Cannot install Windows 7 EFI on R1304WTTGSR

[AONym]

I want to do a clean install of 64-bit Windows 7 Pro on the R1304WTTGSR server (S2600W motherboard). The specs for this server say Windows 7 EFI is compatible and has been tested with this server.

The specific configuration is

2 x Xeon processor E5 2630 v4

2 x 64 GB ECC LRDIMM DDR4 memory

2 x Seagate 8 TB hard drives

Panasonic BD Blu-ray drive

Radeon XFX R5 230 graphics card, installed in riser slot 1.

Mouse and keyboard connected via front USB port (using a splitter).

LAN-see below

The firmware ("BIOS") is set to boot using EFI. AFAIK, this means it cannot boot using BIOS ("Legacy") mode.

When I boot the Windows installation disk (latest version of Windows 7 x64 from Microsoft web site), using EFI, the screen shows first "Loading files", then "Starting WIndows". At this point:

- With nothing connected to the network ports (LAN), the system hangs. By "hangs" I mean nothing changing on the screen, no DVD or disk activity, no response to mouse or keyboard, and no response when front panel power button is pushed.

- With a CAT5 (Ethernet) cable connected between network ports 1 and 2, the system proceeds with some animation of the Windows flag (fading and brightening), but other than this, the system hangs as above. The reason for connecting the network ports is that someone posted that there is a bug in the Windows 7 install disk network drivers, that they hang when nothing is connected.

In either case, waits of several hours does not matter--the system is frozen.

I also thought of installing from USB drive, but without success. The Microsoft Windows7-USB-DVD-Download-Tool-Installer does not produce an EFI-bootable result, nor does Rufus 2.10.973 (the current version). I created a Windows 10 USB drive using a different Microsoft tool, MediaCreationTool, and it is EFI-bootable, but requires that I load the disk drivers.

Although it may be unrelated, the last thing I tried was resetting the BIOS to factory defaults (F9). That made my add-in video card stop working, even though it was enabled in the BIOS.

BIOS version is SE5C610.86B.01.01.0016 (3/31/2016). The server did not come with any software.

If anyone has successfully done this installation, please share the secret steps needed to do so.

[AONym]

UPDATE: I have discovered two of the problems: (1) There must be a connection from NIC1 to NIC2, as described above; (2) The video must be set to "Legacy", not "UEFI"; (3) The SATA must be set to Rapid Storage Technology enterprise "RSTe", not "ACHI". With these three changes, Windows installer gets to the point where it is asking for disk drivers. I have been unable to install the proper drivers, but this is progress.

[MBrom3]

I had a similar situation 4 years ago with S5520HCT boards .... not sure if it applies to you or not , but this is what I have in my notes:

05-13-2012: Intel S5520HCT Hangs When Installing Windows

This was the solution supplied by Intel support:

Solution

Follow the steps below to resolve the issue:

Update the system board BIOS to the latest version. Go to Intel Download Center and select product family, product line, then product name to find the correct BIOS file.

Change the BIOS setting, PCI AER Support, to Disable. before installing the operating system. Go to BIOS > Advanced > PCI Configuration.

Connect the network ports to a network, switch, or back to back (connect both ends of the network cable to different ports on the same computer) before the operating system loads the embedded NIC driver.

After the operating system install completes, download the latest Network Drivers for Windows.

This issue only affects network controllers based on the 82575 or 82576 chipset.