Windows 8 Installation Disk Error

Does the Windows 8 installation stall at the disk formatting screen? Do you get this error: “We couldn’t create a new partition or locate an existing one.  For more information, see the Setup log files”?

There are a couple of steps to try.

First, disconnect all external HDD, card readers, and take out all SD cards currently in the system. Reboot and try the installation again.

If that does not work, try this process, taken from TechNet:

  1. Once the setup fails to find the partition, just close the setup window (the top-right-hand side red X does the job).
  2. From that point, you should be brought back at the initial setup screen.Choose “Repair” then go to the advanced tools and start the command line.
  3. Start DISKPART.
  4. Type LIST DISK and identify your SSD disk number (from 0 to n disks).
  5. Type SELECT DISK <n> where <n> is your SSD disk number.
  6. Type CLEAN
  7. Type CREATE PARTITION PRIMARY
  8. Type ACTIVE
  9. Type FORMAT FS=NTFS QUICK
  10. Type ASSIGN
  11. Type EXIT twice (one to get out of DiskPart, the other to exit the command line tool)