We cannot create new partitions or locate existing ones.

how to

Last updated on April 22, 2024

We were unable to create a new partition or locate an existing one. See the installation log file for details.

Failed to create a new partition or find an existing one

When we try to do a clean install of Windows 11/10 along with Windows 7 or Windows 8 in a dual-boot setup using a bootable USB, we may encounter an error stating We can't create a new partition or find any existing partitions. After selecting the Custom installation and choosing the drive where you want to install the operating system, Windows fails to create a new partition or find an existing one.

"Unable to Create New Partition" Error Message and Solutions

The table below summarizes all instances of "Windows unable to create new partition" along with their possible solutions. Click to view the full method on how to fix "We couldn't create a new partition or find an existing one" errors for Windows 11/10 USB, Error 0x8004240f, 0x80042468, SSD, RAID, unallocated space, and many more related issues.

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Error Details	Possible Solutions
1. During Windows 11/10 Installation	Try the solutions in this article...Full Steps
2. Error Codes 0x8004240f, 0x80042468	Format the hard drive...Full Steps
3. Occurs on SSD, RAID, or USB Device	Remove additional hard drives...Full Steps Set the hard drive as the first boot device...Full Steps
4. Happens with Dual Boot Setup	Check BIOS settings, convert MBR to GPT...Full Steps

Solution 1: Disconnect all peripherals from your computer/laptop

When you encounter this error, it might be because you have external storage devices connected, such as an external HDD, SSD, USB thumb drive/flash drive, or an SD card. Simply unplug and remove all external storage devices from the USB ports. If you're using a USB drive containing the installation files to install the operating system, just reconnect the bootable USB drive and restart the process.

Solution 2: Create a bootable USB drive with another tool

If Windows fails to create a bootable drive for the new partition with Media Creation Tool, you have no choice but try creating a bootable USB drive to boot your computer and install Windows 11/10. This issue might be resolved by using a third-party tool, and a utility like Partition Master can help create a bootable USB drive, format the hard drive, check the partition, or create a new partition on unallocated space.

Create a bootable USB drive for Partition Master with the following steps:

Step 1. To create a bootable Partition Master tool disk, you will need a storage medium like a USB drive, a flash drive, or a CD/DVD disc. Connect the drive to your computer properly.

Step 2. Launch Partition Master and look for the “Bootable Media” feature on the left side. Click it.

Step 3. If you have a USB drive or CD/DVD connected, you can select it here. If you don't have a blank medium at hand, you can also save the ISO image to your local drive and burn it to media later. After making your selection, click Create to start the process.

Check the warning message, and then click Yes.

Step 4: When the process is over, you'll see a pop-up asking whether you want to reboot your computer from the bootable USB.

Restart Now: You want to restart your current computer and enter the tool's boot media in order to manage partitions without an operating system.
Finished: You do not want to restart your current computer, but instead want to use the bootable USB device on a new computer.

Select to boot the computer from the bootable USB

Note: To use the bootable disk on a new computer, you need to restart the target computer and press F2/F8/Del to enter BIOS, where you should set the USB bootable disk as the first boot device.

Wait patiently, and your computer will automatically boot from the USB boot media and load the WinPE tool desktop.

The following video tutorial demonstrates how to use the Partition Master tool to partition a hard drive. You can learn how to adjust drive space, create partitions, and delete partitions.

Solution 3: Format the partition with Diskpart

Sometimes, you need to take further steps to fix the “We couldn't create a new partition or find an existing one” error. Typically, the partition that holds the Windows installation and boot files should be set as the primary partition, which can be done using the Diskpart tool in Windows. Follow this guide carefully to learn how to start and run the Diskpart command to resolve the issue.

Step 1: Boot from the Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7/XP/Vista installation media using a bootable USB or DVD.

If you see the error message “We can't create a new partition,” exit Setup, and then click Repair.

Step 3: Choose “Advanced tools” and then select “Command Prompt.”

<Step 4> When the command prompt appears, type start diskpart.

