Windows 7 from scratch - A required CD/DVD drive device driver is missing.

[rszarko]

Hi Folks,

I'm trying to install Windows 7 32bit from scratch on a M71E - 3157-CTO.  I know my install media is good.  I can't get past this message.  I've searched for drivers...tried all type...nothing.

Can someone tell me where I can download the necessary drive to see the hard drive.

Rick

[tanujhanda Retired Partner]

Kindly let us know the error message detail and also the hard drive detail you are using.

Best Regards,

Tanuj

[mcutshall]

The error message detail is in his description. I get the smae on a W520. "A required CD/DVD drive device driver is missing. If you have a driver floppy disk or CD, DVD, or USB falsh drive, please insert it now... I'm using a USB to install win7 x64

[mcutshall]

Well, my issue turned out to be something to do with my Win7 USB.  Whether it's gone corrupt or what.  I used someone elses Win7 DVD and it is installing just fine now.  Hope that helps someone.

[bentosmoothie]

It did help.  I was trying to install Windows 7 (32-bit) from USB onto my ThinkPad X220.  I was seeing the same "missing driver" error ... right after successfully starting the installation.  So, I tried again, but switched to a different USB port (my front-right one instead of my rear-left one) and it worked.

Hope THIS helps someone as well.

[twhitewhite]

Thank you. I'd been wracking my brains, scouring the internet for a solution, and even (sadly!) re-ordered the 32-bit version. But I came across your solution (just plug the USB key in a different port!) and thought I'd try it... and it WORKED!

I guess my W520 is different from yours. Originally, I had it plugged in to the upper left-side port, but then retried it on the back right-side, and that's what worked for me...

So to any future seekers - don't re-order a new license and download! Try a different USB port first!

[alex1906 Support Specialist - Retired]

Hello all,

Out of any of the media I suggest to make recovery media with, USB is at the bottom of the list. 

The CDs are the best thing to make media with.  The USB I have seen fail quite a lot.  This is normally due to one slight mistake when creating the media.  Or like stated above, the wrong port. 

I'm glad you all got it working, just remember to help pass on the information you learned from.

Glad it's fixed,

Alex

[zoltanthegypsy]

Allow me to add that this particular error message "A required CD/DVD drive device driver is missing." can also show up due to a corrupt ISO download or bad CD/DVD burn.

Been there, done that...

Z.