


How to fix 'Windows cannot install required files. Make sure all files required for installation are available'
Jul 29, 2025 am 02:25 AMThe error occurs when Windows Setup cannot access necessary installation files, commonly due to media, hardware, or configuration issues. To fix it, 1) verify the USB drive is properly created and functional, testing on another PC or recreating with a different ISO/format; 2) ensure the storage drive is detected, healthy, and connected properly, using diskpart to clean or reset if needed; 3) disable driver signature enforcement or update drivers, possibly disabling Secure Boot temporarily; and 4) use compatible drive size and partition style (GPT/MBR), adjusting UEFI or legacy boot mode accordingly.
This error usually pops up when Windows Setup can't access or find the necessary files it needs to proceed with the installation. It often happens during a fresh install or upgrade, and there are several common causes — from hardware issues to corrupted files.

Here’s how you can troubleshoot and fix this problem effectively.
Check your USB drive or installation media
If you're installing Windows from a USB drive, the issue might be with the installation media itself.

- Make sure the USB drive was created properly using a tool like Microsoft’s Media Creation Tool or Rufus.
- Try using a different USB port — preferably a USB 3.0 port if available.
- If possible, test the USB stick on another computer to see if it boots normally.
- Re-create the installation media using a different ISO file or USB formatting method (like FAT32 vs NTFS).
Sometimes, even a small corruption in the bootable USB can prevent Windows from accessing critical files.
Verify your storage connection and disk health
Windows needs to read and write to your system drive during setup. If there's an issue with the disk or its connection, you'll run into problems.

- If you're using an external drive (like an M.2 SATA SSD or NVMe drive), try disconnecting and reconnecting it.
- Make sure the drive is detected in BIOS/UEFI settings.
- If you're installing on an older system or one with RAID, double-check the SATA mode — switching between AHCI and RAID sometimes resolves compatibility issues.
- In some cases, unplugging unnecessary drives or peripherals can help avoid conflicts.
You can also use the command prompt from the Windows Setup screen to check for disk errors:
- Press Shift F10 to open Command Prompt.
- Type
diskpart
and hit Enter. - Use commands like
list disk
,select disk X
, andclean
(be careful with this last one!) to reset the disk if needed.
Disable driver signature enforcement or update drivers
Sometimes, incompatible or outdated drivers — especially storage controllers — can cause Windows Setup to fail.
- On the error screen, press F8, Esc, or Shift F10 to bring up options (exact key may vary).
- Look for an option to disable driver signature enforcement or load a specific driver.
- Alternatively, go into BIOS/UEFI and disable Secure Boot temporarily — this can sometimes bypass driver-related issues.
- If you have a RAID or NVMe drive, make sure you have the correct drivers handy (especially for Intel RST or AMD VMD) and inject them during setup if prompted.
Some users have found success by updating their motherboard firmware before attempting a clean install.
Avoid using large drives for installation
While newer versions of Windows support larger drives, not all systems handle them well during installation.
- If you're installing on a drive over 2TB, try using a smaller drive for installation first.
- GPT vs MBR partition style can also play a role — use UEFI mode for GPT and legacy mode for MBR, depending on your system.
- Some older systems don’t fully support NVMe drives during installation without updated drivers.
If you’re unsure, try formatting the drive as GPT and booting in UEFI mode. If that doesn’t work, switch to MBR and legacy boot.
That should cover most scenarios where Windows fails with the “cannot install required files” message. Most fixes involve checking the installation media, verifying disk connections, or adjusting boot settings. Nothing too complicated, but easy to overlook something small like a faulty USB cable or incorrect SATA mode.
The above is the detailed content of How to fix 'Windows cannot install required files. Make sure all files required for installation are available'. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!

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