Media driver needed when installing Windows server 2012

Question

I'm trying to install Windows server 2012 on a new system but I keep getting this error shortly after set up starts. No idea why as there is no hardware connected that would require any 3rd party drivers. Any thoughts?

Thanks!

Solution 1

It appears that this particular problem is caused by formatting issues with the actual usb drive being used. Windows is not recognizing the drive for whatever reason, and is giving this error because it cannot read the information on your usb driver. This may be because you are attempting to use the Windows Server 2012 USB drive in a USB3 port instead of a USB2 port, or because of a problem with the actual Windows Server 2012 drive. There are three possible solutions to this problem, none of which are terribly difficult to implement. We will begin with the easiest solution first, and if that does not work, you can try the next one, and so on.

Solution #1 Remove the usb drive from the usb port you currently have it plugged in to. Wait a few seconds, then put it back in the port. Attempt the install again. If you get the same error, attempt solution number 2.

Solution #2 Remove the usb drive from the port again. This time, instead of plugging it back in the same port, try a different one. Attempt the install again. If this fails to work, attempt solution #3

Solution #3 This is a bit more time consuming, but it will allow you to bypass the usb system entirely. Burn a DVD copy of Windows Server 2012. Attempt to install from the DVD disc. This should work, as long as there is not a problem with the actual content of the Windows Server 2012 drive.

Solution 2

If you look at the error message , you can see that it could be a DVD/ CD or USB. Bring up the command prompt (Shift f12)

type diskpart and say show volumes. This should show you the CD / USB drive you are using for the install. In my case , I had given up on the USB and was using a DVD. It didnt show the DVD drive.

When I said show disks, it showed me my hard drive. So the problem was that mysteriously , the DVD drive that I had booted up to start the install with was no longer recognised by Windows.

The fix was simple. Booted from an external USB DVD drive, worked like a charm. Sometimes I wonder why I bother taking on work that involves Windows Servers anymore. No linux server has ever taken me more than 20 minutes to do the base OS install. This thing took me a day to figure out

Comments

[Karan]

Maybe you need SATA/AHCI/RAID drivers for your drives?

[Blake]

Possibly, I've read that a lot of people have tried that without success but it's worth a shot of no one else has any ideas. Thanks :)

[Blake]

Thanks but I was actually trying to install off of a DVD at the time. I was able to get it to work in the end by doing an upgrade instead of a brand new install.