Solved Windows Cannot be Installed to Disk 0 Partition 3

[boweasel]

Then under show details it lists

Windows cannot be installed to this disk. This computer's hardware may not support booting to this disk. Ensure that the disk's controller is enabled in the computer's BIOS menu.

Windows cannot be installed to this disk. The disk may fail soon. If other hard disks are available, install Windows in another location.

I certainly don't understand the 2 msgs. This hard drive was working perfectly in another PC. Google searches tell me something about a drivers disk that has to be reinsertrd. I don't have one.

This is a Dell Inspiron M5030 running (rather, was running) Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit. The hard drive went bad and I put in another HD, same brand - Western Digital, slightly bigger DASD. I am using the original Dell CD and when I try to install W7 on the new HD (pulled from another laptop) I get the 'Where do you want to install Windows?' screen which lists 3 areas:
Disk 0 Partition 1: PQSERVICE
Disk 0 Partition 2: SYSTEM RESERVED
Disk 0 Partition 3 (449.7 GB)

I have clicked on P3 and done a delete and a format, and I still get the same msg (but no msg number).

 

[VistaKing]

After you get that error did you still try to click on Next ?

 

[theog]

The disk may fail soon.

Replace the HDD.

You can Check the hard drive with the manufacturer's diagnostic tools.
Hard Drive Diagnostics Tools and Utilities (Storage) - TACKtech Corp.
Hard Drive Diagnostic Procedure

 

[boweasel]

After you get that error did you still try to click on Next ?

Yes, I get Setup was unavble to create a new system partition or locate an existing system partition. See the Setup kog files for more information.

 

[gregrocker]

Run the tests Theog listed to confirm your HD's condition.

Unplug all other HD's and peripherals,

Boot into BIOS setup, reset to defaults, save changes. If an EFI BIOS, enable Legacy BIOS or Compatibility Support Module, set DVD drive first to boot, HD second. Then set SATA controller to AHCI. Save changes and Exit.

Then boot into installer DVD or flash stick burned or written using tool and latest ISO for your licensed OS version here.

At first installer screen Press Shift + F10 to open a Command Box, type:

DISKPART
LIST DISK
SELECT DISK 0 (after confirming Windows 7 target HD #)
CLEAN
CREATE PARTITION PRIMARY SIZE=102400 (for 100gb partition, adjust as desired)
FORMAT FS=NTFS LABEL="WINDOWS 7"
ACTIVE
EXIT
EXIT

Next click Install Now, then Custom install to Clean Install Windows 7 to the partition you created. If it fails then report back at which step and the verbatim error message.

In addition read over these steps to understand the tools and methods which work best to get and maintain a perfect Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7. The steps are the same for retail.

After install you can adjust partition size or Create new partitions for data, etc. in Disk Mgmt.You are creating the partition here for the purpose of marking it Active which overcomes certain install failures.

 

[boweasel]

Okay, I'm going to have to get another HD. The original would show up sometimes when I hooked it up to another PC, But when I'd try to open it with explorer it would disappear.

The second HD I was slightly unsure of, and when I tried to install Windows it would say 'Starting Installation' and got no further.

This third drive came from a laptop that worked (running Vista), but hadn't been used in a while.

The Western Digital Diagnostics for that HD tell me that some of the tests results were below the recommended threshold. Then I wrote zeroes to the drive, reinserted the Dell disk and tried to create a new partition, getting this message: "Failed to create a new partition on the selected unused space. [Error:0x8007045d]". So tomorrow I'm off to get another drive.

 

[boweasel]

Boot into BIOS setup, reset to defaults, save changes. If an EFI BIOS, enable Legacy BIOS or Compatibility Support Module, set DVD drive first to boot, HD second. Then set SATA controller to AHCI. Save changes and Exit.

Then boot into installer DVD or flash stick burned or written using tool and latest ISO for your licensed OS version here.

At first installer screen Press Shift + F10 to open a Command Box, type:

DISKPART
LIST DISK
SELECT DISK 0 (after confirming Windows 7 target HD #)
CLEAN
CREATE PARTITION PRIMARY SIZE=102400 (for 100gb partition, adjust as desired)
FORMAT FS=NTFS LABEL="WINDOWS 7"
ACTIVE
EXIT
EXIT

Next click Install Now, then Custom install to Clean Install Windows 7 to the partition you created. If it fails then report back at which step and the verbatim error message.

In addition read over these steps to understand the tools and methods which work best to get and maintain a perfect Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7. The steps are the same for retail.

After install you can adjust partition size or Create new partitions for data, etc. in Disk Mgmt.You are creating the partition here for the purpose of marking it Active which overcomes certain install failures.

Couldn't get out to pick up a new HD so I tried these steps with the drive that I zeroed

• I can't access the BIOS anymore with F2. Is that because of the drive? Somehow I thought the BIOS access was encoded into the motherboard.
• Putting the disk in and hitting Shift + F10 on the screen where I select my language does bring up the command prompt, but when I type diskpart it brings up: On computer: MINWINPC and is totally unresponsive after that. I left it there for 15 minutes to see if anything would happen. It didn't. Is this also HD related?

 

[gregrocker]

What did the HD tests return?

Is the HD detected in BIOS setup?

Reset the BIOS to defaults to see if you can boot a known-good disk that boots in another PC.

If that fails unplug or disable the HD to see if disk boots.

