Cannot Install Windows 7 on my Dell XPS 8500

I have switched HP's and Asus's from Window 8 to Windows 7 over the past few months and tried to do the same this morning on my Dell XPS 8500.

I have spent most of the morning trying to install Win 7 on my Dell XPS 8500 that came with Windows 8.

I disconnected the supplied HDD, attached an SSD and tried to install Win 7 from DVD. It copied the Windows files, asked me what language and Started Setup. I immediately got a message saying something like 'there is no driver for the CD/DVD device....' I browsed for a driver but Setup couldn't find one. I've never seen this before

I have the Dell Driver CD that came in the box but there is no way I can get to from that point.

How may I overcome this?

Thank you.

Thank you.

As I said, I can get to 'Starting Setup' and then get this message window:

Load Driver
A required CD/DVD drive device driver is missing. If you have a driver floppy disk, CD, DVD, or USB flash dirve, please insert it now.

Well the only such thing I have, as I said is the Drivers and Utilities disk that cam with the computer but there is no way I can figure out how to use it at this point in the process.


What do I do now?


Is there something peculiar about the Dell CD/DVD drive maybe?



I have made the transition from win8 to win7 on an HP and an ASUS, both having an UEFI bios as does this Dell. No problem with the HP and ASUS. Go figure.


Thanks again.


I've looked at the links you provided and they don't seem to offer anything that I haven't tried. Will try again.


Thanks again.

jsquareg said:

I have switched HP's and Asus's from Window 8 to Windows 7 over the past few months and tried to do the same this morning on my Dell XPS 8500.

I have spent most of the morning trying to install Win 7 on my Dell XPS 8500 that came with Windows 8.

I disconnected the supplied HDD, attached an SSD and tried to install Win 7 from DVD. It copied the Windows files, asked me what language and Started Setup. I immediately got a message saying something like 'there is no driver for the CD/DVD device....' I browsed for a driver but Setup couldn't find one. I've never seen this before

I have the Dell Driver CD that came in the box but there is no way I can get to from that point.

How may I overcome this?

Thank you.

jsquareg said:

Thank you.

As I said, I can get to 'Starting Setup' and then get this message window:

Load Driver
A required CD/DVD drive device driver is missing. If you have a driver floppy disk, CD, DVD, or USB flash dirve, please insert it now.

Well the only such thing I have, as I said is the Drivers and Utilities disk that cam with the computer but there is no way I can figure out how to use it at this point in the process.


What do I do now?

This is often due to bad installation media. (I suppose that a defective DVD drive would do the same.)

What's the source of your Win7 installation disk?

jsquareg said:

I have switched HP's and Asus's from Window 8 to Windows 7 over the past few months and tried to do the same this morning on my Dell XPS 8500.

I have spent most of the morning trying to install Win 7 on my Dell XPS 8500 that came with Windows 8.

I disconnected the supplied HDD, attached an SSD and tried to install Win 7 from DVD. It copied the Windows files, asked me what language and Started Setup. I immediately got a message saying something like 'there is no driver for the CD/DVD device....' I browsed for a driver but Setup couldn't find one. I've never seen this before

I have the Dell Driver CD that came in the box but there is no way I can get to from that point.

How may I overcome this?

Thank you.

1) Downgrade to Windows 7.
Downgrade Windows 8 to Windows 7
Warning you must have the uEFI/BIOS firmware setting in Step Three set.


2) If Using a USB Pendrive on a PC with a uEFI BIOS.
USB Pendrive need to be formated to FAT32 as in
UEFI Bootable USB Flash Drive - Create in Windows
Take note of Step 11 for Windows 7.
Also you will need to use a USB 2.0 port, as there are no USB 3.0 drivers in Windows 7.