There are instructions for creating a Vista install flash drive at
[url]http://kurtsh.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!DA410C7F7E038D!1665.entry[/url]
I followed them exactly. I'm using a 16GB USB flash drive.
When I boot from the flash drive, the Vista installer starts up. I
choose all the defaults (English Language, US time&currency format, US
keyboard), and press "Next". Then I press "Install now". It says
"Please wait..." for a few seconds, then gives me a dialog box titled
"Load Driver" saying "A required CD/DVD drive device driver is
missing. If you have a driver floppy disk, CD, DVD, or USB flash
drive, please insert it now."
It refuses to progress beyond this point. There isn't even any optical
drive attached to the system.

What is causing this problem?

Don't know. However, per the other link in the article you can boot from a PE
environment and then use the MAIK tools to install Vista directly from an
image. Not exactly what you were looking for, but the goal is to get Vista
installed, right? :)

"ivankrakov" wrote:
[color=blue]
> There are instructions for creating a Vista install flash drive at
> [url]http://kurtsh.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!DA410C7F7E038D!1665.entry[/url]
> I followed them exactly. I'm using a 16GB USB flash drive.
> When I boot from the flash drive, the Vista installer starts up. I
> choose all the defaults (English Language, US time&currency format, US
> keyboard), and press "Next". Then I press "Install now". It says
> "Please wait..." for a few seconds, then gives me a dialog box titled
> "Load Driver" saying "A required CD/DVD drive device driver is
> missing. If you have a driver floppy disk, CD, DVD, or USB flash
> drive, please insert it now."
> It refuses to progress beyond this point. There isn't even any optical
> drive attached to the system.
>
> What is causing this problem?
>
>[/color]

ivankrakov wrote:[color=blue]
> There are instructions for creating a Vista install flash drive at
> [url]http://kurtsh.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!DA410C7F7E038D!1665.entry[/url]
> I followed them exactly. I'm using a 16GB USB flash drive.
> When I boot from the flash drive, the Vista installer starts up. I
> choose all the defaults (English Language, US time&currency format, US
> keyboard), and press "Next". Then I press "Install now". It says
> "Please wait..." for a few seconds, then gives me a dialog box titled
> "Load Driver" saying "A required CD/DVD drive device driver is
> missing. If you have a driver floppy disk, CD, DVD, or USB flash
> drive, please insert it now."
> It refuses to progress beyond this point. There isn't even any optical
> drive attached to the system.[/color]

A complete guess: does your USB flash drive have the U3 software on it?

On May 27, 7:43 pm, Don <don195...********.com> wrote:[color=blue]
> A complete guess: does your USB flash drive have the U3 software on it?[/color]
No, and even if it did, following the instructions to put the Vista
installer on the flash drive would have erased that software.