We couldn't create a new partition or locate an existing one

Windows 11 requires a GPT partition. You have to format the disk to GPT and UEFI in order to fix "we could 't create a new partition" error during Windows 11 clean install.

I’ve run into that "We couldn’t create a new partition" error myself a few times during Windows installs. It’s pretty annoying because it usually means something’s screwy with the disk setup. 

In my experience, it’s often a sign of disk issues or leftover partition info messing with Windows. The most common fix involves cleaning the disk and converting it to GPT/MBR as needed, then creating a fresh partition. Be cautious—cleaning the disk erases all data, so back up any important data beforehand. Sometimes, using tools like Diskpart from command prompt or a disk utility from a bootable USB helps fix it. But if you ignore the error and force the install, you might end up with an unstable system or data problems later.  

If you're still get the error "We couldn’t create a new partition"after trying these steps, please share details such as your system type (UEFI or Legacy BIOS), disk type (HDD or SSD, NVMe or SATA), and whether the disk is new or contains previous data.

You’re trying to create a new partition during Windows setup or disk management, and instead of success, you get that annoying “We couldn’t create a new partition” error? Ugh, I’ve been there — it’s super frustrating. 

From my experience, the main downsides or disadvantages if you’re stuck with that error are:

1. Basically, you’re stuck with your current setup. If you need space for a new OS, data, or a separate drive, you’re out of luck until you fix it.
2. Sometimes people get desperate and try to delete or format partitions manually, which can lead to accidental data loss or corruption.
3. Without creating new partitions, you might be stuck with a cluttered main drive, which isn’t ideal if you want to keep things organized or dual-boot.
4. If you’re trying to install Windows or set up a new drive and can’t partition it properly, that can halt your progress completely. You might have to go through extra steps to fix it, like converting between MBR and GPT or cleaning the drive.
5. Sometimes, this error hints at underlying problems like a corrupted drive, bad sectors, or incompatible partition styles.

If you get that "We couldn’t create a new partition" error, you’re basically limited. It stops you from creating more space or organizing your drive the way you want. The fix involves troubleshooting (like checking drive format, removing conflicts, or cleaning the disk), but until then, you’re kind of stuck. So, it’s best to handle it carefully — don’t rush, back up your data, and try to understand what’s causing the problem before proceeding.

One possible solution is to manually create a new partition from Windows 11 installation screen.

You see the error "We couldn’t create a new partition or locate an existing one" and you're already on the "Where do you want to install Windows?" screen with partition options listed.

Step 1: Delete All Existing Partitions (Data Loss)

Select each partition one by one (e.g., "Drive 0 Partition 1", "Drive 0 Partition 2", etc.). Click Delete and confirm until you only see “Unallocated Space” on the drive.

Step 2:  Create a New Partition

Select the Unallocated Space (usually “Drive 0 Unallocated Space”).

Click New → then click Apply (accept the default size unless you have a specific reason to adjust it).

Windows will automatically create:

Primary partition (where Windows will install).

System Reserved, MSR, or Recovery partitions as needed.

Step 3: Select Primary Partition

Click the newly created Primary partition (the one with the largest size or labeled as "Primary").

Click Next to continue the Windows 11 installation.

If this still doesn't work, click Refresh after deleting or creating partitions, or restart the PC and try the same steps again

"We couldn't create a new partition" — messing around with partitions can be a bit risky if you’re not careful — I’ve seen it go sideways before. The biggest danger is losing data. If you accidentally delete or format the wrong partition, you could wipe out important files. Also, if something goes wrong during resizing or creating a new partition (like a power outage or a glitch), it might corrupt your disk or make your system unbootable.

If the problem of "We couldn't create a new partition" hasn't been solved yet. From personal experience, I’ve tinkered with partition tools before, and while most times it goes smoothly, there’s always that tiny chance something can go wrong — especially if your disk is already having issues or if you skip backups. That's why I always recommend backing up everything important before doing any partition magic.

The error "We couldn't create a new partition or locate an existing one" during a Windows 11 installation usually appears when the installer can't access or configure the target disk partition properly. Here's how you can fix it.

Fix 1: Disconnect All Other Drives

Unplug all external hard drives, USB sticks, and other storage devices except:

• The USB with Windows 11 installer
• The hard drive/SSD you're installing Windows on

Restart the installation process. This eliminates conflicts that might confuse the installer about where to create the partition.

Fix 2: Set the Drive as Primary & Active (for MBR disks)

Only for MBR-formatted drives, not GPT. In Command Prompt (Shift + F10):

diskpart
list disk
select disk 0   (or your target disk)
list partition
create partition primary
select partition 1
active
format fs=ntfs quick
exit

Fix 3: Use Another USB Port or Recreate Bootable USB

If you’re using a USB 3.0 port, try a USB 2.0 port instead.

Recreate the bootable USB using Rufus with these options:

• Partition scheme: GPT (for UEFI)
• File system: NTFS or FAT32

Let me know which scenario applies to your setup, and I can walk you through the most appropriate fix in more detail.