How to Fix the Missing Media Driver Error During Windows Setup

To fix “A media driver your computer needs is missing,” recreate your Windows installation USB, then load your PC’s matching storage driver if Setup cannot find the destination drive. A problem reading installation files and an empty drive list need different fixes, so start with the installer before changing storage settings. The steps below use Windows 11 menus.

Recreate the Windows installation USB

Start with a fresh installer when Setup reports the media-driver error while reading installation files. Microsoft’s Media Creation Tool creates Windows 11 installation media for supported x64 PCs, but it does not include every manufacturer’s storage driver.

Creating the installer erases the selected USB drive, so use an empty drive with at least 8GB of capacity. On the Windows 11 download page, under Create Windows 11 Installation Media, select Download Now. Run the downloaded tool as administrator and select Accept.

Choose the target language and edition, then select USB flash drive and complete creation of the installer. Boot the affected PC from the completed USB and retry Setup. If Setup reaches disk selection but cannot find your drive, use the model-specific storage-driver steps below.

Check the ISO and PC architecture

If you created the installer from a downloaded ISO, check that file before rebuilding the USB again. Expand Verify your download on Microsoft’s Windows 11 download page and find the SHA256 value for the exact release, architecture and language you downloaded.

Open PowerShell and replace the example path below with your ISO’s actual location. Run this command to calculate the file’s hash.

Get-FileHash "C:\path\Windows.iso"

Compare the result with Microsoft’s matching value. If it differs, download the ISO again before recreating the installation media. A matching checksum checks the download’s integrity; it does not supply a missing storage-controller driver.

An Arm-based PC needs the Windows 11 Arm64 download. When Windows still works, on Windows 11 open Settings > System > About and check System type.

For a supported Arm-based device, use Microsoft’s Download Windows 11 Disk Image (ISO) for Arm-based PCs option and select the offered edition and language. The x64 Media Creation Tool does not create Arm64 installation media. Follow your device manufacturer’s instructions for adding required drivers, because the Arm64 ISO can still need model-specific files.

Some newer ASUS platforms that use native NVMe storage require Windows 11 24H2 or later installation media. Check that requirement against your exact ASUS model before choosing its installer.

Load the Intel storage driver for your model

When the destination-drive list is empty, affected Intel RST or VMD systems may need a storage-controller driver during Setup. Download the package for the exact PC or motherboard, even when you use another computer to obtain it. Extract the driver files to USB before selecting Load driver and Browse in Windows Setup.

For affected Dell Intel 11th through 14th generation systems, identify the PC by Service Tag at Dell Drivers & Downloads. Under Identify your product, enter the Service Tag or model and select Search, or use Browse all products. Open Drivers & Downloads > Storage and download the model’s Intel Rapid Storage Technology Driver. Run the package, select Extract and choose a USB folder.

Back in Windows Setup, select Load driver > Browse and open the extracted VMD or f6vmdflpy-x64 folder. Select OK, choose the compatible controller and continue. If the package does not match the PC, return to the Service Tag’s downloads instead of forcing another controller driver.

For affected ASUS Intel VMD systems, find your exact model in ASUS Download Center and obtain its Intel Rapid Storage Technology package from Chipset when offered. Extract it, then select Load driver > Browse in Setup and open the RST folder. Select OK, choose Intel RST VMD Controller and select Next.

For affected HP Intel 11th generation Tiger Lake configurations, identify your PC on HP Software and Driver Downloads by serial number, product number or product name. Download Intel RST driver (RAID) from Driver-Storage and extract its files to the installation USB using the package’s extraction process. In Setup, select Load driver > Browse, expand the extracted SoftPaq folder, choose F6 and select OK. Select the compatible driver and select Next.

For affected Intel-based MSI motherboards, download the motherboard-specific Intel Rapid Storage Technology Driver and extract it to USB. Select Load driver > Browse, locate the VMD folder and select OK. Choose Intel RST VMD Controller, then select Next.

