Setup was unable to create a new system partition

btw all this came about because i decided i should update to 8.1 ... and samsung apparently hates it... i should have looked into it first.

I do have a samsung laptop, but there is no sticker anywhere! I'm a little worried about that.. this was brand new shipped from samsung. It did have a recovery partition on it, but that got deleted with the windows 8.1 upgrade attempt but I would still think they should have given me the key somewhere?

I asked you for the model number so we can look it up. If it came with Windows 8 then there isn't a COA sticker, it activates from the BIOS upon Clean Install - Windows 8. You'd need to have a retail Copy of Win7 to install it in that case.

If it came with Win7 there must be one if its legal.

I've already given you the steps for Overcoming Windows 7 Installation Failures - Windows 7 Help Forums

The model is 9004xc-a01
it came with windows 7 home premium 64bit and I bought it during a period where MS were offering free upgrades to windows 8 (so I have a windows 8 key, possibly only upgrade?)

Ther eis no key sticker... anywhere.. not in the box, not on the box, not on the laptop...would you suggest i ring samsung and ask why not?

ok this is a little strange.. while searching on this computer for ways to solve my issue.. the other computer completed the install of windows without any more hassles...

I just have 0 drivers for anything .. so i guess this is a start!

Check at Computer>Properties because it's most likely the disk activated the install.

How much Samsung bloatware is installed? Look in Control Panel>Programs and Features. I'd gradually Clean Up Factory Bloatware to uninstall and clean up after Samsung bloatware and duplicate utilities which conflict with better versions built into Win7. But you may decide you use and want some. Most don't.

The disk should have provided drivers but if not enable Automatically deliver drivers via Windows Update (Step 3) then Check for Updates and install all Important and Optional (except Bingware), with requested reboots, then keep going back to Check for Updates until there are no more. This will deliver most drivers as well as critical patches for your system, then any still missing can be imported from Samsung Support Downloads webpage for your model.

Skip to the steps here for setting up and keeping a perfect Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 which compiles everything that works best in tens of thousands of installs we've directly helped with here without a single complaint or return here with issues.

its a completely empty install of windows... no drivers.. no software.. nothing installed. No programs.. nothing.
Samsung has their SW update tool which I'm using on here to put all the drivers onto a usb stick to get it started.

Or at least get me the ethernet controller driver so I can get on the net and do the windows updates like you suggested.. either or.. both should work.

Now I just need to decide if I want to go back to windows 8

Yes, only install the network driver to get online and do the exact steps I gave above to sequence smooth and thorough install of drivers that Win7 wants, and patches that may be needed to make them work correctly. This is not XP, but the first driver-complete OS which will not respond well to a bunch of drivers forced on it.

Any OEM's crapware including drivers are suspect and should be used only as a last resort. None of them are anywhere close to being in a league with Win7 which is a perfect OS that decides what drivers it wants and needs.

I think I might have figured it out. I was having the same problem I went in a I clicked fix boot and now it is working.

Please bear with me, I am by no stretch a techie or IT wiz. I managed to corrupt/destroy /delete my OS (Windows 7) from my laptop attempting.... Well long ago now, I hardly remember what I was trying to do. Anyway, I could no longer boot my laptop so decided to create a bootable usb to do a clean install of windows 7. I knew it wasn't an issue with my USB as I successfully updated the OS on my other laptop the day I created the flash drive at the beginning of this saga. Hours and hours of researching my way to creating my USB, formatting and reformatting usb, laptop hard drive, changing bios settings and scratching my head (read:beating my head against a brick wall) I stumbled across this little beaut.


Tricky methods to solve "Setup was unable to create a new system partition..."

Above solutions require manipulations with your disk (eg. formating, changing partition structure, etc.), following are tricky methods.

Method 1

When you see the error information - remove the flash drive from the computer first.Press exit (red cross in the top right corner).
Start installation from the beginning (without reboot).
After selecting Windows 7 edition you will get new error.
Neglect it.Press OK in error window, you will be redirected to installation main menu.
Insert your USB flash drive into the computer.
Install Windows.
Finished


Found here:
Methods to Solve "Setup Was Unable to Create a New System Pa

Hallelujah, a tiny post with the easiest, instant fix. (trust me this was a blessing after the days and hours spent waiting for formatting, downloading blah blah blah) I removed the flash drive and waited for the error that there was no media attached, reinserted it and it started installing!!

I just want to say a huge thanks to everyone posting responses to aid others in fixing the issues they are having. And wanted to say that I tried each and every single step I could find regarding this error and nothing worked before finding this implementation trick.