Solve the problem of not being able to select or format the hard disk partition when installing Vista

When a friend recently installed Vista, I encountered a situation where I could not select or format the hard disk partition. Basically one or more of the following symptoms:

• The hard disk where Windows Vista is to be installed is not listed.

• Unable to select the hard disk partition where you want to install Windows Vista.

• Unable to format one or more hard disk partitions.

• Unable to set the correct size for the hard disk partition.

• You will receive the following error message: Windows cannot find a system volume that meets its installation criteria

Cause analysis: This issue may be caused by one of the following reasons ——

• Windows Vista is not compatible with mass storage controllers or mass storage drivers.

• The mass storage controller or mass storage driver has expired.

• The hard disk to install Windows Vista is a dynamic disk.

• A data cable in your computer is loose or has other hardware problems.

• The hard disk or Windows file system is corrupt.

• You are trying to select a FAT32 partition or other partition type that is not compatible with Windows Vista.

Solution: To resolve this issue, use one or more of the following methods ——

Method 1: Verify that the partition is compatible with Windows Vista < Br>

Windows Vista cannot be installed on a FAT32 partition. In addition, dynamic disks must be properly configured for use with Windows Vista. To verify that the partition is compatible with Windows Vista, follow these steps:

1. For a dynamic disk with a simple volume, use the Diskpart.exe utility to configure the disk as an active disk. For more information about how to use the Diskpart.exe utility, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: