Question Windows 11, cannot install. "No device drivers found..."

Glo.

Diamond Member
Apr 25, 2015
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Im coming from Fedora Linux installation, and want to install Windows 11 on my PC.

NVMe SSD on which I would install Windows 11 has been wiped, formatted with NTFS in Diskpart, the partition is active.

When I try to install Windows, there is a prompt stating that "no device drivers have been found". There is plenty on this topic in the internet, and I have tried every possible scenario, including downloading drivers for Intel RST, and it still doesn't work.

Here is the thing. When the USB with the drivers is connected, there should be visible iaStorVD.sys or iaStorAC.sys visible for the installation, assuming this is what is being needed. Problem is that those .sys files are nowhere to be seen for the installation manager. Only .inf files are visible, and NOTHING else which is in the folders, and there are .exe, .sys, etc files in the folders.

I have tried every possible configuration in UEFI(apart from making factory reset), I have tried every possible configuration of secure boot, and CMS being disabled. Tried TWO Pendrives, tried 4 different USB ports, tried two different Windows ISOs. Still no result.

My PC:
Core i3-12100F, 8 GB RAM 3200 MHz, ASRock B660M-iTX/AC, RX 6500 XT, 250 GB Lexar NM610 SSD.

I am completely lost for words with how difficult can Windows 11 install be.
 

Tech Junky

Diamond Member
Jan 27, 2022
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First off you mention using RST and that's a PITA to deal with.

Have you switched it to AHCI?

Also, to make UEFI work you'll need to convert the drive to GPT as MBR doesn't work with UEFI.

I had the issue with the drive being MBR on my Linux setup and had to convert it to GPT to get it working because the CSM options didn't work on the new MOBO. There are some quirks to deal with on some boards / UEFI / drives. Once you get things working though it's rock solid.
 

Glo.

Diamond Member
Apr 25, 2015
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AHCI is the "only" option in UEFI.

I cannot switch the SSD into any other mode, than AHCI.

Interesting that you say about GPT.

I just checked it, and it wasn't GPT, but I've just set it to GPT.

Formatted in diskpart to NTFS, GPT partition format, primary partition, etc.

Unfortunately - still the same result.
 

Tech Junky

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Jan 27, 2022
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The only reason I brought that up is the mention of RST drivers in your OP.

There might be an option in the UEFI screen to disable it. Windows typically won't need an additional driver for 99.9% of NVME / SSD drives though.

The next thing I would check is the UEFI for an update. When I got my ASR board there was already a couple of newer releases available on the website even though it was at launch for ADL.


Looking at it there doesn't seem to be many changes but, like any other "driver" they don't go out of their way to publish all of the changes being made. Seems my board needs an update as well jumping from version 2.x to 10.x but more importantly the microcode update secures things.
 
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Tech Junky

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Next thing I would try is using Linux to see if it's a physical hardware issue or just Windows being dumb.

Installing Windows regardless of the version usually isn't an issue. The other thing that comes to mind is there's possibly a firmware update for the drive itself.
 

Glo.

Diamond Member
Apr 25, 2015
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Next thing I would try is using Linux to see if it's a physical hardware issue or just Windows being dumb.

Installing Windows regardless of the version usually isn't an issue. The other thing that comes to mind is there's possibly a firmware update for the drive itself.
Linux perfectly sees the SSD, and is able to format it.

There is no new firmware for the drive.

I have excluded every possible option.
 

Muadib

Lifer
May 30, 2000
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Linux perfectly sees the SSD, and is able to format it.

There is no new firmware for the drive.

I have excluded every possible option.
Did you try a different USB stick to put the Windows install on? That worked for me just this past week, when I did a fresh install of Win11 on my new NVMe drive. I had the same issue as you until I did that.
 

Glo.

Diamond Member
Apr 25, 2015
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When burning to USB did you switch it to UEFI?

I can't really think of anything else other than maybe a corrupt ISO during download.
I think Balena Etcher is doing this natively, however it shows prompt that "It appears this is not a bootable image. The image does not contain partition table, and might not be recognized or bootable by your device."
The thing is: it boots.

It allows me to start the installation, but after clicking "Install Now" it shows prompt that there are no device drivers detected.
Did you try a different USB stick to put the Windows install on? That worked for me just this past week, when I did a fresh install of Win11 on my new NVMe drive. I had the same issue as you until I did that.
Yes, I have tried not only two different Pendrives.

I have tried TWO new ISO files, directly from Microsoft.

I also tried FOUR different USB ports.
 

Muadib

Lifer
May 30, 2000
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I think Balena Etcher is doing this natively, however it shows prompt that "It appears this is not a bootable image. The image does not contain partition table, and might not be recognized or bootable by your device."
The thing is: it boots.

It allows me to start the installation, but after clicking "Install Now" it shows prompt that there are no device drivers detected.

Yes, I have tried not only two different Pendrives.

I have tried TWO new ISO files, directly from Microsoft.

I also tried FOUR different USB ports.
Did you try the media creation tool?

 

WilliamM2

Platinum Member
Jun 14, 2012
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Mate, what difference will it make if I will use any other Bootable media creation tool?

None. Its not a problem in the MCT.


You need a UEFI bootable install image. The Media Creation Tool does this automatically. Never heard of Balena Etcher.
 

