Laptop windows install: "A Media Driver Is Missing" Cosmos 17.3"

zapdos

Member
Laptop specs from order page:
Chassis & DisplayCosmos Series: 17.3" Matte Full HD IPS 60Hz 72% NTSC LED Widescreen (1920x1080)
Processor (CPU)Intel® Core™ i7 Six Core Processor 8750H (2.2GHz, 4.1GHz Turbo)
Memory (RAM)16GB Corsair 2400MHz SODIMM DDR4 (1 x 16GB)
Graphics CardINTEL® HD GRAPHICS 630 - 1.7GB Max DDR4 Video RAM - DirectX® 12
1st Storage Drive1TB SEAGATE 7mm SERIAL ATA III 2.5" HARD DRIVE WITH 128MB CACHE (7,200rpm)
1st M.2 SSD Drive250GB WD Black™ SN750 M.2 NVMe SSD (up to 3100MB/s R | 1600MB/s W)
Memory Card ReaderIntegrated 6 in 1 Card Reader (SD /Mini SD/ SDHC / SDXC / MMC / RSMMC)
AC Adaptor1 x 90W AC Adaptor
Power Cable1 x 1 Metre Cloverleaf UK Power Cable
BatteryCosmos VII Series 6 Cell Lithium Ion Battery
Thermal PasteSTANDARD THERMAL PASTE FOR SUFFICIENT COOLING
Sound Card2 Channel High Def. Audio + SoundBlaster™ Cinema
Bluetooth & WirelessGIGABIT LAN & WIRELESS INTEL® AC-9260 M.2 (1.73Gbps, 802.11AC) +BT 5.0

I bought this laptop to run Linux and it does this admirably well.

Wanted to install Windows on the metal though rather than in a VM to get a USB peripheral configured that only has a Windows setup tool, and which I can't make work with USB device pass-through in a VM.

Stuck at "A Media Driver Is Missing" though, when trying to boot Windows installation media on USB for Windows 10 or Windows 11. Have tried swapping installation media around different USB ports as advised on various forums, with no success.

Is it the storage system it can't find? Or something else?

The chipset driver download on PCS is an .EXE file which doesn't appear to help me very much as the 'driver search' will probably be looking for .inf and .dlls if I remember correctly.

What do I need to do to get a Windows installation to work?
 

SpyderTracks

We love you Ukraine
Laptop specs from order page:
Chassis & DisplayCosmos Series: 17.3" Matte Full HD IPS 60Hz 72% NTSC LED Widescreen (1920x1080)
Processor (CPU)Intel® Core™ i7 Six Core Processor 8750H (2.2GHz, 4.1GHz Turbo)
Memory (RAM)16GB Corsair 2400MHz SODIMM DDR4 (1 x 16GB)
Graphics CardINTEL® HD GRAPHICS 630 - 1.7GB Max DDR4 Video RAM - DirectX® 12
1st Storage Drive1TB SEAGATE 7mm SERIAL ATA III 2.5" HARD DRIVE WITH 128MB CACHE (7,200rpm)
1st M.2 SSD Drive250GB WD Black™ SN750 M.2 NVMe SSD (up to 3100MB/s R | 1600MB/s W)
Memory Card ReaderIntegrated 6 in 1 Card Reader (SD /Mini SD/ SDHC / SDXC / MMC / RSMMC)
AC Adaptor1 x 90W AC Adaptor
Power Cable1 x 1 Metre Cloverleaf UK Power Cable
BatteryCosmos VII Series 6 Cell Lithium Ion Battery
Thermal PasteSTANDARD THERMAL PASTE FOR SUFFICIENT COOLING
Sound Card2 Channel High Def. Audio + SoundBlaster™ Cinema
Bluetooth & WirelessGIGABIT LAN & WIRELESS INTEL® AC-9260 M.2 (1.73Gbps, 802.11AC) +BT 5.0

I bought this laptop to run Linux and it does this admirably well.

Wanted to install Windows on the metal though rather than in a VM to get a USB peripheral configured that only has a Windows setup tool, and which I can't make work with USB device pass-through in a VM.

Stuck at "A Media Driver Is Missing" though, when trying to boot Windows installation media on USB for Windows 10 or Windows 11. Have tried swapping installation media around different USB ports as advised on various forums, with no success.

Is it the storage system it can't find? Or something else?

The chipset driver download on PCS is an .EXE file which doesn't appear to help me very much as the 'driver search' will probably be looking for .inf and .dlls if I remember correctly.

What do I need to do to get a Windows installation to work?
Sounds like your windows installer isn't bootable? Did you create it using Microsoft tool?

 

zapdos

Member
I got the installer ISO direct from Microsoft. The Windows installer will boot fine, I can choose my language and keyboard layout, then I get to the "A Media Driver Is Missing" screen, like this one:

RxzlVx1.jpg


Some suggestion is to look for an 'sccm' driver pack for the hardware. Can't find such on PCS website though.

I didn't create the bootable USB with a Microsoft tool, as I have no way of running such a tool (well, maybe I could use a VM to do that I guess). Might try and see if that helps.
 

ubuysa

The BSOD Doctor
I didn't create the bootable USB with a Microsoft tool, as I have no way of running such a tool (well, maybe I could use a VM to do that I guess). Might try and see if that helps.
That's your problem. Whatever mechanism you've used to create this USB stick is not suitable for the task in hand. You need to use the WIndows Media Creation Tool, either for Windows 10 or for Windows 11 on another PC/laptop.
 

zapdos

Member
Aye that was it. Apparently you can't download the ISO and 'dd' it to a USB like you can with Linux. It boots but won't install.

Had to create a Windows VM in order to "burn" the Windows ISO to a USB. Anyway, job done, cheers
 
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