Stuck at "media driver your computer needs is missing" with Windows 10 USB

JPars11 · ‎02-20-2020

I have an Intel Compute Stick model STK1A32WFC that had previously had Windows 10 installed on it. It was a full install so the Windows 8.1 with Bing restore partition is gone. It was time for a reimage because it was old, so I also updated the BIOS to the current version.

But now I am unable to complete a fresh reinstall of Windows 10, always hanging on the attached "media driver" error.

I have tried these with no success:

Using Rufus to format the USB (only will do NTFS)
Format USB with YUMI (FAT32)
Format USB with Universal USB (FAT32)
BIOS Low, Balanced and Performance mode
Slipstreamed all the drivers into an ISO using NTLite
Used an older build of Windows 10 (1511)
Used a newer build of Windows 10 (1909)
Manually wiped and formatted the SSD drive using DiskPart
Swapped USB stick to different port after error
Used Microsoft Media Creation Tool
Used 3 different USB sticks
Selecting a single driver

Things I have not tried yet:

Booting from a DVD
Using an externally powered USB hub

That's all I can think of right now. Any ideas for getting past this error?

Thanks for any help!

Jay

LeonWaksman · ‎02-20-2020

Please prepare your installation media (you need 8GB – 32GB USB stick), using Microsoft Media Creation Tool: https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=691209
Your bios should be set to default settings. Enter bios (press F2 during boot) and then press F9 (Y) to set defaults and F10 (Y) to save settings and exit.
With the installation media inserted into USB slot, power ON your Compute Stick and repeatably press F10 to get Boot Menu.
In this menu, choose UEFI option of you Installation media.
Follow this tutorial to continue with installation https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/1950-clean-install-windows-10-a.html
In para. 7 you may enter Product Key from the Microsoft Distribution you bought.
Skip on para. 12 and continue in para. 13. Important, do not format drive where you want to install Windows, rather delete all existing partitions from this drive, till you see one unallocated space.
Press Next and continue with the installation.

Leon

JPars11 · ‎02-21-2020

Leon,

Thank you for the assistance.

I have used the MMC tool on 3 different USB sticks (8GB, 14GB and 32GB) and they do not solve the issue.
After my BIOS upgrade I did reset to default settings and set the time and save them.
I cannot insert the USB drive into the single USB slot, I am using a USB hub in a keyboard. Can installation media be inserted into the MicroSD slot?
Upon boot, I only have 1 boot option for the USB stick.
I do not get prompted to enter my product key, installation doesn't get to that point.

Thanks,

Jay

LeonWaksman · ‎02-21-2020

Hello Jay,

There are tutorials on net, how to create Windows 10 Installation Media on SD card, however I didn't do this yet. I suggest that you insert the USB HUB to the USB port on the Power Supply brick and the USB with the Windows Installation Media in the port on the Compute Stick. If Windows 10 was installed and activated previously on this device, you don't need the product key. Click on "I don't have product key" and continue with the installation process. The Windows will be reactivated again.

"I do not get prompted to enter my product key, installation doesn't get to that point." are you installing the correct Windows 10 option? 32 bit rather than 64 bit. You must chose also the correct edition Home or Pro (same as was you upgrade from 8.1 to 10 ). Are following the tutorial ?

You see only one boot option, because probably your Bios is n UEFI bios. I can't verify this.

Leon

KYoun7 · ‎02-22-2020

You might want to try it with a powered USB hub, I have seen installations fail because there was not enough power supplied by the USB port alone to read the USB drive reliably.