts to restart.
If I let the computer sit (overnight), it just goes to sleep.
\
I'm stuck.

i checked but didn't find anything that will get me past the blackness. Windows installation won't let me boot in safe mode so I can't try any of the suggested fixes, particularly the ones related to driver installations.

OK, looking at all the other posts on similar issues, it looks like I should try pulling out most of my RAM, even though the computer worked 4.0 before attempting the upgrade.
I'll try this when I get home tonight but I'm a little miffed to have to take such a step just to upgrade my OS. Didn't MS know about this before the release?

Well, that didn't work. I pulled out all the RAM sticks except one (2 MB remaining in the PC). Didn't help.
So, I reformatted the hard drive, reinstalled windows Vista Ultimate 64 bit and now I'm reinstalling Windows 7.
This is the absolute worst I've ever dealt with trying to upgrade Windows. I participated in the RC program, I know what I'm doing with a PC. I try everything several times to ensure repeatability and validate the error before I cry foul. After a while of experimenting I can usually find a work around to get things to work the way I want to, but this is ridiculous. Now I'm just wasting more and more of my time trying to get Windows 7 to work.
here's what I know, Windows is running but the display is BLACK with no mouse cursor, no display whatsoever. I know Windows is running because if I push a button on the mouse or keyboard, the hard drive light flickers. CRTL+ALT+DEL doesn't do anything and I can't boot in safe mode because the PC tells me it can't continue the upgrade in SAFE mode.
This has gotten painfully impossible.

Try unplugging any graphics card and use the onboard graphics to see if that helps.

Also make sure your video output is to correct monitor port. Disable TV tuner.

You don't need to reinstall Vista to reinstall Win7, there is a workaround.

FINALLY! Got the upgrade to install. What did I do? I have no idea. I just kept hitting buttons on my keyboard and mouse, out of frustration, then the mouse suddenly appeared. I waited for more to happen for 10 minutes and when nothing did, I rebooted and selected safe mode with networking.
Based on all the other posts, I assumed my video driver was the problem, so I downloaded the latest ATI drivers. They would not install in safe mode so I rebooted again and the system came up. I installed the updated drivers and now I'm finally, FINALLY up and running.
This is terrible people. Fixing Windows should not be a random occurance. As a former Navy Test Pilot, Engineer and very well adept at working the PC, this should not be that hard.
Feel free to give me the obligatory, "gee, sorry you had a hard time" reply. It won't help. Do a better job and preparing your software for deployment.
I'm a techie who likes to upgrade and I'm sorely disappointed.

To the guy who said, unplug your graphics card and use onboard graphics, what would you suggest I plug my display in to if I remove the graphics card?

It's funny how all the suggestions require a display.