Error: Required CD/DVD driver missing; Dell N411Z for Win 7 x64 instal

[consultFLETCHER]

I saw similar issues, but the solutions are either outdated or not relevant to my case as stated below:
I am trying to install Windows 7 x64 on my Dell Inspiron 14z - N411Z. Despite trying different ISO which were written to an 8GB flash drive, the Windows installation comes up with this error message:
"A required CD/DVD drive device driver is missing. If you have a floppy disk, CD, DVD, or USB flash drive, please insert it now.
Note: If the Windows installation media is in the CD/DVD drive, remove it for this step."
Some solutions offered online suggested that one should do one thing or the other on the PC's Windows, but this is not workable because there is no OS on that particular laptop.
Some other solutions offered online suggested that one should choose certain option(s) in the BIOS, but the suggested BIOS option(s) are not in this Dell's BIOS.
Surprisingly, I once had a bootable Win 7 on a USB flash drive which never had this issue (and even came in with a Dell image when one checks the laptop's information from right-click COMPUTER > PROPERTIES at System), but I lost that flash's content.
(1). I would appreciate viable, working solutions.
(2). If possible, please indicate where to get the required driver(s) and where exactly to place such in the Windows Installation folders such that one would not even need to manually browse to it, during installations.
(3). I assume that some of the solutions might be using some 3rd party utilities or drivers. I would also appreciate Dell's recommended solution(s) to this challenge, since, I believe they should have developed such, by now.
Kindly copy solutions also to my email [email protected]

 

[Megahertz07]

As I seen, it's a 5 year old laptop, so Win 7 installation should have all the drives needed, except if your USB port is a USB 3.0
On the right side the two USB are 3.0. On the left side the one USB is 2.0.
Try the USB port on the left side or try a DVD.

 

[consultFLETCHER]

Thanks for your willingness to help. Unfortunately, the DvD drive is faulty, so, I got an external DvD drive but the laptop does not boot from it, despite setting the boot order in its favour.
The left side USB is kind of unstable - when I boot to the make-shift windows and I try to use any USB device, this sec it detects, but suddenly, the explorer trips off, then on, then off! I tried the Win 7 install from it anyway, but it comes with the same issue. In fact, I even tried changing the flash drive to the other USB ports, but, same issue.
From the BIOS, I have also changed the SATA Operation item from AHCI (default) to ATA, all to no avail.
What do I need to do, please?

 

[Megahertz07]

External DVD drive doesn't work as it uses the USB port, correct?
If your USB port on the left side isn't working and also the CD/DVD isn't working you have to add the USB 3.0 to your Win 7 installation disk.
The problem is to find the driver with the appropriate format.
I'm going to try to find it and will return.

 

[Megahertz07]

For my new motherboard I had to add the USB drivers to the Win 7 installation disk.
I then created a tutorial - http://www.sevenforums.com/installa...sb-flash-installation-new-drives-new-mbs.html

I've fond the USB drivers to your USB port. It's attached here. They are in two folders.
Follow the tutorial to add the drivers to your Win 7 installation.

SATA must be set to AHCI not ATA

Edit: Replaced the zip file, one driver file was missing

 

[consultFLETCHER]

@Megahertz07; You know the stated issues and the specified Dell laptop very well and I truly appreciate your efforts to help me fix the issues.
As you advised, in the BIOS, I changed the "SATA Operation" setting from ATA to the default AHCI (same error occurred on both anyway).

Somehow, I detected how to position the cable of the USB DVD drive into the left USB port - in a way that it remains connected, and then the installation actually started with my Win 7 installation DvD, but after a while, the initial error came up, i.e. "A required CD/DVD drive device driver is missing...". On a different attempt, the USB flash drive did the same too.

It seems this laptop is bent on getting the drivers of the so-called missing "CD/DVD drive device". While troubleshooting, at a point, I guessed it was requesting that driver because the inbuilt DvD drive was still connected and so I disconnected it, but that did not help either.

