hard drive - we couldn't create a new partition or locate an existing one intalling windows 8.1

07
2014-07
  • Scarnet

    I'm trying to install windows 8.1 and I'm getting this error message after I choose the hard drive to install the windows in 

    we couldn't create a new partition or locate an existing one

    just to be clear I don't have any external storage devices just a USB 3 flash drive where I have my windows ISO

    I tried deleting all the partitions and leave only one with all the available disk space I tried formatting it using both the GUI and the command prompt so that I make sure it's NTFS file system

    I'm literally running out of ideas and I can't seem to make my laptop to work could anyone help me please

    UPDATE: I forget to tell that I had Ubuntu installed on my PC before I format my hard drive

    • Answers
  • xuhdev

    Your hard drive may be using a GPT table. There is one possibility that you didn't boot your installation CD or USB from EFI mode. If the installation CD boots in the legacy mode, it is not able to handle the GPT table.

    Go to you BIOS settings, which can be usually done by enter the booting menu. After entering the BIOS settings, try to look for something like "legacy booting" and disable it. Then reboot to install.

  • arielnmz

    Windows 8 has issues with installing on GPT partition tables when it doesn't boot with EFI support, so you ought to create a new compatible partition table if you can't toggle EFI support. This will remove all your existent partitions and their data. I suggest you use a proper tool, like GParted, here's how:

    1. Open the Gparted app.
    2. Select device → Create new partition table.
    3. Select the ms-dos type partition table.
    4. Once the new partition table has been created, create your necessary partitons.

    And let windows create it's own necessary partitions, always.

    I've ran into this issue several times, specially when reinstalling Windows on a computer that had Windows preinstalled.


    • Related Question

    Windows 8 installation - cannot create new partition or locate existing one
  • FunkyFresh84

    I am trying to install Windows 8. I have just bought 2 new corsair 120GB Force 3 SSDs.

    I set them up in a raid 0 (stripped) configuration. When it came to choosing where to install windows I got the error message - "We couldn't create a new partition or locate and existing one. For more information, see the Setup log files"

    I have tried clicking the new button and creating a new partition. I have tried formatting the partition. I have tried clicking the 'load driver' and loading the IRST raid drivers. None of these attempts helped.

    Then I deleted the RAID volume and unconfigured the RAID in the BIOS and tried installing Windows 8 on just a single drive. I made all the same attempts without trying to do RAID but I still ran into the exact same error.

    Do you know what the solution is? Thanks for your help!

    install location screenshot 1 install location screenshot 2


    • Related Answers
  • Moab

    read your setup log files, might have something to do with raid drivers missing

    $windows.~bt\Sources\Panther

    Log location before Setup can access the drive.

    $windows.~bt\Sources\Rollback

    Log location when Setup rolls back in the event of a fatal error.

    %WINDIR%\Panther

    Log location of Setup actions after disk configuration.

    %WINDIR%\Inf\Setupapi*.log

    Used to log Plug and Play device installations.

    %WINDIR%\Memory.dmp

    Location of memory dump from bug checks.

    %WINDIR%\Minidump*.dmp

    Location of log minidumps from bug checks.

    %WINDIR%\System32\Sysprep\Panther

    Location of Sysprep logs.