If your Intel package contains only SetupRST.exe, copying that installer to USB is insufficient. For compatible packages that support Intel’s extraction switch, use a working Windows PC and open the package folder using Open in Terminal. Run this command to create the SetupRST_extracted folder.

.\SetupRST.exe -extractdrivers SetupRST_extracted

Copy the extracted files to USB and return to Load driver in Windows Setup. The package still needs to match the target storage controller, so check model compatibility if Setup cannot use it.

Load AMD RAID drivers in the correct order

Use this method only for a supported AMD RAID configuration. An AMD processor alone does not mean your PC needs RAID drivers. Identify the supported chipset or platform on AMD Drivers and Support and obtain its applicable RAID package, using the PC or motherboard manufacturer’s package when your model requires it.

With the compatible AMD RAID files on USB, select Load driver > Browse, locate the files and select OK. Load AMD-RAID Bottom Device from rcbottom.inf first, then AMD-RAID Controller from rcraid.inf, selecting Next for each.

Once the virtual disk appears, load AMD-RAID Config Device from rccfg.inf. Do not format individual members of the RAID array. If the virtual disk remains missing, check the package’s compatibility with your exact RAID configuration before continuing.

Change VMD only on supported models

Disabling VMD removes RAID functionality and can make an existing Windows installation or RAID configuration inaccessible. Use this alternative only when RAID is unnecessary and your ASUS or MSI model exposes the documented controls. If you need help entering firmware, follow the steps to get to BIOS on Windows.

On supported ASUS PCs, start from power-off, hold F2 and press Power; supported handhelds use Volume Down and Power. Press F7, then open Advanced Mode, or open Advanced Settings in the interface named MyASUS in UEFI. Open Advanced > VMD setup menu and set Enable VMD controller to Disabled.

Click Ok and press F10. Select Ok in standard UEFI, or select Confirm in the interface named MyASUS in UEFI. Retry Windows Setup after saving the change.

On supported MSI motherboards, restart and press Del at the MSI logo, then press F7. Open Advanced > Integrated Peripherals > RAID Configuration (Intel VMD) and set Enable VMD controller to Disable. Press F10 and click YES, then retry Setup.

If your firmware lacks these menus, return to the model-specific driver method. Do the same when you need RAID functionality instead of changing the storage mode.

Use Dell recovery media or built in recovery

Eligible Dell computers can use model-specific recovery media to avoid the missing-IRST problem. Download the Dell OS Recovery Tool version matching the working computer’s x64 or ARM64 architecture, install it and open it. Identify the affected Dell PC by Service Tag.

Creating Dell recovery media erases the selected USB drive’s existing contents. Select a USB drive with at least 16GB of capacity, then turn on the setting that reads "I understand that the selected drive will be reformatted and existing data will be deleted". Click Download, then boot the affected Dell using F12 and select the recovery USB.

For help restoring Windows from installation or recovery media, follow the steps to recover Windows using a USB drive. Recovery-image availability depends on the target Dell Service Tag.

If your Dell has a usable recovery environment and factory image, you can restore its supplied OS, drivers and software through built-in recovery. This resets and erases the system drive, so back up your files separately before starting. Press F12 at the Dell logo, select SupportAssist OS Recovery and select APPROVE if prompted.

Select Start Reset > Reset to factory settings > NEXT. After making your separate backup, select No, do not back up my files and select NEXT. Turn on the setting that reads "I understand that the reset will delete all of my system data and personal files". Select YES, CONTINUE, select NEXT, then select RESTART when complete.

Use ASUS Cloud Recovery on supported devices

Supported ASUS devices originally supplied with Windows 11 22H2 or later, excluding S mode, can use the recovery tool named MyASUS in WinRE. This recovery erases the Windows storage device, so back up important data first. To access the Windows Recovery Environment, press F12 repeatedly at startup, or F9 on applicable models; from working Windows, hold Shift while selecting Restart.

On ROG Ally, connect an external keyboard through a USB-C dongle to use MyASUS in WinRE. Open Troubleshoot, then select MyASUS in WinRE. Click Agree when prompted, select Update, then select Cloud Recovery. Connect through Wireless network > OK, enter the network password and select Connect.

