I experienced a strange problem when trying to install Windows 10 on an Asus K52J laptop from a Verbatim Store ‘n’ Go 16 GB USB drive.
After booting Windows 10 setup and clicking “Install now” I saw the message: Setup is starting
And then this error message:
A media driver your computer needs is missing. This could be a DVD, USB or Hard disk driver. If you have a CD, DVD, or USB flash drive with the driver on it, please insert it now. Note: If the installation media for Windows is in the DVD drive or on a USB drive, you can safely remove it for this step.
Followed by this error message:
No device drivers were found. Make sure that the installation media contains the correct drivers, and then click OK.
Common explanations for this error
- Corrupted ISO file.
(I checked the SHA1 checksum, which was correct)
- Wrong AHCI/SATA/IDE setting in BIOS.
(I tried the available options, which had no effect)
- Using a USB 3.0 port instead of a USB 2.0 port.
(The machine only has USB 2.0 ports. Tried all the ports anyway, which didn’t change the situation)
Solution
I eventually found and tried the solution suggested by 4TXTECH here:
http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/id-2762791/win10-clean-install-fails-missing-media-drivers.html
Setup could continue after following this procedure:
1. Unplug the USB drive.
2. Plug the USB drive into a different USB port.
3. Go back to the initial setup screen (by clicking X).
4. Click “Install now” again
Thoughts
The problem seems to be caused by a USB compatibility issue somewhere between Windows 10, the laptop or the USB drive.
Further investigation could be relevant.
If Windows installation from a USB flash drive fails due to this or other problems, try the suggested workaround.
As an alternative, try installing from a DVD (if possible).