Can you install 7 upgrade from a dvd bootdisk?

nakedbamboo · 08 Nov 2009

I am trying to install windows 7 upgrade from a bootable dvd. I get the prompt to install and then it thinks for a while and comes back with the message:

"A required CD/DVD device driver is missing. If you have a driver floppy disk, CD, DVD or USB flash drive, please insert it now.
Note: If the Windows installation media is in the CD/DVD drive, you can safely remove it for this step."

I looked around the web and noticed this was a common issue with Vista, but I cannot seem to get it past this point. I have tried pointing it to any and all possible drivers I can think of for the IDE, SATA, motherboard, etc.

Then I decided to just try it from within windows xp, and it worked. I was able to install everything fine. So my question is if it can be installed from the disk like it appears everyone is saying, or if certain hardware requires it to be done from within windows.

I tried copying the driver folder from the system32 folder after 7 had been installed hoping the needed drivers would be in there, but when I browsed to it, it said no device drivers found.

Any suggestions around this? Is it even necessary? I am wanting a system that would be equivalent to formatting the hdd and then installing. Do I get that by installing within XP and then deleting the windows.old folder?

This is a relatively older Dell XPS 400, although everything worked fine once 7 was installed from within xp.

kegobeer · 08 Nov 2009

I believe people have had great success installing from a USB flash drive. I've installed all of my Windows 7 machines with a bootable USB - worked like a champ and was much faster than using a DVD.

If your Dell XPS 400 supports booting from USB, it would be worth a shot.

Dave76 · 08 Nov 2009

Welcome to Seven Forums.

As kegobeer mentioned the USB key is a fast way to install from and should bypass the CD/DVD driver issues.
Try this Seven Forums tutorial USB Windows 7 Installation Key Drive - Create it will explain how to do this.

If your installation is running quick and responsive, you will be fine.

Windows update should load any drivers you need.

Without your system specs filled out it's difficult to give an informed suggestion.
I would be surprised if Dell had any Win7 drivers for the XPS 400, if they have any for Vista they will work.

Let us know what you decide to do.

gregrocker · 09 Nov 2009

I create mine by formatting flash drive primary in Disk Management, then copy Win7 installer files from disk into open root.

Then use the BIOS boot order shortcut key (F10 normally) to find the stick under HDD's and boot it.

ANother method is using UltraISO trial Write tab to write it to USB.

nakedbamboo · 10 Nov 2009

I did manage to get it to work using a flash drive. However, I am curious as to why a brand new operating system was not able to find the drivers for my cd drive.

kegobeer · 10 Nov 2009

Blame the hardware manufacturer. That's what I do. If a motherboard or CD/DVD-ROM or any other hardware isn't working with Windows 7, it's because there are no decent drivers provided to Microsoft from the vendor, or they haven't provided any decent drivers to the buyer (you).

However, with the age of your computer and the lack of a recent BIOS revision or any Windows 7 drivers, it's completely understandable that a new OS wouldn't work properly.