boot - Cannot install any Linux on newly built computer. Splash screen>flash of desktop>only mouse on screen

hopefully this is a noobish question that can easily be solved because it has given me quite a headache. I recently upgraded my machine, before I outline my problems here are the specs.

1. Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-2600K CPU @ 3.40GHz 3.70GHz


2. 16GB DDR3 RAM


3. Radeon 6800 Graphics Card


4. Gigabyte Motherboard (using BIOS)


5. Multiple HDD tested, ranging from SSD to 160GB old Samsung HDD.


6. Currently running windows 8.1 (sad face)

Here is the process I have become accustomed to. When booting from a live USB, I will see the splash screen of whatever Distro I have loaded, then it flashes the desktop for a second, then goes blank. After a minute of blank screen a mouse cursor appears, and nothing after that.

I have made a 16GB live USB in FAT32 using the programs Rufus, Lili Live USB installer, and UnetBootin. All produce the same results. I have tested Ubuntu 12, 14, 64bit flavors. I have also tried Debian and Linux mint 17 Cinnamon.

One interesting thing to note is that Linux Mint 17 32-bit was able to display the desktop in compatibility mode. In this mode the USB booted to the desktop instead of the installer, despite me choosing the install option in UnetBootin. When I run the installer from here, it gets to formatting "swap" and then crashes, leaving me with a cursor on the screen again. The HDD it was installing to becomes unreadable until I use the disk-part utility in windows to "clean" it.

I have ran a memory test from the options in unetbootin, no errors to report.

My BIOS settings were tested as follows:

1. Write protection toggled on/off


2. Fastboot disabled


3. Setting for 2+TB HDD on/off (apologies for not remembering the name for this setting)


4. USB set to first boot device


5. Setting for forcing computer to ignore graphics card on/off (again, apologies for lack of specific name for setting)

Please tell me I have missed something easy, as I cannot wait to get Ubuntu running on this thing. My old Dell Dimension 8150 barely handled the Unity interface, and I'm excited to see this thing rip it up. Thank you in advance for your time!