Windows 7 install BSODs on two different hard drives on new computer

• Computer: Asus CM1740 (newegg stats), no stock HDD (stock is a 1TB SATA 6.0 GB/s -- according to a topic I found on HelpOwl, it may be Seagate or Western Digital). It was hardware and stress-tested prior to my purchase.


• Primary hard drive: Seagate Barracuda 7200 RPM 3.0 GB/s SATA 160 GB (from old computer -- original Windows 7 boot failure, Windows 7 disc boot failure)


• Secondary hard drive: Western Digital Caviar SE 7200 RPM 3.0 GB/s SATA 160 GB (also from old computer -- older Windows 7 install failure, new 2kpro install OK, new Windows 7 install failure) -- this is the primary HDD I've been working with, though I did try with the Seagate .


• OS: Win7 Home Premium x64 (same as stock)

I got a new (to me) computer, no HDD. I am getting two errors consistently and cannot install Windows 7 or boot from its disc. The page fault error is more prevalent. The errors are occuring when I get to the Windows 7 graphical boot screen -- the one with the Windows logo and colors, etc.

• Seagate: I tried just putting it in, no changes.


• Seagate: I tried to boot in Safe Mode, it stopped going during the loading of drivers.


• Seagate: I tried using the Windows 7 disc to get into startup recovery.


• Western Digital (exclusive HDD from here on in): I tried putting in the HDD and using the Windows 7 disc to do a fresh install.


• Reformatted with Windows 2000 Pro and installed. It worked! I cannot use an old and unsupported OS, though.

Technical codes (not sure exactly which step of troubleshooting these came from, sorry):

PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA: STOP: 0x00000050 (0xFFFFFA8000F400000, 0x0000000000000001, 0xFFFFF80000CE82139, 0x00000000000000002)

IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL: STOP:0x0000000A(0x000000000000000B0, 0x00000000000000002, 0x0000000000000000, 0xFFFFF8000CE80ABF)

Notes:

• It works in Win2kpro, and also works sitting on the BIOS screen. It also let me run memtest. In general, it seems fine as long as I am not trying to get into Windows 7.



• I was thinking it was the memory, but memtest + Windows memory test both say my RAM is fine.


• I was thinking it was the BIOS, but I have the latest version appropriate to Windows 7. Shall I try to flash it anyway? The motherboard says BIOS rev 1.04 and the screen says V0901 x64 5/18/2012.

Update: I switched SATA cables. Got to Windows 7 graphical installation screen. Clicked "Install". It went for a second and gave a new BSOD:

SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION:
STOP: 0x0000003B (0x00000000C0000005, 0xFFFFF9600001BD408, 0xFFFFF88004D8B680, 0x0000000000000000)

win32k.sys Address FFFFF9600001BD408 base at FFFFF960000010000 DateStamp 4a5bc5eo

Update 2: Other small things I have also tried:

• Switching the mouse (USB and PS/2 tried); removing the mouse; switching the keyboard (USB and PS/2 tried); switching monitors


• Double checking and securing all internal connections

When I switched the keyboard to PS/2 and used a newish wireless mouse, I actually got further on the Windows 7 installation than I had before. I went into system recovery tools. CHKDSK returned no errors (as expected). It was able to sit on this screen for quite a long time. I clicked install -- but about 30 seconds in, another error. Technical codes:

ACPI.sys PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA
0x00000050 (0xFFFFFA8000F400000, 0x00000000000000001, 0xFFFFF88001146BDF, 0x00000000000000002)
ACPI.sys - FFFFF88001146BDF base at FFFFF8800111C000 DateStamp 4a5bc106

Update 3: I downloaded Windows 7 Service Pack 1 as suggested by JourneymanGeek. I created a bootable USB flash drive with Rufus; I encountered another BSOD during the initial "loading files" portion of the install.

IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL


STOP: 0x0000000A (0x000000000000000B0, 0x00000000000000002, 0x00000000000000000, 0xFFFFF8000CE28ABF)