Win7 install looking for CD ROM driver (after loading from CD) cannot find it so fails to install.

Question

Product: HP-IQ-775
OS? Gone!- Was WIndows Vista HP-SP2, but System Recovery wiped it out!
Error Msg: Current message that is stopping the installation of Windows 7 is "Missing CD/DVD ROM Driver- Please insert disk, or browse to location of driver" Browse accnot find driver needed (whatever it is... it is running form the bootable CD drive, so obviously it found something!)
Changes? Oh yeah, you bet!! I have had so many problems with this machine, I cannot list them all. After running the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor, which reported only 2 issues, both software and both resolved, all OS upgrades installed, all drivers updated, ran the MS Malicious Software app, then attempoted an upgrade from Windows Vista- Home Premium, Service Pack 2. Long story short, after 3 days of 'installing Windows 7' on the screen, it failed. No explanation just "update failed, system will rollback to Vista". The rollback was uneventful, but sytem began having problems. Missing drivers, USB ports failed, CPU Fan Failure shut downs, blue screen after blue screen. I sent my system logs to an MCSE 'expert' and he reported " there are so many issues in the logs, that it would be a miracle if the machine ever ran again" He suggested Formatting the drive and instaling Win 7 clean. WIth far too much going on  with projects, I could not do this. Ultimately, Updates would not work, A/V software would not update, Vdeo software would not run. I contacted Microsoft, and after a week or so of email volleys, they escalated it to thieir 'expert', who after a few hours troubleshooting remotely, and multiple failed System Restores, said the only hope was a System Recovery.
After backing up everything today, I did the System Recovery from the Factory Image, the result was fatal! It went through the first half, erasing my operating sytem and associated files, drivers etc, it reported "Error found in Sytem Configuration, System Recvovery not completed", leaving me with an X drive, a C: drive tith nothing on it, and between the two, sho about 30GB of space total, on a 500GB drive!
I figured this would be the best time to do a 'clean install' of Windows 7, as I no longer had an OS to upgrade! I ran my Win7 Install disk, which ran fine, loaded its files, then reported "missing CD/DVD driver. PLease insert floppy, CD or flash drive, or browse to external drive with driver location"
Needless to say, I could find noting that it would accept. I even downloaded a driver from TSST (CD OEM) but the installer would not accept it from the flash drive. That is where I am now. No OS loaded, partitions screwed up, command prompt finds noting but X: (Recovery files?)29GB,  and C: what is left of it, it shows 9GB. Where is the rest of my disk? Who knows.
I have 5 external drives, full system backup on one, all data files on another, System Recovery Backup on another, but cannot access anything with no OS. I can only use the Win7 install boot disk to access the computer at all, and it has limited functionality.
I am writing from my HP-dv-9720 notebook, which has its own OS issues (still running on Vista basic as it will not install SPs), so it is available for email and driver downloads if necessary.
Anyone want this challenge?
Thanks
Doug

Answer 1

WOW! 9 months later and not a sigle response. And now I am back! (Windows7 worked fine BTW!) Now I have the FAN FAILURE, yet the only thing that works on the computer, IS the FAN!! HP is ware of this problem but has done nothing except post a bunch of unrelatre (to IQ-775) stuff! A replacement fan (not that it is needed) is over $300, almost half of what I paid for the entire system!! BS! This is a latent defect and should be fixed by HP!
I currently have 3 HP computers, 5HP printers and an HP plotter! I have been a loyal HP customer fore over 20 years! IF they do not fix this, FREE, I will NEVER buy another HP product again! That is a promise! This is pure BS!  The machine will not boot due to a false "fan failure' report. both fans are running fine, and always have. The defect is in the reporting software or fan firmware, NOT the fan!
I will be back in 9 months to answer myself again!
DN