New W7, no drivers. Some have no inf file, so can't slipstream?  

Hey, so I've installed Windows 7 on my Lenovo Y700-15ISK on an EFI-partitioned SSD and have all the drivers I need on hand, but I can't load any external media onto the laptop in order to install those drivers! Can't mount a USB drive, can't load a DVD (no internal disk drive, only USB).

Since I'm using EFI partitions, I can't use a Linux LiveCD--from what I've learned, they only support legacy and won't interface with the EFI partitions at all (and the one I made wouldn't even boot on that comp). I tried booting into a full Ubuntu install disk instead using the "try Ubuntu first" option, which did get a desktop up and running, but that system doesn't seem to allow me to mount the internal SDD. If it did, I could just copy the drivers right over (ironically, my ethernet port was active during that instance, but I had no web browser or terminal to use).

I did slipstream USB 3.0 drivers into install.wim and boot.wim in order for the installation to work (processor is a Skylake i7-6700HQ); I would've expected the same USB flash drive to be able to take advantage of those drivers from within the OS. Still, everything in my Device Manager is giving me the yellow exclamation. Could the fact that my USB drive is 2.0 be the reason it won't load with those drivers I supposedly preinstalled?

On that note, many of the drivers I've found for my laptop do not contain any sort of .inf file that I used to set up the install disk, including the Intel 8260 drivers from both the manufacturer and Intel's own website. Is there a workaround for that? I tried grabbing a more generic network adapter driver from Intel for Win7x64 and slipstreaming that instead, but it either isn't being recognized or I'm doing something wrong.

I can't mount a USB drive. It's not recognized. I can't download them via web, because my network adapter isn't recognized either.

This is my earlier thread that describes a bit more of how I installed Windows: Win7x64 UEFI-boot install hangs at "Starting Windows" on Skylake

Honestly, I'm not sure why this thread was moved. It strikes me as more of a "setup" issue. I have all my drivers saved on USB, but I can't load them onto my fresh install.

Maybe try this. Copy your network driver to the root of Windows 7 install media. Boot from the Windows 7 install media and get to the command prompt. Using the command line, copy the network driver to the root of your hard drive where Windows is installed.

Hey, so I've installed Windows 7 on my Lenovo Y700-15ISK on an EFI-partitioned SSD and have all the drivers I need on hand, but I can't load any external media onto the laptop in order to install those drivers! Can't mount a USB drive, can't load a DVD (no internal disk drive, only USB).

My guess is your installation is seriously screwed up. USB 2.0 drivers and DVD drivers are generic Windows drivers that come with the OS. Your USB 2.0 ports and DVD drive should work as long as the hardware is detected (am assuming it is) - the generic drivers should load and they work

You installing from standard media or a customized .wim? it may be a hassle but suggest you try reinstalling again

fyi... USB 3.0 drivers are NOT part of Windows 7 and they only support USB 3.0 controllers.

TrustMe said:

Maybe try this. Copy your network driver to the root of Windows 7 install media. Boot from the Windows 7 install media and get to the command prompt. Using the command line, copy the network driver to the root of your hard drive where Windows is installed.

Sounds like a good idea. I'll do some research and give it a try.

ComputerGeek said:

My guess is your installation is seriously screwed up. USB 2.0 drivers and DVD drivers are generic Windows drivers that come with the OS. Your USB 2.0 ports and DVD drive should work as long as the hardware is detected (am assuming it is) - the generic drivers should load and they work

Intel Skylake Removes Support for USB based Windows 7 Installation - Major Platform Specs Confirmed

That link sums up the issue, as far as I can tell. My installation options are limited to USB ports, both DVD and flash. This is why I couldn't install from my external DVD drive and had to inject drivers into the installation .iso in order to successfully boot and install from a USB flash drive.

The hardware is detected, yeah. But none of it can detect a driver. I couldn't explain how or why the generic drivers aren't doing anything, or if they're even there.

You installing from standard media or a customized .wim? it may be a hassle but suggest you try reinstalling again

Oh, I've done it a few times already. Hasn't gotten me anywhere.

fyi... USB 3.0 drivers are NOT part of Windows 7...

That's why I had to customize the .wim files.

...and they only support USB 3.0 controllers.

Can you explain what you mean by that?

Okay... I managed to get the drivers onto my SDD with TrustMe's idea, so thank you!

However, despite the laptop having an Intel 8260 wifi card, this Windows 7 network adapter exe tells me that "no Intel network adapters are present in this computer." So I guess the hardware isn't being detected after all??

The only drivers I find when searching Intel's site for that model of network card are for Bluetooth. So I'm lost as s&*t.

Check the hardware ID of the wifi card and see if you come up with anything different. Then do a google search of the ID. That will tell you what driver to look for.
Devive Manager>Unknown Network Adapter>Properties>Details tab>Property. Click the down arrow under Property and choose Hardware Ids. In the Value box the Hardware Ids will show. They are what you want to search google for.

By the way, you can just right click the ID and choose copy. Then past it into Google search.

OK. Let's have a closer look..... List any Problem devices

• Click the Start Orb, type msinfo32 in the search box. Hit Enter
• Click the + sign next to Components to expand it
• Click Problem Devices. Anything appear?
• If yes, click on it, Ctrl-A to select all, Ctrl-C to copy it, Ctrl-V to paste into next post
• On the other hand, if no devices are listed, tell me so

Next
> Delete C:\WINDOWS\inf\setupapi.dev.log
> In Device Manager, select any device. In the menu bar select Action->Scan for Hardware Change
> A new setupapi.dev.log file will have been created. Zip it and attach to your next post

Looking up the hardware ID did the trick. It was the correct card, but for whatever reason, Intel didn't supply the wifi driver from their site--just the bluetooth driver. Makes no sense, but I just grabbed the driver from the OEM and it works fine. Thanks all!