Can't install Windows. X99 WS Fault?

They haven't been proven defective. I'd simply return them. IF asked, and your retailer has a generous Return Policy, I'd state incompatibility as my reason.

Rather than reinstall Win7 across slots B1, C1 and D1 I decided to simply test launching the installer to see that it got to the hard disk selection screen (further than it got using the faulty Kingston sticks). I then rebooted and loaded the installed Win7 from the SATA SSD and did some short prime95 runs.

I'm reasonably sure the slots are OK but have a concern with C1. C1 was the only slot that did not cause a reboot post crash during the Win2012 install attempt. I will attempt a full in stallion with C1 only populated.

Success!!

My Samsung memory arrived this morning so I opened the packaging and put a single stick into slot 1. The UEFI shows 8GB single channel. I loaded deafult UEFI settings, saved and rebooted with my 8 GB USB2 Windows 7 Pro x64 SP1 OEM installation stick attached to a rear panel USB2 port.

Windows 7 was installed within a few minutes. I've yet to install all the drivers for all hardware but will do so shortly and then repeat the process across the memory slots B1, C1 and D1.

The bad news is that I appear to have 2 dead memory sticks from Kingston.

parsec wrote: Since you can easily get into the UEFI/BIOS, and use it for periods of time without failure (right?), your memory has passed the memory POST tests, which normally fail when using incompatible memory. The X99 WS Memory Support list states that ECC RDIMM memory is supported when using E5 series Xeon processors.

parsec wrote: If you become desperate, you can use this cheap Crucial memory as a workaround, and as a test if the board is bad for some reason. I've used this memory in my ASRock X99 Extreme6/3.1 board, and can OC it fine: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148858.

Since you can easily get into the UEFI/BIOS, and use it for periods of time without failure (right?), your memory has passed the memory POST tests, which normally fail when using incompatible memory.

The X99 WS Memory Support list states that ECC RDIMM memory is supported when using E5 series Xeon processors.

The notice from Kingston about your memory is an EOL (End Of Life) notification, meaning they are simply not producing that model anymore. If there is a reason for that, such as problems with that memory, who knows? The compatibility link for this model of memory on Kingston's website is unusable, perhaps due to EOL status?

http://www.kingston.com/en/memory/search?partId=KVR24R17S4%2F16MA

If you continue to use that memory, I would run it at 2133 and all Auto timings. Since X99 and Skylake are the only two platforms able to use DDR4 memory currently, and Skylake currently does not support ECC/RDIMM memory, this memory should be fine AFAIK. Since they are 16GB DIMMs, maybe a slight increase of DRAM voltage might help. Also, a bit more VCCSA voltage could help.

If you become desperate, you can use this cheap Crucial memory as a workaround, and as a test if the board is bad for some reason. I've used this memory in my ASRock X99 Extreme6/3.1 board, and can OC it fine:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148858

The remaining potential problem with memory, is bent pins in the CPU socket. For a socket 2011 board, that is a nightmare. The only way to check this is by removing the CPU of course. Taking a picture of the socket pins with a digital camera in Macro mode allows you to study them (what fun...) better. I hope this is not your problem.

You mentioned using legacy and UEFI "keys", which I assume means installing Windows in UEFI mode, what I call UEFI booting? With either Secure Boot enabled, or CSM set to disabled? Is that correct?

If so, the Windows 7 installation files have a bug that causes UEFI booting installations to fail. It can be fixed manually but takes some work, and you must use a USB flash drive and a modified Windows 7 ISO file installation package. I can show you a guide how to do that if you'd like. This issue should not occur with Server 2012, but I have not personally verified that.

If you are installing an OS in UEFI mode, the video source must be "GOP Compatible", a UEFI requirement. Not all video cards have a GOP compatible VBIOS. Your GeForce 8600GTS card has no chance of being GOP compatible, and the same goes for the Nvidia NVS 310, they are simply too old. Of course this does not explain the legacy Windows installation failures that I think you also tried.

In the boot order screen in the UEFI, if you select the entry for any installation media with the prefix "UEFI" (ie, "UEFI: USB Flash Drive XYZ"), that normally will cause a UEFI mode/booting installation to occur. If you set Secure Boot or CSM as I described above, that will guarantee it.

I'm not 100% certain that a non-GOP compatible video source will cause a UEFI mode OS installation to fail as early as you seem to experience, but even if that is unrelated, it will cause a failure to boot after the OS installation. Disabling Secure Boot or enabling CSM should fix that.

Regarding Ubuntu, I can't help you with it.

Another thing in general, I've had problems installing Windows from high capacity USB flash drives. A 64GB flash drive will fail, and I believe a 32GB model will too. I use 16GB USB flash drives without any problems, and they have more than enough capacity.

You must use a USB 2.0 port on the board's IO panel for a Windows 7 installation. With Server 2012, you should be able to use a USB 3.0 port, but to be safe use a USB 2.0 port on the IO panel.