Error "0x80300024" when installing Windows 8 Pro on vhd

Hey there,

I’m facing the following problem:

I'm trying to install windows 8 Pro x64 onto a virtual hard disk using the method outlined here:

Guide to Installing and Booting Windows 8 Developer Preview off a VHD (Virtual Hard Disk) - Scott Hanselman

I created a bootable Windows 8 installation USB disk (Windows 7 to USB Tool), opened diskpart during the windows 8 installation, created a vhd, attached it and tried to install the new OS on it.
Really simple, until I got the error “0x80300024” when I tried to put Windows 8 on my virtual disk: "We couldn't install Windows in the location you chose."


Here is my hard disk/vhd configuration (see attachment):

- Disk 0 = mSATA SSD with Windows 7 Pro x64 OS, bootable, GPT EFI
- Disk 1 = HDD, MBR Basic, with data (photos/videos/documents etc…)

I am storing my vhd on my OS drive (root), Disk 0. I have made an expandable volume (50GB). I have leaved it unformatted (RAW), as well as formatted it to MBR + NTFS + Basic, before attaching it in windows 8 setup.
The main problem with this error (from the hours of reading other threads in here) seems to be partitioning difficulties. Here are some of the things I've tried that I have seen advised on this forum:

- I have tried unplugging all my other drives (Disk 1, my HDD) from the Motherboard, leaving only the target drive there.
- I have moved my vhd to Disk 1 (data Disk).
- I have changed the vhd to a fixed size
- I have changed the size of the vhd

Is it possible, that the GPT/EFI partition is causing that problem (partition table)?
If you have any suggestions, or I have overlooked anything, please feel free to post your ideas!
Thank you kindly guys, I really appreciate any help I can get.

If Disk0 is installed in UEFI then you'd need to format GPT to install Win8, not MBR.

gregrocker said:

If Disk0 is installed in UEFI then you'd need to format GPT to install Win8, not MBR.

Hi gregrocker,

after reading your post, I deleted my actual vhd. Created a new one, attached it, and formated as you said to GPT/NTFS.

Restarted my computer to launch the windows 8 setup. [shift] + [F10], diskpart, attached the new created vhd and tried to install windows 8 on it.

Now I am getting the error message, that windows can t be installed on that drive, because it is in GPT-Partition Style and that my Hardware probably don t support starting that sort of device. I should check if the Device Controller is activated in BIOS? (Cant give you the exact message in english - my installation is in german)I c ant even click on the next button...

Any suggestions?

Many thanks in advance.