Windows 7: Problem creating new partitions on unallocated space

Sooooo... I'm a bit OCD when it comes to my computer and I've formatted various laptops and desktops over the years "just because" I love that fresh new computer feeling. I'm not new to formatting which is why I'm posting this thread: I'm lost and don't know where to go next.

I booted from my Windows 7 DVD as per usual, went through the steps and now I'm at the "Where do you want to install Windows?" screen. I had four partitions on my last install - A: Software, C: System Files, D: Data, and M: Mac (formatted as exFAT). The problem that I'm experiencing, and which I've never run into before, is that Windows has "greyed out" the options for Deleting existing partitions and Creating New partitions on unallocated space.

Did some research and ended up using Command Prompt to delete my old volumes/partitions that way. So now I have one big piece of unallocated space, but Windows still won't let me Create New partitions on it. When the unallocated space is selected with the mouse, Windows gives me the following error:

"Windows cannot be installed to this hard disk space. The partition contains one or more dynamic volumes that are not supported for installation."

Any help on how to solve this would be very much appreciated!

I just reinstalled and had that problem. Win 7 would not install. I had to delete the partitions and reformat the drive before Win 7 would install on it. Same way reinstalling Win 8 on a separate drive. I had to do the same thing with the Win 8 drive before Win 8 would install.

Yeah the thing is I managed to delete my old volumes/partitions via Command Prompt. The problem that I'm experiencing now - after doing some reading and running the CLEAN ALL command through DISKPART - is that it's not letting me create new partitions on my unallocated space, nor will it let me format. I'm stuck...

Do you have a uEFI BIOS?

For better help with problems, Can you post your specs.
Filling out System Specs

System specs = filled. After reading the Wikipedia article I'm thinking that I do. Laptop is relatively new, I bought it in May 2012.

My motherboard does have UEFI BIOS. Is this something that is a UEFI BIOS issue?

I had a problem partitioning drives in my old PC (not UEFI BIOS) until I defragged the drive. Then it would let me partition the drive.

If you have a uEFI BIOs, you need to boot the Windows 7 DVD in uEFI mode, do any type of HD drive option, like delete, make partitions.



UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) - Install Windows 7 with
or
http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials...ndows-8-a.html

I finally got it to work, half via Command Prompt and half by pure frustration/multiple reboots. And yet I still have no idea why it all of a sudden decided to let me create new partitions again.

For the record, never try using the CLEAN ALL command unless you want to spend a long time waiting for it to finish cleaning. The CLEAN command will do the trick if, like me, you're just trying to clean your disk so you can install Windows on it again.

For anyone who's wondering, check out the post by gregrocker:
W7 Installation problem - "Windows cannot be installed to Disk 0...

Seems to have done the trick for me. I still have no idea why Windows wasn't letting me peruse the options in the usual way that I do when formatting. Aaaand that's the half-day wasted mark. Thanks Microsoft!

I always do a clean command twice to ensure the disk is free of mbr code, clean all is just unnecessary.

In the steps which you linked which worked for you it has user check in BIOS for a Legacy BIOS setting to disable and EFI boot disk to remove from BIOS Boot order. Was this required?

If so you have an EFI BIOS which requires using the steps to install that Theog linked: UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) - Install Windows 7 with

It's your choice of course to bypass EFI to do a normal Windows 7 install, but I just wanted to help you clarify if you have an EFI BIOS to begin with. If not then what likely helped is wiping the boot sector or defining an Active partition.