Installation Problem: drive space recognized... but not recognized

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I'm trying to perform a clean install (not upgrade) of windows 10 x64, while maintaining a running version of windows 7 x64. Encountered a problem using free space that is (kinda?) recognized by this installer.

I have a 500 GB SSD divided into two partitions (+ a 6MB System Reserve file). Windows 7 is currently installed on C: (196 GB); I’m trying to install Windows 10 on the other partition, G: (286 GB).

Within the installer (USB Bootdisk downloaded from MS), I select the custom (advanced) installation; when it comes time to select the location for the installation – G: is visible, the free space is visible, but when I select it and click “Next” windows informs me that there’s not enough free space on the volume.

Formatting the volume does nothing. Deleting the volume doesn’t work within the installer. If I delete the volume elsewhere and return, the unallocated space is visible – I can select it for the purposes of creating a new volume, but nothing happens when I select apply.

I have checked the SSD (Samsung EVO 840), there are no errors; I have checked G: after creating/formatting it (NTFS format, checked via windows and “chckdsk g: /f”)… nothing.

... I’ve read everything I could find on this and called MS help… now I’m here. I’d be grateful for any suggestions.

Other Specs:
Motherboard: MSI-Z68MA-G45
Processor: i5-2500K
Relevant Bios setting: Satabus is stet to IDE rather than AHCI
 

Trouble

Noob Whisperer
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Just a guess but the problem might be that the System Reserved partition might not have sufficient space to allow the installation to write the boot configuration data.
 
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No avail, unfortunately.

I shrank G: so there was 100+ MB of unallocated space. The same problem happened at the drive selection phase of the installation. Of note, I was able to delete the partition, and select the unallocated space to create a new partition -- however no changes could be applied (i.e. no new volume gets created).

To try a different strategy, I entered the bios, changed the settings to AHCI, selected to relevant driver during the install phase, and tried to repeat the process. No luck there either.

I could be wrong, but I think the core of the problem is that the installer can recognize the unallocated space, but can't make a partition using that space; it doesn't even flag an error when I click "apply".

What do you think might be causing that?
What should my next steps be?
 

Trouble

Noob Whisperer
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Can you use the Snipping Tool to provide an image of your Disk Management console so we can see exactly what you are dealing with

Capture1.PNG


Expand the column headers at the top as I have done above to show status and free space
 
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Thank you for your assistance.

Below is the image; I have circled the target. Again, I have tried using a freshly made/checked partition in addition to just trying with unallocated space.

Also, the partition style is MBR.

I spoke with MSN support; It took a while but they suggested that I download a fresh ISO, try a fresh USB, and a DVD. If none of those work they will escalate. [I will update]

dskmgr snip.JPG
 
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Your OS boots from drive 2. That 100 MB partition is showing only 7 MB of free space. Trouble is probably correct in suggesting it is too small for Win 10 to add its boot and recovery files.

Those partitions are now around 500 MB. It was only 100 MB with Win 7.
 
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My freshly loaded W10 machine has 67MB free of 100Mb in the system reserved partition so it is not that. That 'data ' partition on the boot disk needs the stuff in there whatever it is cleaned out as that should be system reserved.
 

Trouble

Noob Whisperer
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I only see a single partition marked as "Active" on a fixed disk (non-removable drive) disk zero "0".
I suspect that, that "System Reserved" partition is the location of the current BCD files to support the existing Windows 7 Installation.
 
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I only see a single partition marked as "Active" on a fixed disk (non-removable drive) disk zero "0".
I suspect that, that "System Reserved" partition is the location of the current BCD files to support the existing Windows 7 Installation.
Where is the System designation...? You can't see the active designation because the description is not expanded.

The OP needs to use some third party partition management software to increase the size of the "Data" partition, which can be dangerous.
 

Trouble

Noob Whisperer
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I was simply going by what I could see. I asked in my original request for a snip of the Disk Management console that he expand the column headers but.....

The OP needs to use some third party partition management software to increase the size of the "Data" partition, which can be dangerous.
I agree and would strongly recommend some disk images before proceeding.

dskmgr snip.JPG

The OP needs to use some third party partition management software to increase the size of the "Data" partition, which can be dangerous.
 

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