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I was trying to get a clean Windows installation on my hard drive, but am running into some issues. I get to the part where I need to select which hard drive I want to install Windows on. I have 2 harddrives, but both give this error:

We couldn't create a new partition or locate an existing one. For more information, see the Setup log files.

Extra info:

  • Trying to install Windows 8.1
  • The computer had Windows 8.1 installed before that too
  • I'm installing through an USB drive with MBR partition scheme
  • Screenshot of the error message
  • My BIOS settings: 1, 2, 3
  • I'm unable to copy or upload my Setup log files (since no OS) but I seem to be getting the exact same ones as here

Things I have tried:

  • Cleaning the DISKPART
  • Formatting the drives before attempting to install Windows
  • Deleting and re-adding the drives
  • Deleting and attempting to install on unallocated space
  • Changing the boot order in the BIOS between Harddrive and USB
  • Changing the SATA mode in the BIOS between AHCI and IDE
  • Changing the EFI mode in the BIOS
  • Disabling USB Legacy Boot mode and re-enabling it again
  • Resetting the PC through the advanced Repair options, however this would corrupt the USB drive and result in this error
  • Plugging out one of the hard drives so there was only one to install to
  • Unplugging the USB, however it wouldn't let me continue the installation or even get to the first step without the USB.
  • Fixing the MBR
  • Tried Windows 7
  • Resetting the BIOS to default Factory settings

None of these solutions worked.

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  • What boot order's have you tried ?
    – clhy
    Jul 26, 2015 at 21:58
  • GPT or MBR. This error is caused by a mismatch, often caused, by people using Legacy Boot when its not appropriate.
    – Ramhound
    Jul 26, 2015 at 22:09
  • @The_IT_Guy_You_Don't_Like Tried putting USB first and also Harddisk first.
    – Praxis Ashelin
    Jul 26, 2015 at 22:17
  • @Ramhound so what are you suggesting? Should I make my USB drive GPT format?
    – Praxis Ashelin
    Jul 26, 2015 at 22:17
  • @PraxisAshelin, did you try press F10 on this screen to run DISKPART & clean the disk ?
    – clhy
    Jul 27, 2015 at 18:41

3 Answers 3

Reset to default
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Apparently my specific BIOS version simply did not allow OS installation through USB:

Serial ATA AHCI BIOS, Version iSrc 1.20E
Copyright (c) 2003-2008 Intel Corporation
**This version supports only Hard Disk and CDROM disks.**
Please wait. This will take few seconds.

This would appear for about 0,5 sec during the boot sequence.

I found an old Windows 7 CDRom and it's installing without issues now.

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1

I had the same error installing windows 2012 server R2 in a Dell R210 II. My machine didn't give me a message saying it wouldn't support USB, but I tried practically everything that the OP did to no success. I checked the log %WINDIR%\Panther\setuperr.log and had the message:

Error [0x06069e] IBS GetMachineInfo:Couldn't find boot disk on this BIOS-based computer

I came across a webpage that said the windows installation had problems because it was using USB3.0 and I should try an older USB. I did that too and it didn't work, but it got me in the right track. I booted a CD with grub and booted the USB from there, finally it worked. Here's what I did once I got GRUB loaded:

c # to access the command line
root (hd1,0) # hd1 is the USB stick
chainloader +1
boot

This fooled the windows installer, because I was no longer booting from the USB, I was booting from a CD instead, even though the installer was loaded from the USB. I hope this helps other people.

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2
  • 2
    lol, apparently someone is so upset about this issue that they came here and downvoted all answers..... smh
    – msb
    Sep 18, 2018 at 0:54
  • 1
    Oh well, guess I can at least upvote them all to counteract it..
    – mwfearnley
    Dec 7, 2021 at 11:48
1

I had the same problem until I used USB 2.0 drive which worked... I used 3.0 before and tried everything without luck. USB 2.0 FIXED this problem.

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