Sometimes while installing Windows OS you might get “Failed to Format the Selected Partition (Error 0x8004242d)” error and here we will discuss the methods which will help you fix it.
Failed to Format the Selected Partition
There are multiple reasons for the “Failed to Format the Selected Partition” error to pop up. The most common occurrence for this error is when PC users are installing Windows 10 or Windows 7.
If you are installing using a Disc and get the error then try disabling the USB Boot support to fix it. If it doesn’t work then the following are the fixes for this error.
Fix #1
If you are using multiple hard drives or have attached an external HDD then this might be the issue. Just remove the HDD which you aren’t using for the Windows installation and the error will be fixed.
Fix #2
If the error still persists then you can resolve the Failed to Format the Selected Partition (Error 0x8004242d) by deleting all of the partitions and creating new ones.
To fix the error, start the installation and click on “Custom: Install Windows only (advanced)”. When you get to the window where it asks you to choose a drive, which is the same place where you get this error, delete all partitions and create a new one or multiple partitions. Now install Windows OS and you won’t get the error.
Fix #3
If the above fixes couldn’t fix the “Failed to Format the Selected Partition (Error 0x8004242d)” error then you can try fixing through Diskpart using CMD(Command Prompt). You’ll actually be cleaning your HDD using Diskpart.exe and here is how to do it.
Note: Following this fix will delete all of the data on your HDD. So, back up your data before trying this fix.
Start your Windows installation and instead of selecting install, click on “Repair your computer”. Select “troubleshoot” and from the available options select “Command Prompt”. Type “diskpart” and press enter. Now type “list disk” and press enter. A list of disks will appear and from the size of the disk determine which drive is causing the error and note its number. Type “sel disk ‘number of the disk'” and press enter. Then type “det disk” then press enter and then type “clean all” then press enter. Type “exit” and try installing the Windows OS and it should install without the error.
Fix #4
If all of the above fixes didn’t fix the “Failed to Format the Selected Partition” error then it’s time to disable UEFI Boot Support.
To disable UEFI Boot Support, just restart your PC and go the Boot menu and disable it. Save the changes and exit. Now again try to install Windows OS and it should install without the “Failed to Format the Selected Partition (Error 0x8004242d)” error. Once the installation is complete, you can enable the UEFI Boot Support.
That is all for our fixes for Failed to Format the Selected Partition error. If you are facing other errors with your system then check out our hub for commonly occurring PC errors and issues.