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

[Glo.]

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.

 

[bba-tcg]

I guess my next step would be to try a different nvme slot. Also, Windows 11 likes to make several partitions on that SSD. I would recommend using the "clean" command in diskpart and letting Windows 11 partition it if it can see it.

 

[Glo.]

I guess my next step would be to try a different nvme slot. Also, Windows 11 likes to make several partitions on that SSD. I would recommend using the "clean" command in diskpart and letting Windows 11 partition it if it can see it.

There is only one M.2 slot on the board.

I have tried clean command in Diskpart already, and letting the installation to do its thing. No difference.

 

[VirtualLarry]

I have excluded every possible option.

LOL. Hardly.

Instead of formatting the SSD in DiskPart, try doing a "CLEAN" operation on the SSD ("LIST DISK" / "SELECT DISK #" before "CLEAN").

Then progress to the disk selection / formatting screen in the installer, and then let IT create/format/install. It sometimes does some "magic" things, that DISKPART alone does not, like writing a bootable-device signature to NVMe devices for UEFI Secure Boot, which is where I suspect your problem lies.

 

[mikeymikec]

As a side note I'd lose VMD if you can, unless hot-plugging is of particular interest to you.

 

[Glo.]

LOL. Hardly.

Instead of formatting the SSD in DiskPart, try doing a "CLEAN" operation on the SSD ("LIST DISK" / "SELECT DISK #" before "CLEAN").

Then progress to the disk selection / formatting screen in the installer, and then let IT create/format/install. It sometimes does some "magic" things, that DISKPART alone does not, like writing a bootable-device signature to NVMe devices for UEFI Secure Boot, which is where I suspect your problem lies.

Already did that. Already excluded every possible option.

And yes, on this SSD - I can install any Linux distro I have on hand: Fedora 37, Ubuntu 22.10, 22.04 LTS, Pop!_OS 22.04 LTS.

 

[WelshBloke]

Honestly had the same problem and it was from using Balena and it not being a bootable iso. Install goes so far then asked for unnamed drivers because of (iirc) a storage issue even though it can see the drive.

 

[WelshBloke]

Honestly had the same problem and it was from using Balena and it not being a bootable iso. Install goes so far then asked for unnamed drivers because of (iirc) a storage issue even though it can see the drive.

This is assuming that you downloaded the iso from Microsoft. Why they don't distribute a bootable iso I don't know.

 

[Glo.]

This is assuming that you downloaded the iso from Microsoft. Why they don't distribute a bootable iso I don't know.

Yes, the ISO image is from Microsoft download page.

 

[WelshBloke]

Yes, the ISO image is from Microsoft download page.

Honestly I'd try a different way of making a bootable usb stick. I've used Balena for making a bunch of Linux usbs when I was trying to decide what distro to use and it worked perfectly for all of them so when the windows one didn't work I then went through a bunch of usb sticks and looking up drivers.
Just using Rufus in Windows (I know this isn't an option for you) fixed it.

 

[bba-tcg]

There is only one M.2 slot on the board.

I have tried clean command in Diskpart already, and letting the installation to do its thing. No difference.

This statement seems a little ambiguous to me. Are you saying the installation partitions the disk for you? If it does, take a pic of the screen you're stuck on.

 

[bba-tcg]

This is assuming that you downloaded the iso from Microsoft. Why they don't distribute a bootable iso I don't know.

They do. It's further down the page from the Media Creator Tool.

 

[Glo.]

This statement seems a little ambiguous to me. Are you saying the installation partitions the disk for you? If it does, take a pic of the screen you're stuck on.

No. Prompt with "Install Now" button, on which I push Shift + F10, and enter Diskpart, since this starts the command line. I clean the SSD, exit Diskpart, and click Install Now. First Prompt after clicking the Install Now button: "No device drivers needed for this computer were found...".

I've tried every possible combination to run this, and now I am downloading Windows 10 ISO, just to check if it will work.

 

[igor_kavinski]

Try this: https://www.addictivetips.com/ubuntu-linux-tips/how-to-create-a-bootable-windows-11-usb-on-linux/

Or Ventoy.

 

[bba-tcg]

No. Prompt with "Install Now" button, on which I push Shift + F10, and enter Diskpart, since this starts the command line. I clean the SSD, exit Diskpart, and click Install Now. First Prompt after clicking the Install Now button: "No device drivers needed for this computer were found...".

I've tried every possible combination to run this, and now I am downloading Windows 10 ISO, just to check if it will work.

And you're using this contents of this file from Asrock's site:

​

SATA Floppy Image ver:19.5.0.1037.1

 

[WelshBloke]

They do. It's further down the page from the Media Creator Tool.

That's the ne that gives the warning in Balena that it makes an unbootable usb.

 

[bba-tcg]

That's the ne that gives the warning in Balena that it makes an unbootable usb.

Odd. I've used that link multiple times.

 

[WelshBloke]

Odd. I've used that link multiple times.

It orks fine for making a bootable disk and if you use certain USB writing utilities.
It's what I used.

 

[Glo.]

And you're using this contents of this file from Asrock's site:

​

SATA Floppy Image ver:19.5.0.1037.1

Just tested this. Still no change. It loads something, but then it prompts the "no new drivers were found" message.

Im at this point completely lost for words. Everything has been tried, apart from Windows Media Creation tool(as if it would make any difference, since the install boots).

 

[bba-tcg]

Just tested this. Still no change. It loads something, but then it prompts the "no new drivers were found" message.

Im at this point completely lost for words. Everything has been tried, apart from Windows Media Creation tool(as if it would make any difference, since the install boots).

You might try it more than once because it may need multiple files and it will only get one at a time. Sometimes it needs one before it'll know it needs another.

 

[bba-tcg]

It orks fine for making a bootable disk and if you use certain USB writing utilities.
It's what I used.

Then I'd say the issue may not be the .iso.

 

[Glo.]

You might try it more than once because it may need multiple files and it will only get one at a time. Sometimes it needs one before it'll know it needs another.

I've just did it with all files in the drivers from Asrocks site, which turned out to be F6 drivers that I already had on separate USB Drive, alongside two other, earlier sets of drivers, for different chipsets from 100 to 500 series.

And I have tested ALL of the inf files that pop up in all of th sets of drivers. Nothing works. Nothing proceeds the installation.

 

[WelshBloke]

Then I'd say the issue may not be the .iso.

I guess. The end result is the same though.

 

[bba-tcg]

I've just did it with all files in the drivers from Asrocks site, which turned out to be F6 drivers that I already had on separate USB Drive, alongside two other, earlier sets of drivers, for different chipsets from 100 to 500 series.

And I have tested ALL of the inf files that pop up in all of th sets of drivers. Nothing works. Nothing proceeds the installation.

Bummer.

 

[WelshBloke]

Out of interest I might make some 'bootable' usb sticks with rufus and balena and see if there's any difference looking at them when I get some quiet time.

 

[igor_kavinski]

Here's a harder way of doing it: install Linux. Install VirtualBox. Use the ISO to create a Windows guest VM. Pass the USB drive to the Windows guest and make it bootable with Rufus using the ISO you already have. If that still doesn't work, it's probably some hardware issue.