Windows 10 clean install can't find a valid partition

Disconnect all internal attached hard disks except the target hard disk where Windows 10 will be installed and attempt setup again. You can reattach the additional hard disk after setup is successfully completed.

If the problem persist, this could mean the Windows 10 install media or .ISO file you burned from is corrupt. You could try burning another copy and try again.

You could also install Windows 7 Home Premium and start the Windows 10 installation from within it and choose the 'Keep nothing' option.

No need to create a new partition, just delete the existing partitions at which point they should be listed as "Unallocated" space during the Windows 10 install. Select the unallocated space a continue.

J W Stuart: http://www.pagestart.com

Your error is formatting the partitions. Win 10 has to do the format. Just delete the partition and then boot to the install disk or drive and select custom install. That gives the option of selecting the correct space. Choose the unallocated space (the deleted partition) to install windows 10.

Formatting beforehand formats in windows 7 format, not windows 10.

JW Stewart's and mlg63's proposal worked for me.  Requires seconds to delete the partition [AOMEI Partition Assistant or DISKPART], then the Win 10 installer agreed to use the unallocated space.   fast and elegant solution!

Your error is formatting the partitions. Win 10 has to do the format. Just delete the partition and then boot to the install disk or drive and select custom install. That gives the option of selecting the correct space. Choose the unallocated space (the deleted partition) to install windows 10.

Formatting beforehand formats in windows 7 format, not windows 10.

I did this.. Now, when I went to install to custom install it says that there are no partitions at all.. nothing.. tried scanning, nothing. Tried browsing to the USB that the ISO is on and it said it wasnt a partition... 

WHAT DO I DO NOW!>?!>!>!>!>!!

Ok, I assume you solved your issue by now, but for others who followed the same advice...

Need to add back the partition you deleted. Can do it several ways - probably easiest is to follow these instructions regarding using DISKPART during windows installation:

https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/asiasupp/2012/03/06/error-we-couldnt-create-a-new-partition-or-locate-an-existing-one-for-more-information-see-the-setup-log-files-when-you-try-to-install-windows-8-cp/

Another way I prefer is to use Ubuntu bootable from a flash >> put Ubuntu on a Flash >> boot into Ubuntu >> open gParted app >> very simple way and clean way to setup your partitions, especially if you want to dual boot with Windows and Ubuntu on your machine. gParted also does exactly what you want, as opposed to trying to do the same thing in Windows disk manager, and a lot of times the partition is grayed out and you can't make changes easily.

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"PROPER" FIX for this issue if you use GPT partition table instead of MBR partition tables

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(note I am no expert on Partition tables, so please forgive if I don't explain everything perfect)

Now nearly every solution I saw suggests going into DISKPART… delete partitions.. create a new one… try again. And probably it works for most people… because it possibly changed your partitioning table format on your hard drive from GPT to MBR partition table format.

++GPT is the newer format, where you can have up to 128 partitions << there's no 'extended partitions here since you can make 128 primary partitions. Also if your partition is >2TB, you need to do GPT.

++MBR is 'master boot record' which is old school, but still functional, and works as long as your partitions are less than 2TB. If I want to set partition table format to MBR in Ubuntu’s gParted, the format is literally called ‘msdos’, which hints at its age. You can only create 4 partitions (3 primaries and 1 extended... and you can subdivide the extended one some more partitions)

So I am using GPT and formatted into 2 partitions: about 200GB for Windows 10 and 15GB for Ubuntu. What happens when I install Win 10 is it says "We couldn’t create a new partition or locate an existing one" and no good reason given why. The problem is Win 10 (may Win 8 also) needs some other partition space to create a bunch of partitions it uses (Windows RE tools partition, System Partition, MSR Partition). I think you can create these partitions ahead of time, which is what solution link below suggests... or... you can just create 700MB-1GB of unallocated space before your intended Windows partition and the Windows install will take care of the rest.

What I did was a GPT partition that looks like this: 2GB unallocated space ||| ~200 GB formatted in NTFS for Win 10 |||| 15 GB for Linux/Ubuntu.

At the end of Win install, I went back into Ubuntu gParted and saw:

1. Basic data partion (recovery) 450MB << Windows setup created this

2. EFI system partition 100MB << Windows setup created this

3. Microsoft reserved partition 16MB << Windows setup created this

4. Unallocated space 1.4 GB << indicating 2GB was little too conservative - maybe I'll try to extend my Win 10 partition to use 700MB and keep the rest for future versions.

5. Windows 10 System partition ~200GB << I originally created this

6. Linux partition 14.32GB << I originally created this

Hope that helps. It took me a while to figure it out.

Also note, before Windows installation, you need to go into your BIOS setup and change UEFI/Legacy Boot to ‘UEFI’ to install Windows using GPT format. Otherwise if you set your partition table format to MBR, change to ‘Legacy’.

Here's the solution link regarding the various partitions Windows needs for GPT style partition tables:

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh824839.aspx

Good luck.

Along with some of the other suggestions here I also found that deleting the current partition data and allowing the installer to create and format was the correct way to proceed. However I could not get past the error message indicating no valid partition to install on.

After much searching and many attempts it all came down to one simple fix. Going into the BIOS and changing the SATA mode to ACHI. This particular machine for whatever reason was set to legacy and WIN10 will not recognize or utilize any partition that is on a legacy optioned controller.