Among the most common errors during installing Windows 10, Windows 11 or other versions is the message "Format failed on selected partition" with error code 0x8004242d. This usually occurs when a user attempts to format the system partition in order to install the system from scratch.

This tutorial details an easy way to fix the 0x8004242d formatting error, what it can do, and more nuances that might be helpful.

Possible ways to resolve partition format error 0x8004242d when installing Windows

• Disk file system errors, damaged partition structure, using third-party programs to change the partition structure before starting Windows installation.
• Rare, but possible — problems with the drive connection, its hardware malfunction.

As a rule, error 0x8004242d is relatively easy to fix, you can use the following approaches, from simple to more complex ones (attention: I recommend being very careful before entering commands and actions — the 3rd and 4th ways delete data on the whole physical disk, not on a separate partition):

1. In the same window where you encounter error 0x8004242d press the keys Shift+F10, and if nothing happened and you have a laptop Shift+Fn+F10, A command line will open. At the command line, type the commands in order (switch the language with Alt+Shift):

   diskpart
   list volume (чтобы узнать букву раздела, который нужно форматировать)
   exit
   chkdsk C: /f (букву C: меняем на ту, который выдает ошибку при форматировании)

   Wait until the disk file system check finishes, close the command line and try formatting again.

2. In the installer try not to format the partition, but after selecting it, click on "Delete" and then, if the removal of the partition was successful, select the resulting "Unused space", click on "Create", and then — "Apply". It will create an empty partition of the same size as the deleted one, but without the file system. You can try to format it, or if this is the partition you are planning to install, just select it and click "Next" — the necessary formatting will be done automatically.
3. If there is no important data on the entire disk (i.e. all partitions on one physical disk, e.g. Disk 0) you can: delete all partitions on that disk in the installer, select a large "Unused space on Disk 0", click on "Next. The system will be formatted and installed automatically. And then, if necessary, you can partition the disk already in the installed Windows. The advantage of this method is that it also fixes GPT/MBR mismatches.
4. This method is also suitable only if there is no important data on the whole physical disk (or on any of its partitions). Run the command line as in the first method, then enter the commands in order:

   diskpart
   list disk (здесь нам нужен номер диска, на котором находится раздел, который не форматируется)
   select disk N (вместо N указываем номер диска)
   clean all (операция займет много времени, восстановление данных после неё невозможно)
   exit

   then close the command line, in the Windows installer partition selection window press "Refresh" and try to perform the necessary operations on the drives, for example — create partitions or just select the unused space and click "Next" to automatically format and install the system.

Hopefully one of the methods will help to solve the problem. Additionally note that problems with the connection of the disk or connection peculiarities (e.g. if the disk is connected to the notebook instead of an optical drive) may also lead to this error.