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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

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  • Did you try just wiping the disk entirely and letting Windows set up the partition during install?
    – Nathan C
    Jun 23, 2014 at 17:19
  • just tried it and still the same problem :(
    – Scarnet
    Jun 23, 2014 at 17:28
  • 2
    As you I had the same problem and I tried all methods from the answers bellow but it didn't work. But for my big surprise when I tried to install from a usb 2.0 drive it did work...(First attemts were with an usb 3.0 drive with windows 8.1 setup on it). My notebook has only usb 2.0 ports.
    – Andritchi Alexei
    Feb 9, 2015 at 17:51
  • If it helps anyone, the "setup log files" are at: %WINDIR%\Panther more specifically (for disk) setuperr.log
    – msb
    Apr 9, 2016 at 1:19
  • I had the same problem but none of these solutions worked for me. I posted my solution in another thread because OP there was more thorough in what he tried before posting, covering all things I tried before finally solving my issue: superuser.com/questions/945600/…
    – msb
    Apr 9, 2016 at 3:14

6 Answers 6

Reset to default
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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.

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  • This worked for my Sony Vaio. Once I set the boot order I had to hammer F11 to get it to boot from the "other" device. I was never presented with a boot menu but it ignored the hard drive and used my DVD instead.
    – Yuck
    Jul 29, 2015 at 16:27
  • I had the same problem when trying to install Win10. This solution worked, but the boot menu selection key for me was F8.
    – Praetorian
    Sep 6, 2015 at 17:42
  • Windows SUX. It acts sometimes very strangely. I prefer to use Linux. More easy to install and more friendly. But anyway... This works for me. As it seems Win 10 reads the device order from the BIOS and wants to put his boot at the first one. Linux does not act like this. Most of the distros ask you where you want to put the boot.
    – Todor Todorov
    Feb 6, 2016 at 21:56
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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.

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  • The OP already said that option isn't present on their BIOS settings.
    – arielnmz
    Jun 24, 2014 at 20:16
  • @arielnmz no, they don't
    – Ramhound
    Sep 10, 2014 at 21:28
  • @Ramhound That was >1 month ago, comments and the question have changed since then.
    – arielnmz
    Sep 10, 2014 at 21:37
  • Neither revision indicates this answer wasn't possible...
    – Ramhound
    Sep 10, 2014 at 21:46
  • Actually, this simple answer helped me after a 6 hours instance struggle. I just booted the USB key in legacy mode...
    – FunkySayu
    May 15, 2016 at 21:57
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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.

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2
  • You really should post your email address you won't be contacted by real people through email
    – Ramhound
    Sep 10, 2014 at 21:31
  • Thanks man, the legacy USB option fixed it for me as well!
    – Overv
    Feb 21, 2015 at 16:09
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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.

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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.

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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.

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  • I don't have any operating system installed how would I use this tool
    – Scarnet
    Jun 23, 2014 at 17:30
  • It's a standalone app, you burn it on a disk and boot your computer with it. Make sure the boot mode is set to Legacy and not EFI/UEFI or disable secure boot in order to boot from your gparted live cd.
    – arielnmz
    Jun 23, 2014 at 17:33
  • I tried burning the ISO to a flash drive but the PC doesn't want to boot from it (I don't have any option in my BIOS to set the boot mode)
    – Scarnet
    Jun 23, 2014 at 18:34
  • Maybe you can set the boot drive priority? Can you disable secure boot?
    – arielnmz
    Jun 23, 2014 at 18:52
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    GPT is neither proprietary nor a Microsoft invention; it's defined as part of the EFI specification, which was originally created by Intel. Windows 8 has no problems with GPT if it's installed in EFI mode, but Windows does insist on using MBR if the installer is booted in BIOS mode. The error message in this case is more specific than what Scarnet has reported, though, so I don't think a GPT/BIOS or MBR/EFI mis-match is the root cause of Scarnet's problem.
    – Rod Smith
    Jun 24, 2014 at 12:51

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