Windows 10: Can't format a partition in win 10 TP

hey there, can anybody please tell me why I can't format a normal data partition in Windows 10TP? It goes through the whole normal procedure and then gives me an error stating "Windows cannot complete the procedure". Even logged in as Administrator it won't format. Why is this and how can I rectify it?

:)

 

Why is my TP beta test now...> WIN 10 PRO, Activated ?

Hi,

I have a Dual boot set-up for this TP beta test:

Partition#1 Windows 7 Home Premium OEM [I build my own computers]

Partition #2 TP beta test.

Microsoft Upgraded my TP to > WIN 10 PRO, Activated. It seems like the Full Win10 OS.

On Partition #1 My Win 7 Home Premium is still registered for the Upgrade to Win 10.

 

Dual Boot Elimination

Hi,

I have a dual boot setup at this time, Partition #1 WIN 7 PRO, Partition #2 WIN 10 PRO "Activated" this was my TP beta partition, it was upgraded by MS. Is this WIN 10 PRO the same OS that I am being offered on partition #1 to replace WIN 7 PRO?

Now that the TP has ended I would like to do a WIN 10 PRO clean install and remove one of the Partitions to eliminate the Dual boot system. Should I do the upgrade to WIN 7 PRO then delete Partition #2 with the already activated WIN 10 PRO or could this
be a problem in the making ?

Thank You for the Help...Jim

 

Could be any number of reasons. What kind of drive is it? What kind of partition? Are you certain there are no errors on the drive?

 

Could be any number of reasons. What kind of drive is it? What kind of partition? Are you certain there are no errors on the drive? The drive is 100% in working condition and it is just a normal data drive/partition that I created to store video files on. I checked it for bad sectors and there was none. the one I am trying to format is the 121Gb one Drive E

 

The partition E: is your System partition and holds the boot files..... Do Not format it.

 

Oops! I didn't look at that one too closely did I! *Redface
Please disregard my previous post and listen to Saltgrass

(That disk array in the screenshot is a little weird though!)

 

The E: drive contains the boot files, placed there during installation. Formatting the partition would render the computer unbootable, thus Windows won't allow it. Someone should be able to help you change this.

The terminology is rather strange. The boot files are on the System partition while the system Files (Windows) is on the Boot partition. They can be on the same partition. This terminology has been in use since the early days of NT and can't be changed now.

 

Could someone then please explain to me how to rectify this as it never did this before. I simply re-installed my operating systems as normal and now for the first time I encountered this. Is there a quick way to remedy this or must I literally re-install both my operating systems again and hope for the best?

 

It's not clear to me how you managed to get your drives partitioned and installed in the manner you did. Can you explain how you did that?

What I don't understand is how your Boot partition is partition 2 (0 based) which should hold your Windows folder, but yet your disk label claims partition 0 is Windows 10.

 

What I would do is to add the boot files to the partition you want to use for those. Since you probably want to use the 8.1 install, you would use the following command referencing the 8.1 partition for those.

Open an administrative command prompt and use the following command. This will put the boot files in the C: partition.

bcdboot C:\Windows /s C:

When this completes you should be able to set the C: partition as active and then reboot.

If something goes wrong, use the recovery environment to open a command prompt and use Diskpart to set the E: partition back as the active one.

A process such as this can always cause problems where your install might be compromised, so make sure you have a way to recover just in case, which means recovery media and possibly a System Image.

We can discuss adding the Windows 10 install to the boot menu which might require a command such as bootrec /rebuidbcd which has to be run from the recovery environment, so you may need recovery media for that.

Someone else may have different options to accomplish this task.

 

It might be the method I use to install, but I do nothing unusual in this respect, fwiw, on my installations the boot files in disk management are shown in the partition which you are using at the time. I have dual boots. If I boot up in Windows 8, then the boot files are shown in that partition. If I boot in Windows 10, vice versa. In the OPs case, he seems to have his principal boot partition and OS as C: . It would suggest that D:, may be the Windows 10 installation?? I cant see the OS being on E: as it shows 100% empty space.. As he has used up opportunities to create further partitions, it would be better if, in the first instance, he merged one of the lesser used partitions. Say E: with D: or F: He could then designate a partition letter to Windows 10, if possible, assuming it is an installation and not just a retaining section for the image.
The partitions already designated, look OK but are only understandable to the OP My own preference would be to relabel them with something that has more association with what they actually contain.

Saltgrass suggestion might work, but the partition allocation is so messy that there could be a total failure. I would suggest, before you start, that you make ann image of your OS, which ever that may. At this stage, as I see it, the Windows 10 partition has very little priority, as the whole thing can be easily reinstalled

P.S. I assume from your comments, that you do not have BitLocker enabled for that partition?