Windows 7 re-install: Required DVD drive device driver is missing

Hey guys,

I'm trying to reinstall Windows 7 on my Thinkpad W520 and I'm getting the following error every time I want to install:

My set up: I have an Intel 330 as the boot drive (will have Windows on it) which is completely wiped, I have Windows 7 Pro's .ISO from DigitalRiver installed onto a 16GB USB flash drive via Microsoft's USB tool, and I tried this with and without a 750GB Ultrabay HDD (which still has data on it).

How should I go about trying to fix this?

 

Have you tried burning these ISOs on a DVD and installing the OS that way?

 

I'll have to wait until I go home this weekend, as I didn't bring my DVD drive with me and I don't have an external.

 

Have you tried a different USB port when installing? Windows 7 don't have native USB 3.0 support which can mess up the installation so try using the standard USB 2.0 port if possible.

 

Does your Thinkpad W520 have an optical drive installed on it? Is it disabled in the BIOS? I remember getting that error before. I just don't remember what I did to resolve it.

 

If you can get a checksum for the .iso, verify that it's good. I've had that happen once before, but I can't remember what I did either. Probably put the OEM Windows 7 DVD I have in the ODD and tell the installer to look for the driver there.

 

Haven't tried the USB 2.0 port yet, just the 3.0 ports. And right now I have a HDD caddy installed in the optical bay, since I left my ODD back home, but I can use it this weekend.

 

Try the USB 2.0 and see if it gives the same error. Windows 7 installers (stock installers, not the custom recovery installers) many not natively support USB 3.0.

 

Alright, tried the USB 2.0 port and everything's working now. What's up with 3.0 not working...?

Anyway, thanks guys.

 

Most likely 3.0 drivers aren't being loaded by default......you will have to integrate them into the W7 install program probably to get the 3.0 drivers to work.

 

Got confirmation yesterday from our IT guy. Windows 7 does not have native support for USB 3.0, so it's installers won't load thru the USB 3.0 controller since it only recognizes it as an unknown USB hub.

 

I changed my Dvd settings to RAID in bios .. a voila

 

ok here is the best answer, notebooks and netbooks have multiple usb slots, one of these slots will work for reprogramming, when you boot the usb and get that error, remove the usb and try each slot until you can browse the usb drive when you find it restart your computer and boot the usb from that slot, no more error no more problem.