Since this is not a recently produced laptop, I believe that Dell (and other IT companies or gurus) would have heard of this problem and developed the solutions.

Please, how can I get the required driver of the so-called "missing" device (and, or possible alternative file(s)), so that I can browse to it and the installation could continue?
I would also like to know where to place this within the installation folders of Win 7, so that the installation could happen automatically, like the first one I had in the bootable flash which never came up with this issues, but which I lost?

Also, is there a way to update / upgrade the BIOS, in a safe and fail-proof way? I thought of that as another possible way out of the issue.

Thanks Megahertz07 and please don't stop as I believe this would also help a lot of others worldwide with similar issues. Thanks in advance too to others who can help with trusted ways to get this issues fixed. I await your replies.

 

[AddRAM]

Are you saying you have no working usb 2.0 ports on this laptop ?

And Dell has not created any software to incorporate usb 3.0 drivers into a windows 7 installer ?

Such as Asus has with it`s EZ Installer program.

You could always try something like that to create an installer.

This may or may not help Just disregard the fact that they are talking about Skylake.

Dell systems with the Intel Skylake or Braswell Chipset cannot boot to Dell Windows 7 media due to no USB 2.0 | Dell US

Updating the Bios will not help in your case. It does nothing.

If you really want to use the laptop, maybe consider getting a new motherboard, if Dell still has any.

 

[consultFLETCHER]

@AddRAM; What I meant was that the USB port on the left which @Megahertz07 recommended was somewhat 'loose' in its grip of USB cables or devices, but I found a way to position things plugged into it such that USB devices plugged into it are stable, so, All USB ports are working.

As I said, I once has a 'cracked' 64-bit R1 Win 7 Pro which on a bootable flash drive and I used that REPEATEDLY and it always worked and NEVER came up with that error, but I lost that copy. Somehow, that might have had such driver(s) within the installation folders, which always made the Win 7 installations successful.

If Dell had a Win 7 DvD for any of their laptops with similar hardware, they definitely would have included the said drivers. Similarly, the cracked 'versions' of Win 7 which I once had NEVER came up with that error. Either way, I believe that some drivers or 3rd party set of files would have been developed to get around this issue, as I can't possibly be the first in the world to have encountered this challenge, at this time.

A new motherboard might not be a way out as it would still give the same or a new challenge, as long as one is not using Restore / Recovery option of the laptop's manufacturers.

If only one could get the said drivers from Dell or our 'crack' gurus or from other OEMs, or of one could know how to extract such from the Windows 7 (x64 Pro, Ultimate, etc) installation DVDs which do not come up with such errors, that could help... . Those are my humble views, however, I rely on the solutions from experts in this forum.

 

[Megahertz07]

Lets try another approach.
- Expand the folder I've attached on post 5 (Renesas_2.zip) on another USB flash drive and place it on the left USB port.
- Boot with Win 7 installation on USB flash drive, on the right USB port. Choose install and when the message to load the drive shows, browse to the USB with the drives. Do it twice, one for each folder (Hub and Xhc). As you don't have mouse, use the keyboard to navigate or the touch pad (if it works).

 

[Megahertz07]

I think that the approach I suggested on the previous post wont work.
I can easily build the modified installation files you need.
Do you have a cloud (web) drive where I can upload the modified installation files for you? They are big (~4G).

 

[AddRAM]

I don`t see why you are having any issues installing Windows 7 if you are using a usb 2.0 port and a usb stick with the windows 7 installer.

You must have botched it when you created it.

Download a fresh iso file on some computer somewhere, and use Rufus to put the iso file on the stick.

You should never get any driver issues using a 2.0 port.

Let us know if you need a fresh iso file, I`m guessing Pro 64 bit, if not let us know and we will post a direct Microsoft link good for 24 hours.

Or use this method.

https://www.heidoc.net/joomla/techn...icrosoft-windows-and-office-iso-download-tool

https://rufus.akeo.ie/