


How to troubleshoot driver issues during Windows installation
Aug 02, 2025 am 06:31 AMCheck for missing storage drivers by identifying your storage controller type (AHCI, RAID, NVMe), downloading the correct driver from the manufacturer’s website, and loading it during setup using the "Load driver" option when no drives appear. 2. Use updated installation media created with the Microsoft Media Creation Tool or enhanced with driver support via Rufus or NTLite to ensure compatibility with newer hardware. 3. Adjust BIOS/UEFI settings by setting SATA mode to AHCI if not using RAID, enabling XHCI Hand-off, temporarily disabling Secure Boot if needed, and ensuring proper USB support. 4. Verify hardware connections and use reliable USB ports and flash drives, preferably USB 2.0, while confirming the storage drive is detected in BIOS. 5. For advanced users, inject drivers directly into the Windows installation image using DISM to mount the install.wim/.esd file, add necessary drivers with the /add-driver command, then unmount and commit changes before recreating the bootable USB. Most driver issues during Windows installation are resolved by loading the correct storage driver during setup or using updated media, and ensuring BIOS settings are properly configured, which together enable the installer to detect essential hardware and proceed successfully.
Driver issues during Windows installation can prevent the setup from proceeding, especially when the system can't detect storage drives, USB devices, or essential hardware. Here’s how to troubleshoot and resolve these problems effectively.

1. Check for Missing Storage Drivers (Most Common Issue)
One of the most frequent driver issues occurs when Windows Setup doesn’t recognize your hard drive, SSD, or RAID array. This usually happens with newer hardware or systems using RAID or NVMe drives.
What to do:

- Identify your storage controller type: Check if your system uses AHCI, RAID, or NVMe. This info is usually in the BIOS/UEFI settings.
- Download the correct driver before installation: Visit your motherboard or laptop manufacturer’s website and download the latest storage driver (often labeled as "Intel RST" or "AMD SATA/RAID driver").
-
Load the driver during setup:
- When you reach the "Where do you want to install Windows?" screen and no drives appear,
- Click "Load driver" in the lower-left corner.
- Insert a USB drive with the extracted driver files.
- Browse to the correct folder (usually labeled for your OS version, e.g., "Win10" or "Win11") and select it.
- Windows will install the driver, and your drives should now appear.
Note: The driver must be compatible with the version of Windows you're installing (e.g., 64-bit driver for 64-bit Windows).
2. Use Updated Installation Media
Older Windows installation media may lack drivers for newer hardware, especially CPUs and chipsets from the last few years.

Fix:
- Create updated installation media using the Microsoft Media Creation Tool (for Windows 10/11).
- Or, integrate drivers into the install USB using tools like Rufus (with driver injection support) or NTLite (advanced users).
- This ensures that common drivers (storage, USB 3.0/3.2, NVMe) are available during early setup stages.
3. Adjust BIOS/UEFI Settings
Sometimes, the issue isn't missing drivers but incorrect BIOS settings that confuse the installer.
Recommended steps:
- Disable RAID or enable AHCI mode if you're not using RAID. Some systems default to RAID mode even without a RAID array.
- If switching from RAID to AHCI, make sure Windows supports it (or you may get a boot loop later).
- Enable XHCI Hand-off for better USB compatibility.
- Disable Secure Boot temporarily if driver loading fails (re-enable after installation).
- Ensure SATA mode is set correctly (AHCI is usually best for modern installations).
Pro tip: If you're installing on an older system and USB isn't working during setup, try using a PS/2 keyboard/mouse or enable Legacy USB Support in BIOS.
4. Verify Hardware and USB Ports
Faulty hardware or using the wrong USB port can mimic driver issues.
Check:
- Try a different USB port—preferably a USB 2.0 port (black connector), as they’re more universally recognized during early boot.
- Use a different USB flash drive. Some drives aren’t well supported in Windows PE (the environment used during setup).
- Ensure the storage drive is properly connected and detected in BIOS.
5. Use a Driver Injection Method (Advanced)
For systems requiring multiple drivers (e.g., laptops with custom hardware), you can inject drivers directly into the Windows Setup image.
Steps:
- Mount the install.wim or install.esd file using DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management).
- Inject necessary drivers (storage, chipset, network) using the command:
dism /image:C:\mount\windows /add-driver /driver:D:\drivers\*.inf /recurse
- Unmount and commit changes, then re-create the bootable USB.
This method is more involved but useful for deploying Windows across multiple similar machines.
Basically, most driver issues during Windows install come down to missing storage drivers or outdated install media. Getting the right driver from the manufacturer and loading it at the right time solves the majority of cases. Don’t skip checking BIOS settings—they often make the difference between a failed and successful install.
The above is the detailed content of How to troubleshoot driver issues during Windows installation. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!

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