What drivers is install asking for

After a HD failure the only option my pc is giving me is to reinstall win7 again.

Thankfully I had recently backed up all important data to an external usb hard disc.

During reinstall it always stops when asking for drivers, but I don't know which drivers or where they are stored. I have searched all folders available in the search window but cant find them.

Using my laptop which runs win8 I managed to make an ISO image file of the Windows 7 System Recovery Disc, but the install still asks for the drivers.

So the question is, what drivers is the install looking for and can I download them and put them on my usb disc?

Thanks in advance.

Mike

The drivers prompt almost always means a bad installer. Start over with the one provided for your licensed version in Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 then follow the steps to get and keep a perfect install.

Don't miss the Special Note to Dell Owners at end. You can delete the Dell Recovery partition during install but I would keep the small OEM Tools if it boot to run Dell Diagnostics Utility - How to Run the.

Also pay attention to how drivers are handled in Win7 as it's not the same as XP. Put your network driver in the backup so if it's not provided during install you can install it to get online. Then enable Automatically deliver drivers via Windows Update (Step 3)
and run all rounds of Important and Optional Windows Updates to completion - after each requested reboots go straight back to Check for Updates until there are no more.

Then import any drivers still missing in Device Manager from the Dell Support Downloads webpage for your tag number.

Thanks for the advice.

I have tried to request a backup disc but unfortunately this option is only available to US customers

I have now found all the drivers I need on the Dell UK site.

If I have any problems I will be back.

Thanks,

Mike

Mike -

There are very specific steps for handling drivers in the tutorial to get a perfect Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7. I also wrote them out above for you.

Put your network driver in the backup to get online if it isn't provided during install. Then enable Automatically deliver drivers via Windows Update (Step 3) and run all rounds of Important and Optional Windows Updates to completion before importing any drivers.