Windows could not format a partition on disk 0 - error code 0x80070057

Question

Original title: error code 0x80070057

windows could not format a partition on disk 0. The error occurred while preparing the partation selected for installation error code of 0x80070057.

Answer 1

I recently bought components to build a new Win 7 64bit PC.

I've built many PC's in the past so wasn't expecting any problems I couldn't deal with.

I had this this exact same error message and have been pulling my hair out for the last two weeks trying to solve it.

I even bought a new motherboard, CPU, and HD and got the same error. Urgghh!

Well when I finally figured out what it was I was so relieved and so angry at the same time!

IT WAS THE SATA CABLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

I've never had a problem with a SATA cable before so I never even thought about replacing it.

The one that turned out to be faulty was one of the thin ones, but I've used many of these in the past without incident.

This may or may not be the cause of your problem, but try it

Have a great Xmas and all the best for the new year

Answer 2

I have the same exact error message,

but guess what,

I't's not the SATA cable, because this disk is an IDE disk.

so not a clue what it's going on.

first I had installed windows 7 OK, it run for 2 days when suddenly I got an error saying: "hard disk read error occurred". that''s when I decided to re-install all again from scratch and got stacked with this formatting issue.

I am replying to myself just in case people are reading this thread, I fix my problem with the help of a post from this link:

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CDsQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsocial.technet.microsoft.com%2FForums%2Fen-US%2Fitprovistasecurity%2Fthread%2F19ccf0d4-bc9b-40ad-80cf-be2be546e4c0%2F&ei=n2BnTuyBJcHqrAfetI3zCg&usg=AFQjCNFmS2cG9u9AjMPMEo2ZvpaozLKh\_g

basically what I did was following these steps:

Boot the computer with the windows 7 DVD, then instead of selecting 'install windows 7', select the one below that says something about 'REPAIR YOUR COMPUTER"

THEN select the circle 'USE RECOVERY TOOLS ...."

from the next window select to OPEN A COMMAND PROMPT window.

Type in:

diskpart

It may take some time for it to pop up and it will ask you for Administrative privileges. Go ahead and click Yes.

b. Type in:

list disk

It'll show a list of disks.

e.g: http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/6880/diskpart01.png

c. Select the drive you're having issues with.

Do this with the diskpart "select" command. Select your disk out of the list above.

e.g.

select disk 3

d. Clean the drive.

Type in:

clean

e. Create a partition.

Type in:

create partition primary

f. Select the partition.

Type in:

select partition 1

g. Activate the partition on the disk.

Type in:

active

h. Do a full format into NTFS.

Type in:

format fs=ntfs

It will take some time to complete. Anywhere from 30 minutes up to several hours, depending on the size of the disk.

thanks again to the person who posted this solution as I was able to format my IDE disk and install windows 7.

Answer 3

Im having the same problem when trying to do a clean instalation of widnows 7 32bit on my dell inspiron, it is not the sata cable cause i tried the disc on other machine and it get the same error, my other machine is working great, also windows 7 32bit

Anyone who can help?

Answer 4

Freedonian: Thank you for your post! I've been putzing around for days trying to figure out why I couldn't install Windows 7 and it was the SATA cable! You're a lifesaver.

Answer 5

Hi,

1. Are you trying to install Windows 7 on the computer or are you trying to reinstall Vista?
2. From where are you formatting the drive? Are you booting from DVD or from desktop?
3. How many hard drive partitions are there and where is the current operating system installed?

After creating a new partition, there is no need to format it.  Windows automatically creates and formats the new partition.

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Regards,Afzal Taher-Microsoft Support. Visit our Microsoft Answers Feedback Forum and let us know what you think.