Problems at "Windows Starting" screen

Hello,

Parts-----------------
-ASUS P7P55 LX mobo
-Kingston ValueRAM 4GB PC3-10600 DDR3 Dual Channel Kit
-Core i3 540
-Radeon HD 5770
-Western Digital 1TB Caviar Black 7200rpm SATA III w/ 64MB Cache
-some SATA dvd drive out of an older machine
-Keyboard connected via back usb port
-monitor via GFX card dvi port

I am a fairly noob computer builder, this is my 2nd build.

The system is able to POST. It takes longer than what I feel is "normal" for a system to POST (maybe 15-20 seconds), but POSTs none the less. I have a Vista DVD and a Windows 7 DVD, and no matter which one is sitting in the DVD drive, the system will get to the "loading windows" screen with a progress bar, and eventually to a "starting windows" screen.

Following the starting windows screen, my screen goes blank. This is regardless of which OS Disk is in. (???)

Unfortunately, there is no sort of video output from the motherboard, so I cannot connect my monitor to the monitor directly.

The motherboard has two PCI-E x16 slots and the GFX card is currently sitting in the slot labeled PCI-E x16 1. I assume this would be the correct spot for it?

Also, between my HD drive and the optical drive, does it make a difference between which is plugged into the SATA 1 and SATA 2 ports?

Thank you in advance