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Gone are the days when users would have to go through a lengthy process just to install Windows. After all, Microsoft has made the steps easier and simpler. On the other hand, it is still possible for you to encounter driver-related problems that may prevent you from completing the installation process.

So, what should you do when a media driver is missing on Windows 10? You might notice that the USB installation media is booting properly. However, the installation process is not successful due to a missing USB hub driver. There are various reasons why this error occurs, and here are some of them:

I can boot into Windows 10 installation media. Click install, then I get a warning that says 'Load Driver' and in the window it says 'A media driver your computer needs is missing. This could be a DVD, USB, or Hard disk driver.' I've downloaded all of the AMD drivers from their website. I've downloaded all of the Gigabyte X370 drivers. Downloaded the server (ISO) from the Evaluation Center and made an 64GB USB installation stick with Rufus. Now I put this in the HP machine and start the boot. Choose the language (Eng), settings and keyboard in German. Then klick install. And got the error: 'media driver your computer needs is missing' The resolutions I found are - bad DVD. Windows 10 clean install 'A media driver is missing’ Changing BIOS setting: Disable Legacy USB support (Resulted in boot option not showing up) Updating bios.

When I wanted to reinstall Windows later, I remade the bootable drive, but without setting the above option, because it takes a very long time. Then Windows installation on the new computer complained about the missing media driver every time I tried to install it. A media driver your computer needs is missing. This could be a DVD,USB or hard disk driver. If you have CD, DVD or USB flash drive 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. First: this error is not understandable.

  • Corrupted ISO media or DVD drive
  • Malfunctioning USB drive or port
  • Missing USB or DVD driver
  • Unit uses Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) instead of Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE)

You don’t have to panic because we will teach you how to fix media driver missing error. Keep reading this article to learn the solutions that will help you get rid of this problem.

Download Missing Drivers Windows 10

Solution 1: Meeting the requirements for Windows 10

Before you can even try fixing the issue, you have to ensure that your computer meets the requirements for Windows 10. Moreover, you should update your BIOS before you initiate a clean installation of the operating system. Listed below are the minimum system requirements for running Windows 10:

  • RAM: 2GB for 64-bit or 1GB for 32-bit
  • CPU: 1GHz or a faster processor or SoC
  • HDD: 20GB for 64-bit OS or 16GB for 32-bit OS
  • GPU: DirectX 9 or a later version with WDDM 1.0 driver
  • Display: At least 800×600

If you want to have a seamless workflow, it would be best to have at least 2GB of RAM or 3GB for the 64-bit version. This will also provide you with a better processing power.

Solution 2: Trying a different USB port midway

Some users have found a way to work around this problem, and the solution is quite easy. When they initiated a clean installation of Windows 10, they used the method for fixing the same error in Windows 7 and Windows 8. Basically, all you have to do is remove the USB installation drive midway through the process, then try using another port. Here are the steps:

  1. Download the Media Creation Tool and create a USB installation drive.
  2. Boot your computer from the drive.
  3. Wait until all the installation files have loaded.
  4. Select your preferences, then click Install Now.
  5. Once you see the error message, click Cancel.
  6. Remove the USB drive and plug it into a different port.
  7. Click Install Now. The installation process should continue from here.

The aforementioned solution should work for you. However, it is worth noting that this method was mostly for users who had previously installed Windows 10 on their unit.

Solution 3: Using a different USB flash drive

For some strange reason, some USB flash drives, albeit compatible, won’t load all the installation files. In this case, it would be advisable to install Media Creation Tool on a different USB stick.

It is also worth noting that if you have never installed Windows 10 on the computer in question, it is possible that the certain issues with the USB 3.0 port would prevent the BIOS from loading the installation files. As such, you should only use the USB 2.0 ports when installing Windows 10. You can easily identify a USB 3.0 port by the blue strip inside it.

Solution 4: Changing the SATA to IDE

It is possible that the SATA mode is causing the problem. This error specifically occurs when the machine is using IDE, but the installation media boots with SATA. With that said, changing the SATA to IDE in BIOS or UEFI can resolve the issue. Simply follow the instructions below:

  1. Boot into BIOS.
  2. Select any of the following: Advanced, Storage Configuration, Drive Configuration, or IDE Configuration.
  3. Go to SATA Mode. You can also go to Set SATA As or SATA Configuration.
  4. Change the option to IDE, Compatible, or ATA.
  5. Save the changes you’ve just made.
  6. Try installing Windows 10 again and check if the error has been resolved.
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Solution 5: Disabling/enabling certain options in BIOS

Some users have tried working around the error by disabling certain options in BIOS. If you are trying to install a 64-bit version of Windows 10, you can boot into BIOS and try to disable Legacy USB and Legacy BIOS. Before you plug in the flash installation drive, make sure that you’ve enabled the AHCI.