<Step 5> Type in list disk. You should see a list of all the hard drives connected to your computer.

Step 6. Identify the number representing your hard drive, and type select disk 0 (we use 0 as an example; make sure to replace the 0 with the number that corresponds to your hard drive).

Step 7: Type each of the following lines, pressing Enter after each one:

Clean up Disk 0
Create primary partition on Disk 0
Set Disk 0 as active
Format Disk 0 fs=ntfs quick
Assign drive letter to Disk 0

Step 8: Type exit to close the command prompt.

Step 9: Restart the installation process.

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Solution 4: Activate the partition using Diskpart

Follow the steps from (1-4) above to open Diskpart. Then run the Diskpart command we'll teach you below to set the partition you want to install Windows on as active.

Step 1. Type list disk.

Step 2: You should see a list of available hard drives. Find your drive and select Drive 0. In our example, we're using Drive 0, so make sure to replace the 0 with the number that corresponds to your hard drive.

Step 3: Type list partition.

<Step 4> A list of available partitions will appear. Find the partition where you want to install Windows and select <Partition 1>. Make sure to replace the number 1 with the number that matches your own partition.

Step 5: Type active.

Fix unable to create new partition or find existing one with Diskpart

Step 6: Type exit, and press Enter to close the Command Prompt.

Solution 5: Set the partition as active using a third-party partition manager Using a third-party partition management tool, such as tools Partition Master, AOMEI Partition Assistant, or GParted, you can easily mark your partition as active. Here are general steps to follow: 1. Download and install the partition management software of your choice. 2. Launch the software, and you'll see an interface displaying all disks and partitions on your computer. 3. Locate the partition you want to set as active. There should be an indicator showing whether it is currently active or not. 4. Right-click on the partition and select "Set as Active" or a similar option. 5. Confirm the operation and follow any prompts given by the software. 6. Restart your computer, and the system should recognize the new active partition. Please note that exact steps may vary slightly depending on the software used, but the basic process remains similar. Make sure to back up important data before proceeding to avoid any potential issues.

Diskpart can be complicated to use, and users need to be careful when operating it. If you want to avoid any mistakes, you can turn to an alternative to Diskpart – Partition Master. It's a third-party disk and partition magic tool that easily and powerfully solves the “We couldn't create a new partition or find an existing one” error by setting the required partition as primary and active.

Step 1: Run the partition manager. Right click on the target partition in the disk map and choose “Advanced”.

Step 2: Then, from the drop-down menu, select “Set as active.” Click “OK.” Next, choose “Run 1 Task,” and then click “Apply.”

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Solution 6: Convert the Partition to GPT Format

The disk partition style can influence the Windows 11/10 installation. If you're familiar with MBR and GPT, you should know that MBR has a limitation – it only works with drives smaller than 2 TB. However, GPT doesn't have such a size restriction. By converting an MBR partition to GPT, you might be able to fix the “Unable to create new partition” error.

Read Next: MBR vs GPT: What's the Difference?

Methods

Method 1. Convert MBR to GPT with Partition Master Tool
Method 2. Convert MBR to GPT with Windows Disk Management
Method 3. Convert MBR to GPT with the Diskpart Command

Normally, there are 3 ways to convert MBR to GPT. You need to be careful with the given methods because using Windows Disk Management and Diskpart will lead to data loss. The only option to fix the “Windows was unable to create a new partition” error without losing data is to use the Partition Master tool that will convert MBR to GPT directly without touching anything.

Solution 7: Set the USB drive as the first boot device in BIOS

Another reason for the “We couldn't create a new partition or find an existing one” error might be that Windows is detecting the wrong boot device. To fix this, you need to change the hard drive order and set the USB drive as the first boot device.

Step 1: Refer to your motherboard's manual and press the corresponding key to enter BIOS. This is usually F12, F10, F1, F2, or CTRL+ALT+ESC...

Step 2: Use the arrow keys on your mouse to move the connected USB drive to the top of the Boot Devices menu.

Step 3. Restart your computer to boot from the USB drive and start the installation process all over again.

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