2009 mac pro can't install any new os's - tried multiple drives

Ok guys here's where i'm at.

I was running a 2009 mac pro with 10.6.8

I downloaded and ran mavericks but after it restarted it just hung on the no entry sign over night.

So i did a restore and that worked.

I repaired permissions, and tried via a usb thumb drive no luck.

I restarted using my partners osx 10.6 mbp dvd and erased my mac pro drive and reformatted making sure it was guid partitioned and journaled etc.

Still no luck.

Even stranger when i try to install from external usb drive the installer doesnt see the hdd but if i use the dvd it says it cannot install but does see the hdd and lets me do a restore.

So at this point im sure some of you will be saying the hdd is dead.

But on each restore it was fine.

AND

so then i bought a samsung evo 840 and stuck that in using an icey box and just thought i'd install mavericks then copy over some files etc from my back up.

BUT i get the same issue. The usb installer cannot see the new ssd, but if boot from the dvd i can see it and restore the time machine backup to it.

Any suggestions at all?

Thanks