Create/extend partitions options greyed out in windows install despite free space

[terrytuggpr]

My windows 10 crashed and became unbootable so i've created a bootable usb, i now need a partition to install the OS on but in windows setup i cannot create one due to the 'new' option being blurred out. The 460 gb disk has 150gb free which i;d like to use for a new partition, but the rest of the files on it i want to try and recover, so formatting it is not an option.

Any ideaS? and anyone know what's preventing me from creating a new partition?

 

[Colif]

try making this on another PC: http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/use-ubuntu-live-cd-to-backup-files-from-your-dead-windows-computer/

use it to backup the files you want to keep.

what motherboard do you have? It might be that windows recognises the motherboard can support a different hdd format than what is installed and doesn't want to install win 10 on any of the partitions. If Win 10 sees motherboard has an UEFI BIOS, it will insist on installing win 10 as GPT. If the previous install is an upgrade from win 7 then its likely to still be in MBR format and win 10 won't install onto that.

That might explain why the buttons are greyed out.

What I would do is copy everything off drive using Ubuntu and then delete all the partitions and click next, win 10 will recreate the 4 partitions it needs and then install itself

follow this guide from step 12 or 13, depending on what type of bios you have: http://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/1950-windows-10-clean-install.html

when you reach the screen asking for licence, click "I don't have a key" and win 10 will continue to install and reactivate once finished

On the screen where you choose where to install win 10, if it gives you an error about GPT drives, delete all the partitions on the hdd and press next. If it still gives error, cancel out of the installer and restart PC and start installer again, it will accept next on that screen this time (some PC just need a restart here)