[SOLVED] – ‘Media Driver Your Computer Needs Is Missing’ Error Message

So you were trying to install Windows on your computer and ran into an error message saying ‘A media driver your computer needs is missing’. These types of errors are common and one should know the right strategies to get out of them. In this post, we’ll try to explain the root cause behind this error and work around some proven ways to fix it. Let’s continue reading.

What is the ‘A Media Driver Your Computer Needs Is Missing’ Error?

The ‘A media driver your computer needs is missing’ error message pops up during Windows installation. This error generally indicates the absence of certain USB drivers required to establish a connection between the installation media and the system storage drive (mostly HDD).

Why the ‘A Media Driver Your Computer Needs Is Missing’ Error Message Shows Up?

Now that we know what this error is, let’s look at some reasons behind its occurrence –

• Missing USB / DVD drivers
• Corrupted USB or DVD
• Corrupted or damaged Windows ISO file

Methods to Fix the ‘A Media Driver Your Computer Needs Is Missing’ Error

In this section, we will try some methods to get rid of the ‘A Media Driver Your Computer Needs Is Missing’ error message during Windows installation.

Method 1: Change the USB Port

If you are encountering the ‘A Media Driver Your Computer Needs Is Missing’ error message while installing Windows on your computer, abort the installation process immediately. Then unplug the USB and plug it into a different USB port. Many users have reported resolving this issue after following this method.

Method 2: Check SATA Cable & Connection

Sometimes, a loose SATA connection between a hard drive and the motherboard can generate the ‘A Media Driver Your Computer Needs is Missing’ error message on your screen. In this case, check the SATA connector and tighten it up if it feels loose. Also, check the cables for any damage and replace them, if required.

Method 3: Change the Installation Media Drive

Sometimes, the ‘A Media Driver Your Computer Needs Is Missing’ error message could display on your screen due to a malfunctioning or corrupt media drive. In such a case, you can create the installation media using another USB drive and try running it.

Method 4: Rebuild the Media Creation Tool

There are times when the USB device is working perfectly but the contents on it become corrupt. This can also happen with the installation media drive containing Windows ISO files, resulting in this error message. In this scenario, you can recreate the bootable media drive by going to the respective Windows OS page. For Windows 10 & For Windows 11.

Notes – Carefully compare the SHA1 values of the ISO file present on the MSDN (Microsoft Developer Network) subscriber website with the SHA1 value of the downloaded ISO file. See this page for more information.

Make sure that the file format of the extracted setup file from the ISO file should be in FAT32 and not in NTFS.

Method 5: Check Settings in the BIOS

There could be some mismatched settings in the BIOS that could be generating the ‘A Media Driver Your Computer Needs Is Missing’ error message on your computer. You can check and modify these settings accordingly.

First, check the boot settings and ensure that all the storage drives connected to your computer are visible. Then look for the ‘Configure SATA as’ option and make sure that it is set to AHCI. You can also look for the CSM settings and make sure that they are disabled.

How to Recover Data if the Computer is Rendered Unbootable in this Situation?

The ‘A Media Driver Your Computer Needs Is Missing’ error message pops up during the Windows installation process. However, if you are installing Windows on your computer with an older Windows OS already installed and encountered this error, chances are that you might not be able to get past the boot screen as this error will render your system and the data in it inaccessible.

In such a scenario, you can use a professional data recovery software like Stellar Data Recovery Professional to retrieve your data. The software helps you bounce back from various data loss scenarios. From failed HDDs to SSDs, this tool can recover data from almost any storage media.

Learn how you can use this data recovery software tool to recover your lost files.

Final Words

The ‘A Media Driver Your Computer Needs Is Missing’ error message is a Windows installation-related issue that unexpectedly occurs and causes the OS installation process to stall. This pesky error can also make the system unbootable causing severe data loss.

We hope that the methods discussed in this guide helped you solve the issue at hand. Tell us in the comments, which method helped you resolve this error.

FAQs

Q. How to fix a USB drive showing ‘No Media’ in Disk Management?

A. You can use the following ways to fix a USB drive showing ‘No Media’ in Disk Management –

• Check the USB in another port or computer
• Update, reinstall or Enable the device driver
• Check it for malware
• Rebuild MBR
• Format the drive

Q. How do I manually install missing drivers on Windows 10?

A. Press WINDOWS + X and select Device Manager from the list. Expand all the devices and look for the entries with a yellow exclamation mark. Right-click on them and install them one by one.

Q. How do I update Windows Media drivers?

A. You can do so by opening the Windows Settings app using WINDOWS + I. Then, click on Update & Security > Windows Update. Install all the available updates.

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About The Author

Keshav Katyal

A passionate writer, driven by his interest in everything tech, Keshav Katyal has always been captivated by the latest gadgets since childhood. His interest in gadgets grew when he got his first gaming console, the Nintendo Game Boy Advanced. Hours and days of tinkering with gadgets encouraged the inner geek in him who now loves writing about the latest technologies.