How to fix 'We Couldn't Create a New Partition' error in Windows 10

Microsoft Windows is pretty easy to set up, even if you're a novice user. However, this does not mean that there will be no errors in the process.

In Windows 10, one of the most common installation obstacles is the "We couldn't create a new partition" error. There are many reasons for this error to appear. However, you can easily fix it by using the following methods.

Disconnect all other external and internal storage devices

One of the most common reasons behind partition failure is interference from other connected peripherals. So, the first step you should take when diagnosing an error is to remove all external and internal storage devices, except for the main hard drive (HDD) and USB you are using to install Windows.

This includes external hard drives, SSDs, USBs, and SD cards. To avoid confusion, remove any external USB WiFi devices and Bluetooth adapters.

If removing the internal hard drives is too complicated, you can disable them using the BIOS. While the steps will vary from board to board manufacturer, the process should be similar to this:

Step 1: Press F2 or DEL as soon as you see the manufacturer's logo when powering on the computer. Exact keys will vary from manufacturer to manufacturer.

Step 2: Once you're inside the BIOS, look for a menu that lists all the devices connected to the computer.

Step 3: Turn off all storage devices except the one on which you will install Windows.

Step 4: Restart the computer.

How to use third-party software to create a Windows boot device

Sometimes the "We Couldn't Create a New Partition" error can be caused by an improperly created Windows boot device. This is usually the fault of the Windows Media Creation tool. To eliminate this possibility, create a bootable device with third-party software. There are many programs to create Windows bootable USB from ISO.

How to set the hard drive as the first boot device

Usually, when installing Windows, the USB or CD will be the first boot device. But there are cases where doing this can lead to Windows mistaking the USB or CD for the hard drive, resulting in the "We Couldn't Create a New Partition" error.

Fortunately, this can be easily solved by selecting the hard drive as the first boot device:

Step 1: Disconnect the USB or CD containing Windows from the computer.

Step 2: Enter the motherboard's BIOS.

Step 3: Now, look for the boot menu in the BIOS. You can refer to the motherboard manual for easy search.

Step 4: In the menu that lists the boot devices, make sure that the hard drive is at the top, ie this is the first boot device.

Step 5: After doing this, connect the USB or Windows CD and restart the computer.

Step 6: As soon as your computer restarts, press F8, F10, F11 or F12 to enter the boot menu. Depending on the motherboard, it could be any of the aforementioned keys. Please refer to the manual.

Step 7: Select USB or CD as boot device from this menu.

Step 8: Install Windows.

Use Diskpart to create a new partition

Diskpart utility can be used to create new partitions during Windows installation. It is run using Command Prompt during Windows installation.

Remember to back up your data before performing the following steps, as they will completely wipe the hard drive.

Here's how you can use Diskpart to create a new partition:

Step 1: As soon as you get the "We couldn't create a new partition" error, close the setup wizard. Then click on the Repair option.

Step 2: Now go to Advanced Tools and then click on Command Prompt.

Step 3: In the Command Prompt console, type start diskpart and press Enter.

Step 4: Then, type list disk and press Enter. This will display a list of hard drives (HDDs) connected to your computer.

Step 5: Find the relevant number next to the hard drive you want to partition. Type select disk x (here, replace x with your hard drive number).

Step 6: Now, you will have to enter a sequence of commands listed below.

1. clean
2. create partition primary
3. active
4. format fs=ntfs quick
5. assign

Step 7: Once the process is complete, close Command Prompt. You can type exit in the console to do so.

Step 8: Restart the Windows installation process.

How to convert Windows partition to GPT . format

GPT partitions have less restrictions than the default MBR format. So it is worth converting the partition to GPT format and then installing Windows. Here, you will also have to use the Diskpart utility. The only caveat is that converting the partition format from MBR to GPT will delete all files, so make sure you back up all important data before proceeding.

This is how you can convert your Windows partition to GPT format:

Step 1: Follow steps 1 and 2 from above to open Command Prompt.

Step 2: Type start diskpart in the Command Prompt console and press Enter.

Step 3: Then, type list disk and press Enter.

Step 4: Now enter select disk x, where x corresponds to the number next to the list of hard drives.

Step 5: You will have to completely erase the hard drive before continuing. To do so, type clean and press Enter.

Step 6: Finally, type convert gpt and press Enter.

Step 7: Wait for the process to complete, then try to install Windows again.

Using the methods listed above, you can easily fix the "We Couldn't Create a New Partition" error and install Windows smoothly. However, you may also encounter other common Windows installation errors. So it's best to know the steps you can take to deal with them.