I'm at wits end =(

DocBrown said:

Do you still have the orig HD with win7 pro on it ? Can you still try it ?

No...the original was a WD Raptor...one fo the old 75 gig'ers. It failed in a spectacularly final fashion

Where did you get Win7? Did you burn it yourself? If so, burn another DVD using ImgBurn at 4x speed.

Next try install from flash stick: Install UltraISO trial version, Open ISO on File tab, Write Image File on Bootable tab, Format, Write to stick.

You can also try wiping the HD first, but the hang at loading is normally installer, BIOS, or Memory. Or your build could have problems with connections or settings.

When I run out of time for troubleshooting, I apply a Win7 image to the HD using Acronis 10+ with Universal Restore which removes all drivers during imaging and prepares to start on other Hardware. You can also use Paraqgon Adaptive Restore CD on the HD to do the same thing once imaged. You may not even need those tools as failure to start on changed hardware is usually a combination of driver conflicts and you have much the same hardware.

Sorry for the delay in response, I fell asleep last night, lol. Let me answer a few of these real quick..

I can try to find a VGA output video card. I have a few but theyre all AGP, lol. I'll ask around.

I do not have Linux, but I do have XP.

I have 2 retail copies of Windows 7. Both fail equally as well! =p

Ethernet cable unplugged and LAN adapter disabled.

The newest BIOS listed for my board, that is not BETA, is 1201 I believe and that came out January '09.

I have not installed a new CMOS battery.

I could probably find different RAM to test with, but the tests Ive already done on the RAM have been so extensive, that I doubt it's the issue this time. I say this, also, because I've built this rig before with this RAM, lol. This is just a rebuild with new case/hdd's/cooling.

I was not aware of losing the DvD when I tried installing via flash drive, no.

I have just about everything disabled in BIOS, but I want to go back and check if the things listed are also disabled.

I have no idea how to manually load chipset drivers during a 7 install and I havent seen an option? Where exactly is it?

As to grounding the mobo...lol...I actually have tried that, but for another reason! I had initially not installed one of the rubber washers under the northbridge heatsink clamps, and BOY OH BOY did it take me a long time to figure THAT out, lol.

On another note...after leaving the system ANOTHER 24 hours, it got to the "select a drive" portion of the install. It has made it this far once before but failed again immediately after. I'll post the results this time after I wait again...lol

Thanks everyone

Well of COURSE not, *sigh*

After Windows expanded files and all that crap, and restarted itself, I'm back at "Starting Windows" with no logo. Been this way for over 24 hours now.

Try installing XP, then launch Win7 DVD from XP.

Next try extracting the ISO files to XP desktop to run Setup.