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Fix: We Couldn’t Create a New Partition Error in Windows 10

Using the Windows tool diskpart will surely help

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If you’ve met with the We couldn’t create a new
partition

error message

, you were probably trying to install

Windows 10

.
This
error

won’t allow you to install Windows but this guide will help you fix that problem.

fix we couldn't create a new partition error in Windows

Handle your partitions like a pro!

Windows 10 is a great operating system. However, the installation process of Windows 10 isn’t always simple. Several users reported that We couldn’t create a new partition error message while installing Windows 10.

This error can prevent you from installing Windows 10, but fortunately, several solutions are available when Windows cannot be installed on this disk.

Why can’t I create a new partition?

Here are a few reasons you are getting the error:

Improper creation of the bootable USB: In many cases, it was an improper creation of the bootable USB. Maybe a few critical files were missing, which led to the error.
Incorrect drive format: An incorrect drive format was also found to trigger the Windows 11 We couldn’t create a new partition or locate an existing one error for many.
Peripheral conflicting with the process: For some users, it was a connected peripheral that triggered the error while installing Windows.

How can I fix the new partition error message on Windows 10?

We couldn’t create a new partition error that can appear while trying to install Windows 10. This error can be quite problematic, and speaking of this error, users reported the following issues:

Couldn’t create partition or locate an existing one in Windows 10 – If you encounter this problem, be sure to try some of the solutions from this article.
We couldn’t create a new partition error 0x8004240f, 0x80042468 – Sometimes, this error message might be followed by error code 0x8004240f or 0x80042468. If you encounter this problem, you might be able to fix it by formatting your hard drive.
We couldn’t create a new partition or locate an existing one SSD, RAID – If you encounter this problem while using SSD or RAID, the problem might be additional hard drives on your PC.
We couldn’t create a new partition Windows setup, Windows 10 USB – If you encounter this problem, simply disconnect all additional USB drives. Now, check if that solves the issue.
We couldn’t create a new partition unallocated space – This is another problem that can appear while trying to install Windows 10. To fix it, you might have to check your partitions and their configuration.
We couldn’t create a new partition BIOS, dual boot, GPT – There are various factors that can cause this issue to appear, and in order to fix the problem, it’s advised to check your BIOS.

How do I fix the new partition error in Windows 10 installation?

Before we head to the slightly complex solutions, try these quick ones:

Make sure the USB drive is formatted in the MBR format and not GPT when creating a bootable USB.
Disconnect all non-critical peripherals from the PC, and check whether the Windows 10 We couldn’t create a new partition or locate an existing one error is fixed. In case it is, we recommend you update its driver or get it checked for hardware malfunctions.

If these don’t work, move to the fixes listed next.

1. Use diskpart

Note icon

NOTE

This solution will delete all files on your selected hard drive, so use it on a new computer that doesn’t have any files or only if you have a backup available. Before starting this process, ensure you don’t have any SD Cards connected to your PC.

Start Windows 10 setup using a bootable USB or DVD.
If you get the We couldn’t create a new partition error message, close the setup and click the Repair button.
Choose Advanced tools and then select Command Prompt.
When Command Prompt opens, type the following command and hit Enter: start diskpart
Now, execute the following command:list disk
You should see the list of all hard drives connected to your computer. Find the number that represents your hard drive and execute the following command, while replacing X with that number:select disk X
Enter the following lines and hit Enter after each line:clean create partition primary active format fs=ntfs quick assign
Close Command Prompt and start the installation process again.

2. Make your partition active

Open Command Prompt from the Recovery Mode, paste the following command, and hit Enter:start diskpart
Execute this command next:list disk
Use the following command to select the disk while replacing X with the corresponding disk number listed on the PC:select disk X
Run the following command:list partition
Select the partition with the following command, while replacing X with the partition number listed on the PC:select partition 4
Finally, execute the following command:active
Exit the Command Prompt, start the installation process again, and the problem is resolved.

How do I fix the new partition error for Windows 10 USB?

