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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

DavidPostill
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Scarnet
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6 Answers6

15

Set your bios to boot the Hard Drive first. Then when the computer is starting up start the BOOT MENU (Usually F10, F11 or F12). This will allow you to boot from the flash drive.

I just had the same issue re-installing Windows MP 2012 on a Dell server.

Windows 8.x looks at the BIOS Boot order to determine where to put the "boot loader" and it refuses to put it on a removable device.

Jeff Parrish
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3

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.

xuhdev
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2

I have Windows 8.1 x64 on a USB 3.0 Silicon Power 64GB flash drive. I was trying to install it on a SAMSUNG N150 netbook after I deleted all partitions including recovery.

In BIOS, in the boot order menu, I have the netbook's HDD as first and the USB flash drive as second.

Before I finally tried the recommendation, I had created three partitions on the hard drive just for the heck of it. Then I did what xuhdev said, to disable USB legacy booting from BIOS.

I did that and then restarted the computer. After that the USB flash drive was no longer recognized by the computer and no longer showed up in the boot menu in BIOS. So I had to enter the BIOS again and there I saw the USB was not recognized and the LED light was not flashing on the USB. So I had to re-enable USB legacy booting. I restarted the computer and tried to install Win 8.1 again. I clicked the first partition. To my huge surprise, it began installing! I was literally shocked. I am so happy it finally worked.

But, I also remember that when I disabled legacy, I had put my flash drive on a different port. Then I put the flash drive in a different port, then I enabled the legacy thing, and the rest you already know.

I also tried switching USB ports and that did not work either. It wasn't until I disabled and re-enabled legacy booting that it worked for me.

Community
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Ethan
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1

Make sure you give the Windows installer unallocated space so it can create its own partitions (you can do this using the GParted application which comes in most Linux live-CDs).

Also, GPT partition tables are preferred I believe.

Juan José
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0

I ran into the same problem with an Intel NUC. Following the instructions above didn't work for me, either. What did work was to let the boot process attempt to boot from the empty hard drive, fail, and then go through the process of trying to boot from the network, failing, and then have the NUC asking me to insert bootable media.

I simply hit RETURN, and then went through the YUMI boot menu and booted the Windows 8.1 ISO on the thumb drive. After answering the standard initial questions it happily went on and installed Windows.

M. Lampi
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-1

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.

arielnmz
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