Ok, for kicks I started the rig, no HDD or SSD attached, and it booted right up from the install disk. Went into BIOS and found it was set on legacy instead of ROM, switched that.
While it was running I attached the SSD to the Intel 6gbs port and the storage HDD into the 3gbs port. Set the SATA to IDE, saved and rebooted.
Went right into Windows

Automatically installed a shitload of drivers but the video driver install failed, no probs.. it was the sucky MS version anyway. Rebooted and tried to install the latest from NVidia via thumb drive - install failed because it didn't find any compatible video cards in the system

GTX 580s aren't Nvidia compatible?.
So I booted again and it's now back in it's same old hang at A2 nothing I do will get me back into windows.
Disconnected the SSD and HDD and still hangs
taking the damn thing apart today