Glo.

Diamond Member
Apr 25, 2015
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You need a UEFI bootable install image. The Media Creation Tool does this automatically. Never heard of Balena Etcher.
But the image boots. It starts installation, I can use Diskpart, format the SSD with Diskpart, etc, everything works.

The only thing is that installation doesn't start, because it shows there are no device drivers found. Its not due to the media.

If there would not be boot from USB - there would be no discussion about this. But it boots.
 

Tech Junky

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Jan 27, 2022
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When I had some issues with Windows / USB / ISO I booted into linux and made a bootable USB. Not quite as straight forward as using Windows / Rufus but, it did work.

Another option would be spin up VirtualBox and put Windows into play there to make sure the ISO is working properly. When I cloned my Windows drive to a new Gen4 option I had picked up it had some issues running dual drives in the same system due to the GPT UUID's matching from the cloning process. I ended up having to wipe out the image and clear the UUID's to be bale to use both drives in the same system. I was due to purge and do a fresh install anyway but, hadn't planned on it a the time. I made a backup and then wiped things out to start over. The odd thing I noticed was when doing a fresh install is Windows was putting the boot files on the other drive for some reason.

This makes me wonder if you're using multiple drives in the same system and possibly there's a conflict making the install screen fail. I had some issues similar as noted above and until I wiped the drives and cleared the GPT/UUID issue it was very frustrating to say the least considering it should have been less than a 1/2 hour process that turned into days of fighting with it.

Another issue is in the UEFI having to clear the secure keys BS that Windows wants to use that would lock the drive.
 

Glo.

Diamond Member
Apr 25, 2015
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When I had some issues with Windows / USB / ISO I booted into linux and made a bootable USB. Not quite as straight forward as using Windows / Rufus but, it did work.

Another option would be spin up VirtualBox and put Windows into play there to make sure the ISO is working properly. When I cloned my Windows drive to a new Gen4 option I had picked up it had some issues running dual drives in the same system due to the GPT UUID's matching from the cloning process. I ended up having to wipe out the image and clear the UUID's to be bale to use both drives in the same system. I was due to purge and do a fresh install anyway but, hadn't planned on it a the time. I made a backup and then wiped things out to start over. The odd thing I noticed was when doing a fresh install is Windows was putting the boot files on the other drive for some reason.

This makes me wonder if you're using multiple drives in the same system and possibly there's a conflict making the install screen fail. I had some issues similar as noted above and until I wiped the drives and cleared the GPT/UUID issue it was very frustrating to say the least considering it should have been less than a 1/2 hour process that turned into days of fighting with it.

Another issue is in the UEFI having to clear the secure keys BS that Windows wants to use that would lock the drive.
There is 1(one) drive in the system: Lexar 610 250 GB SSD.

I have not cloned my drive, I just wiped it, formatted it I think ... 5 times already.

Secure Keys are set to standard in Secure Boot, but for installation purposes I disabled Secure Boot just like Microsoft advisors said multiple times about those issues.
 

bba-tcg

Senior member
Apr 8, 2010
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277
136
computerguyonline.net
Im coming from Fedora Linux installation, and want to install Windows 11 on my PC.

NVMe SSD on which I would install Windows 11 has been wiped, formatted with NTFS in Diskpart, the partition is active.

When I try to install Windows, there is a prompt stating that "no device drivers have been found". There is plenty on this topic in the internet, and I have tried every possible scenario, including downloading drivers for Intel RST, and it still doesn't work.

Here is the thing. When the USB with the drivers is connected, there should be visible iaStorVD.sys or iaStorAC.sys visible for the installation, assuming this is what is being needed. Problem is that those .sys files are nowhere to be seen for the installation manager. Only .inf files are visible, and NOTHING else which is in the folders, and there are .exe, .sys, etc files in the folders.

I have tried every possible configuration in UEFI(apart from making factory reset), I have tried every possible configuration of secure boot, and CMS being disabled. Tried TWO Pendrives, tried 4 different USB ports, tried two different Windows ISOs. Still no result.

My PC:
Core i3-12100F, 8 GB RAM 3200 MHz, ASRock B660M-iTX/AC, RX 6500 XT, 250 GB Lexar NM610 SSD.

I am completely lost for words with how difficult can Windows 11 install be.
When Windows looks for drivers, it wants the .inf file, which will tell it which .sys files to load. Have you tried simply picking the .inf file to see what happens?
 
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WilliamM2

Platinum Member
Jun 14, 2012
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But the image boots. It starts installation, I can use Diskpart, format the SSD with Diskpart, etc, everything works.

The only thing is that installation doesn't start, because it shows there are no device drivers found. Its not due to the media.

If there would not be boot from USB - there would be no discussion about this. But it boots.

Just because it's booting, doesn't mean it's booting UEFI. I have never needed drivers during windows 10 or 11 install.
 

Glo.

Diamond Member
Apr 25, 2015
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When Windows looks for drivers, it wants the .inf file, which will tell it which .sys files to load. Have you tried simply picking the .inf file to see what happens?
I have three different sets of drivers for Intel Rapid Storage Technology.

And yes, I have tried every, single possible .inf file in those sets of drivers. Every single one of them.

I have three different sets of those drivers. VMD, non-VMD and F6, which also are VMD.