In some configurations, users can set the USB option solely to USB 3.0. On the other hand, we recommend setting it to Auto if such option is available in the BIOS menu.

Solution 6: Opting for Rufus

If you’ve tried the methods above and the error persists, you may want to opt for Rufus instead of using the Media Creation Tool. Provided by Microsoft, this program typically works just fine. However, we recommend starting from scratch using the alternative tool if you’ve exhausted all other solutions. Moreover, if you’ve been installing Windows 10 from a USB flash drive, we suggest downloading the ISO file and burning it to a DVD instead.

Once you’ve successfully installed Windows 10, we advise you to regularly update your drivers, using Auslogics Driver Updater. As the error message suggests, the problem occurred due to a missing media driver. As such, you should ensure that you have the latest manufacturer-recommended versions of your drivers. This prevents similar issues from happening and even improves your computer’s speed and performance.

Do you have clarifications or suggestions?

Let us know in the comments below!

Summary :

If you are installing Windows 10 via an installation medium, you may get the error message saying “a media driver your computer needs is missing”. Well then, how can you fix the Windows media driver missing issue? Get the solutions from this post from MiniTool.

A Media Driver Is Missing Windows 10

Most users upgrade to Windows 10 directly via Windows update rather than depending on installation media like USB, CD or DVD. However, some users still choose to install the operating system using a USB drive, DVD or CD disc. Perhaps you are one of them.

Unfortunately, during the installation process, an error occurs with the 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.

Windows 10 media driver missing is a common error. Additionally, it can also happen in the Windows 7 installation process along with the error “A required CD/DVD drive device driver is missing”.

Why does the issue - Windows 10 install missing driver happen? The problem can be triggered by corrupted ISO media or DVD drive, missing USB or DVD driver, malfunctioning USB drive or port, etc.

In the following part, we will give you some solutions to fix this problem effectively.

Windows 10 reset VS clean install VS fresh start, what’s the difference? Read this post to learn them and choose a proper one for OS reinstallation.

Re-plug the USB Drive or Plug It to Another USB Port

If you get “a media driver your computer needs is missing” while using a USB drive, you can re-plug it or plug it to another USB port.

  1. When seeing the error message, click Cancel. Windows installation will return back.
  2. Disconnect your USB drive and then plug it again to the same port or another port.
  3. Repeat the Windows installation.

A Media Driver Is Missing Windows 10 Dvd Install

A media driver is missing windows 10 install download

Check the Requirements for Windows 10

You should make sure your machine meets the system requirements for Windows 10. To get proper processing power, the system’s parameters should be more than the minimum requirements.

Media driver for windows 10

Change the Format of the ISO File

It is likely that the ISO file in the installation media is corrupted, leading to the missing media driver error. To troubleshoot the issue, you can change the ISO file format.

Just double-click the extracted setup from the ISO file. If it is in NTFS format, extract the file in FAT32 format and install Windows 10 again.

Check the Settings of BIOS

A Media Driver Is Missing Windows 10 Install Iso

If these methods don’t work for you, perhaps the issue is related to the settings of the BIOS itself. So, you should do a check.

  1. Check if the USB 3.0 settings are set to Auto in BIOS.
  2. Check whether the Legacy USB and Legacy BIOS settings are set to disable.
  3. Check if your machine is not using the SATA mode. Usually, you can go to Advanced (or Storage Configuration, Drive Configuration, IDE Configuration), navigate to SATA Mode (or Set SATA As, SATA Configuration) and change its option to IDE, Compatible or ATA.
Tip: How can you go to BIOS to check these settings? This post - How to Enter BIOS Windows 10/8/7 (HP/Asus/Dell/Lenovo, any PC) will be helpful for you.

After changing the BIOS setting, save the change and then try installing Windows 10 again to check if the Windows 10 media driver missing issue is resolved.

A Media Driver Is Missing Windows 10 Install Error 0xc1900101 0x20017

The End

A Media Driver Is Missing Error During Windows 10 Clean Install

Is your computer showing the error message “a media driver your computer needs is missing” when you perform a clean install of Windows 10? Now, after trying these methods above, we believe that you have successfully fixed your issue easily.