Here’s what you should do first:

According to users, it seems that there are problems with USB 3.0 flash drives, and many users advise using USB 2.0 flash drives when installing Windows 10. Alternatively, you can also create Windows 10 bootable DVD and use it instead of a USB flash drive.
If you’re planning to install Windows 10 from a USB flash drive, you might encounter We couldn’t create a new partition error message if more than one USB drive is connected to your PC. To avoid this problem, we strongly advise that you disconnect any additional USB drives and leave only your Windows 10 USB flash drive connected.
When you get the error message, unplug your USB drive and connect it to a different port. Check if you’re able to create a new partition. If the process fails, unplug the USB drive again and connect it to the original USB port. Try to create the partition again.

1. Use a third-party tool

If you can’t install Windows 10 due to We couldn’t create a new partition error message, you might be able to fix the problem by using a third-party tool.

If you’re not familiar with command-line tools, you might be able to fix this problem by using Aomei Partition Assistant.

This tool is perfect for recovering lost partitions and copying disks. It also offers a friendly user interface, so you should be able to modify your hard drive and perform the necessary tasks easily.

Not only will it solve your partitioning issue in no time, but it also comes with some advanced features like migrating your OS to SSD/HDD, formatting, wiping and erasing disks, and more.

⇒ Get Aomei Partition Assistant

2. Set your hard drive as the first boot device

When installing a new operating system from a USB flash drive, you will probably set that device as a first boot device in BIOS.

Unfortunately, sometimes it happens that your USB flash drive is mistaken as a hard drive during the Windows 10 installation, thus giving you the We couldn’t create a new partition error message.

In order to fix this issue, you have to set your hard drive as your first boot device from BIOS. After that, connect your bootable USB flash drive and restart your computer.

While you computer boots, you’ll have to press F10, F11, or F12 (it might be a different key depending on your motherboard) and select your USB flash drive as a boot device.

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Now, the installation process should work without any issues. Remember that the Boot Menu might not be enabled on your PC by default, so you’ll have to enable it manually from BIOS.

For detailed instructions on how to do that, check your motherboard manual.

3. Use Rufus or any other tool to create a bootable USB drive

According to users, problems with We couldn’t create a new partition error message might be caused by Media Creation Tool.

Users reported that the problem was fixed by using a third-party tool, such as Rufus, instead of the Media Creation Tool to create a bootable USB flash drive.

4. Convert the partition to the GPT format

Start Command Prompt and run the following command:diskpart
Execute this command next:list disk
Replace X in the following command with the corresponding disk number as listed on the PC, and hit Enter:select disk X
Now, run the following command to remove all files from your hard drive completely: clean
Finally, execute this command:convert gpt

MBR partitions have certain limitations, and they can only work with drives that are less than 2TB in size.

GPT doesn’t have any of these limitations, it works better with UEFI, so it’s usually a better choice.

We have to mention that converting the drive from MBR to GPT will remove all your files, so be sure to back up important files before proceeding.

Diskpart is one of the oldest methods for converting an MBR drive to GPT; even though it’s effective, it will delete all your files.

Fortunately, Microsoft introduced two new ways to convert MBR to GPT drive without file loss, MBR2GPT, and gptgen.

Both of these are command-line tools, and if you want to use them, you need to start Command Prompt before booting to Windows 10 and running one of these commands.

We explained in great detail how to use both these commands in our guide on how to convert MBR to GPT disk, and we strongly advise you to check it out for detailed instructions and more solutions.

How can I fix the new partition error for Windows 10 SSD?

Many users reported We couldn’t create a new partition error message while trying to install Windows 10 on an SSD.

According to users, to fix this issue, you’ll have to disconnect all other hard drives and leave only your SSD drive connected.

Alternatively, you can disable all other hard drives except for your SSD from BIOS.

After you’ve disabled or disconnected all other drives, the SSD should be recognized by the installer.

Now, all that you have to do is to delete all partitions on your SSD, and Windows 10 should install without any problems.

We couldn’t create a new partition error message that can prevent you from installing Windows 10, but as you can see, you can easily fix it by following one of our solutions.

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