 

[boweasel]

Okay.....whew! Using the same drive that hadn't worked previously - Windows could not install to Disk 0 Partition 3, and then I wrote binary zeroes to it, but I still got the same msg....

Well, I tried it again. And this time I waited past the 15 minute mark on the diskpart command.... and it took!!!

I entered all the commands you listed, and voila...., I installed W7 on the disk.

Now for some reason I can't get to the internet - it says the ethernet adapter was not installed correctly - but I can got to the Dell downloads page and copy the drivers to a USB stick.

Thank you gregrocker! I'm not going to mark this as solved until I fix the drivers, but I see light at the end of the tunnel.

And what's all this 'I must spread the reputation around' nonsense. BTW, this drive failed the Western Digital tests. Then I wrote zeroes to it. You know the story from there.

 

[gregrocker]

Unfortunately you should replace the HD if it fails repeated manufacturer's extended test and Disk Check

 

[boweasel]

Amazingly, the disk now passes a chkdsk /r with no errors, as well as the WD quick test.

 

[gregrocker]

Judge by the extended test. It may have repaired bad sectors.

I'd monitor the SMART on the HD with CrystalDiskInfo - Software.

You can also install and periodically check Download Hard Disk Sentinel which will tell you how many bad sectors it needed to quarantine. Keep you data backed up elsewhere.

 

[boweasel]

Ran the extended test, and it passed that too!

I downloaded the Dell M5030 Inspiron Chipset and Network drivers to a USB drive, and now I have internet access, but did I screw something up with the keyboard? An external USB KB works just fine, but the laptop's KB only displays a few characters, and those are wrong. Q & W (either uppercase or lower) give a 2 and 3. A gives a lowercase w, s an e, z an s, x a d. The right <Alt> gives a z. None of the other keys do anything. I see no num lock or scroll lock. The touchpad works just fine, as do the left and right buttons.

And to add insult to injury, I've somehow turns off the wireless capability, and have no idea how to turn it back on.

 

[boweasel]

Never mind. I just removed the keyboard, and hooked it up again. All is well.

 

[gregrocker]

I was going to ask if you were in the case as it sounds like something came undone inside, even for the wireless switch. Laptops are a bear to disassemble/reassemble. It's something I reserve for when it's going to be otherwise junked.

 

[boweasel]

I was going to ask if you were in the case as it sounds like something came undone inside, even for the wireless switch. Laptops are a bear to disassemble/reassemble. It's something I reserve for when it's going to be otherwise junked.

And THIS laptop must have been designed engineering morons. You actually have to take out all 1027 screws from the bottom, carefully pry apart the case, detach the keyboard ribbon, remove the power connector mini-ribbon and some other little ribbon connector and remove the keyboard itself just to get access to remove the hard drive. No joke.

 

[gregrocker]

I disassembled a Compaq CQ60 last summer that covered two table tops with parts before I got to the heatsink to clean it. I was as precise as I could be taking all the time necessary to do the work but I still snapped a clamp that holds the touchpad ribbon on their contacts, which was the size and heft of a fingernail clipping. I patched it back together so that the touchpad works and the laptop is still used daily by my friend in Boston. He was literally throwing it in the trash when I decided to "practice" on it. I can see why repasting a laptop processor is prohibitively expensive.

 

[tjb88]

Help

I try to install Windows 7 on the new HD (pulled from another laptop) I get the 'Where do you want to install Windows?' screen which lists 3 areas:
Disk 0 Partition 1: PQSERVICE
Disk 0 Partition 2: SYSTEM RESERVED
Disk 0 Partition 3

Hi Boweasel - I have the same problem with my Samsung N145 netbook, I have done exactly as you did (as gregrocker suggested) and I am coming to the same conclusion of putting the disk in and hitting Shift + F10 on the screen where I select my language does bring up the command prompt, but when I type diskpart it brings up: On computer: MINWINPC and is totally unresponsive after that. I left it there for 15 minutes to see if anything would happen. It didn't.

You managed to fix it by writing binary zeroes to it -- how would I do this? V. stuck and obviously don't want to be wasting anymore money.

TIA

 

[gregrocker]

The prob could be your installer so see if it will boot and see the HD using Diskpart "List Disk" in another PC. If in doubt burn another DVD from Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 or try a flash stick installer, with HD set to boot first in BIOS then trigger stick using one-time BIOS Boot menu key.

Boot into BIOS setup to confirm the HD is indeed seen in the problem PC. It should show up under Storage devices or in the Boot order priority list, perhaps as its Serial number.

You can also do a Quick Wipe using DBAN CD or Partition Wizard CD, then using PW CD create a Primary NTFS partition marked Active to give it more potential.

 

[tjb88]

The prob could be your installer so see if it will boot and see the HD during Install Now in another PC. If in doubt burn another DVD from Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 or try a flash stick installer, with HD set to boot first in BIOS then trigger stick using one-time BIOS Boot menu key.

Boot into BIOS setup to confirm the HD is indeed seen in the problem PC. It should show up under Storage devices or in the Boot order priority list, perhaps as its Serial number.

You can also do a Quick Wipe using DBAN CD or Partition Wizard CD, then using PW CD create a Primary NTFS partition marked Active to give it more potential.

I will try to burn another CD tomorrow and will get back to you, hopefully it will work tyvm.