Fix – A Media Driver Your Computer Needs Is Missing

Gone are those days when one had to undergo that lengthy process of installing Windows. With time, Microsoft has simplified things and made installing a fresh copy of Windows a piece of cake. Yet, some users while installing Windows encounter, a media driver your computer needs is missing, error.

So, if this looks familiar or you are getting this error message, worry not, this is a common issue and can be easily fixed.

Reasons for A media driver your computer needs is missing

• Corrupt ISO media or DVD drive
• Faulty USB port or device
• Missing USB or DVD driver
• Imbalanced speed of the DVD or ISO setup
• System hardware using IDE instead of SATA
• Downloaded media is corrupt or incomplete

There are several ways to fix Windows 10 a media driver your computer needs is missing. So, what are we waiting for? Let’s known in detail about the fixes to resolve the media driver is missing.

Fixes To Troubleshoot – A Media Driver Your Computer Needs Is Missing

Here are the simple workarounds to resolve media driver error on Windows 10. You can try them one by one until you find the right solution.

Solution 1: Connect USB to another port

The easiest workaround to fix Windows 10 a media driver is missing is to click the Cancel button when the error pops up and then try to replug it to an alternate port and then try to install Windows.

Tip: If you are using USB 3.0 try plugging the stick into 2.0 and then, click on Install now. This should help install a fresh copy of Windows

Solution 2: Check the hardware requirements

If the above solution did not work, try checking hardware requirements. Certainly, the PC, you are using is decent but there’s no harm in checking hardware and re-confirming if Windows 10 is supported or not.

Note: When the hardware requirements are not met, you end up encountering errors like a media driver, your computer needs are missing. Thereby, stopping you from installing the latest Operating System.

Here are the minimum requirements for installing Windows 10:

• CPU: 1GHz or a faster processor or SoC
• RAM: 2GB for 64-bit or 1GB for 32-bit
• HDD: 20GB for 64-bit OS or 16GB for 32-bit OS
• Display: At least 800×600
• GPU: DirectX 9 or a later version with WDDM 1.0 driver

If your system fails to meet these requirements, you will need to update the hardware. Once that’s done, try installing Windows, you should not face any problem.

Solution 3: Correct BIOS Settings

If the BIOS configuration is incorrect, then also you might face a media driver is missing problem. Hence, we need to check the BIOS settings and correct them, because if the media you are trying to install don’t support USB 3.0, you will face issues.

To enter into BIOS press F10, F12, F2, DEL, or F1 before you see the Windows logo. Since the key varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, you will have to try them one by one. Once there, change the USB 3.0 support.

To do so, look for USB 3.0 support in BIOS, or any USB setting and change it to Auto or Disable it.

In addition to this, if you are trying to install the 64-bit version, we suggest disabling Legacy USB and Legacy BIOS. Also, ensure AHCI is enabled before your plugin installation drive.

Now, try to install a fresh copy of Windows, if it doesn’t work move to the next step.

Solution 4: Change SATA To IDE

If changing USB settings did not help try changing SATA to IDE because an incorrect SATA mode also causes problems. This means if the machine is using IDE, but the install media boots with SATA, there will be a conflict.

Note: SATA and IDE are two different interfaces used to connect storage devices. Where SATA stands for Serial Advanced Technology Attachment, IDE stands for Integrated Drive Electronics. SATA doesn’t cost much but offers large storage, however, IDE is compatible with mostly all devices.

Hence, to change the change it in BIOS or UEFI follow the steps below:

Note: To enter into BIOS press F10, F12, F2, DEL, or F1, before you see the Windows logo. Since the key varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, you will have to try them one by one. Once there, change the USB 3.0 support.

1) Boot your computer into BIOS

2) Click Advanced or Storage Configuration (or Drive Configuration or IDE Configuration).

2) Head to SATA Mode (or Set SATA As, or SATA Configuration).

3) Change the option to IDE or Compatible or ATA.

4) Save settings and then try to install a fresh copy of Windows.

Solution 5: Check installation media

Even after making the changes in BIOS if nothing works there’s a possibility that installation media is corrupt or the download is incomplete. To check this, compare the size of the .iso file if it doesn’t match you know the package is corrupt.

Tip: When downloading Microsoft files, use Internet Explorer or Edge as Chrome doesn’t work well with Microsoft downloads.

Once this is done, try installing a fresh copy of Windows, you should not face a media driver your computer needs is missing, error.

Solution 6: Change the ISO file format

A faulty ISO file can also cause problems. Therefore, changing the ISO file format can help solve the issue.

To do check the extracted ISO setup, it is in NTFS format, extract it to FAT32 format, and then use the setup to install Windows again.

Solution 7: Use RUFUS instead of Media Creation Tool

If you have tried all the above solutions but nothing worked so far, try using RUFUS instead of the Media Creation Tool. Provided by Microsoft, this program works great.

Note: When using this alternative tool, you will have to start from scratch. Also, if you have tried a USB flash drive, we suggest downloading .iso and burning it to a DV instead.

Once you have successfully done, this you will no longer face a media driver your computer needs is missing, error.

Now that things are working fine, and you have the latest version of Windows installed, keep drivers updated. This will save you from facing different Windows problems, including BSOD errors.

Tip to avoid facing this and other driver-related problems in future

To improve computer performance and to update outdated, faulty, and missing drivers, we suggest using Smart Driver Care. This excellent driver updating utility saves you from all the hassle of installing drivers manually. Also to use it, you don’t need to collect any device or hardware information. The driver updater is capable enough to detect outdated drivers and update them in a go.

You can update drivers automatically either by using the Free or paid version. But with the paid version, it’s just a 2 step job, and you get a 100% money-back guarantee.

To use Smart Driver Care follow the steps below:

1. Download, install and run Smart Driver Care

2. Launch the program

3. Click Start Scan Now and wait for the scan to finish.

4. Once done, update the outdated drivers.

If you use the trial version, you will have to click Update driver button. However, if you want to update all drivers at once, you will have to upgrade to the Pro version.

This is, using these best fixes you can easily resolve A media driver your computer needs is missing. In case you have any questions or have any other solution to fix this problem so share in the comments section.