Complete the offered external-drive backup before proceeding. The final reset erases the Windows storage device, so click OK at that prompt only after preserving your important data. ASUS directs supported Arm devices to this recovery route.

On supported ASUS devices, you can also start Cloud Recovery directly from firmware; this route excludes Arm laptops and Windows 11 Home S mode configurations. ASUS warns that firmware recovery can erase all attached internal storage devices, so back up your data first. Press F2 at startup; on ROG Ally, press Power, then keep pressing or hold Volume Down until the BIOS configuration displays. Correct the firmware clock if necessary.

Select Cloud Recovery; on supported gaming models, press F7 and open Advanced > ASUS Cloud Recovery. On supported ROG Ally firmware, press Y to open recovery. Select Cloud Recovery > View Policy, then, if true, select I am above the age of 20 years. Click Agree.

Select Next, connect through WiFi > Confirm, enter WiFi Password and select Confirm. Select OK, then select Next. After downloading, select OK and complete the backup flow. The final reset can erase all attached internal storage devices, so select OK at that prompt only after completing your backup.

Run Setup from working Windows

If Windows still starts and an in-place upgrade meets your goal, you can avoid the USB or DVD installation route. On a compatible PC, right-click the downloaded Windows ISO and select Mount. Open the mounted drive and run setup.exe.

This option requires a working Windows installation. For installation onto a bare drive, use the appropriate installation media and model-specific storage driver instead.

You can also launch Setup with /InstallDrivers pointing to an extracted driver directory; Setup searches that directory and its subfolders for INF files. This works from existing Windows, with Windows PE support beginning in Windows 11 24H2, and requires an already accessible installation source. Substitute your actual driver directory in this command.

setup.exe /InstallDrivers E:\Drivers

Add storage drivers to deployment images

For advanced Windows 11 installation troubleshooting, you can load an extracted controller INF into the running Windows PE environment. From a Windows PE command prompt, run this command with the actual USB path.

drvload "E:\Drivers\controller.inf"

Check for successful completion before retrying access to the storage device. Also supply the driver to the installed Windows image, because runtime loading alone does not complete driver deployment.

For Windows 11 deployment media, use DISM on an administrator’s technician PC to add extracted, architecture-compatible INF drivers to the required images. Mount the appropriate Windows PE or Windows image using DISM /Mount-Image, choosing the correct image and index. With the image mounted at the example location, add the matching driver using this command.

DISM /Image:C:\Mount /Add-Driver /Driver:C:\Drivers\controller.inf

Check the mounted image’s driver list before saving the change. Run this command with the same mount location.

DISM /Image:C:\Mount /Get-Drivers

Update the relevant boot image and installed-Windows image as needed. To save the changes and unmount an image at the example location, run this command.

DISM /Unmount-Image /MountDir:C:\Mount /Commit

For administrative or OEM deployments, you can instead supply driver locations through an unattended Setup answer file. In Windows System Image Manager, create an answer file and add Microsoft-Windows-PnpCustomizationsWinPE to the windowsPE pass. Add PathAndCredentials entries specifying the driver directories, then supply the answer file to Windows Setup. Include credentials only when a protected network location requires them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my Windows Setup screen look different?

Manufacturer instructions may illustrate older Windows Setup screens, so your labels can vary. Load driver and Browse are the paths those manufacturers describe, but the surrounding screen may look different.

What does the working computer need to run Dell OS Recovery Tool?

You need a Windows 10 or Windows 11 host computer with .NET Framework 4.8 or newer. These requirements apply to the computer creating the recovery USB, which can be different from the affected Dell.

Can every storage driver be loaded into a running Windows PE session?

Drivers requiring a .sys-level restart cannot be added with drvload. For those drivers, use an appropriate deployment-image workflow instead of relying on a runtime load.

Do the manufacturer storage driver procedures also apply to Windows 10?

Dell, ASUS and MSI also describe storage-driver loading for affected Windows 10 systems. Use the package supported for your exact model and Windows version; the HP procedure described here applies to the specified Windows 11 configurations.