W7 Pro 64-bit installation stalls at account password screen

The original boot hard drive on my machine is having I/O problems, so I am trying to install W7 on a brand new SSD replacement drive. I made use of the threads in the tutorials section on using DISKPART from safe mode command prompt to clean, partition and format the SSD prior to running W7 setup after having the following problem: Windows setup (original disc that came with the machine) runs fine until I get to the "Set a password for your account" screen. At that point, I lose all mouse and keyboard function (system "freeze"?), such that I am unable to enter the requested info and have to do a hard re-boot to unfreeze the machine. I had this same problem both before applying the DISKPART advice and after. Help!!!

Did you unplug all other drives?

Test your RAM - Test with Memtest86+.

If these freezes persist run for awhile with a boot disk with the drives unplugged to see if the problem persists which will eliminate the drives themselves and point to the mobo or OD. https://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials...cy-backup.html

Report back results.

Yes -- the old boot HDD (which I use exclusively for the OS and other programs) and 2nd HDD I use to store only data were both unplugged. The only drives connected when I encountered this problem were the new SSD and the disc drive used to read the W7 installation disc. Oh, and in addition to the internal boot and data drives, I have an external USB drive that is supposed to back-up both internal drives (incremental back-up [?], I believe) every Sunday night, so if it's been working, I shouldn't need to run Peppermint (although I've never tried to restore anything from the external drive). The first time I tried to install W7 on the new SSD, the external drive was connected. I have since then unplugged it.

I downloaded Memtest86+ onto a USB flash drive and booted the computer with it. It's been running for over 12 hours (9 passes) with ZERO memory errors.

Perhaps I should back up and explain why I'm trying to install a new boot drive. My wife was using the computer and heard "a noise/sound" and the computer screen froze. Relying on a strategy used at work, she powered down the computer and re-started it. It was at this point that Windows refused to load correctly and she informed me of the problem.

Based on her description of "a noise/sound", I assumed it was probably a HDD read/write head failure, since the fans are all operational and making no unusual sounds. I figured a SSD replacement would be both faster and more reliable (no mechanical wear involved) and a fresh install of Windows would be the best way to go and I could then copy anything I needed from the old boot drive onto the SSD from the external drive back-up copy.

So now what? I figure your "mobo" means motherboard, but not sure what you mean by "OD". Would this be the optical drive that is reading the W7 installation disc?

Did you follow all of the steps in https://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials...l#post2714895?

Is there a BIOS update? What is the SATA controller setting in BIOS setup?

Is this a UEFI BIOS? When you boot the installer is there a choice of EFI devices?

If the problem persists while running Peppermint or another boot disk with the SSD unplugged then it points to the mobo, although you'd need to try flash stick boot as well to know that it is not the DVD drive (OD) at fault.

Sorry, I didn't see your tutorial until you provided the link. I'm working through those steps now.

Unable to determine if there's a more recent BIOS update (phone contact and web search attempts have been useless). Current BIOS is dated 8/11/2011, which, as far as I can tell, is the most current.

No UEFI option as far as I can tell.

Just a few more questions:

"When you boot the installer is there a choice of EFI devices?" 1) Are you referring to the Memtest 86+ or Peppermint boot?

2) Does it matter which mobo ATA port (4 available) I plug the SSD into? Assuming I get it up and running, which ports should the 2nd (data) drive and DVD drive be plugged into?

3) Will changing the BIOS ATA setting from IDE mode (current setting) to ACHI cause problems communicating with the old drives once I re-connect them? If so, is it possible to use the USB drive I'm currently using for back-up to back-up both old HDD's using either W7 safe mode or Peppermint?

Sorry if these seem like dumb questions. It's been a while since I've had hardware upgrade/OS problems. Most of my experience has been with DOS and early Windows issues/machines like my Tandy 1000.

1) I was referring to the boot menu to select the WIn7 installation media.

2) Try SATA1 unless your mobo manual says to use another for SSD.

3) AHCI will only affect the bootable OS drive, how it is installed. AHCI : Enable in Windows 7 / Vista - Windows 7 Forums

Looks like swapping cables has done the trick. Many thanks for your assistance!!