Question: I have a the following message when i try to install windows 7 through an bootable USB..

> 
> setup was unable to create a new system partition or locate an
>  existing system partition
> 
> 
> 

I will explain the things I did to my lenovo y500 laptop.The laptop was initially working with 2 os .. ubuntu linux and windows vista which came with the laptop..

What I tried to do is to install the windows 7 through USB and when it asksed for the option which drive to install, It showed me all the drives available including the C: and the vista reserved drive.. 
Since I wanted a fresh install, I deleted all the partitions and tried to install the new windows 7 but got the above said message. currently I have no os and cannot install anything too..

Now I dont know what to do.. I googled for the issue but none of the answers helped me..I tried to do the diskpart using command prompt and it did not help..

can someone guide me in this ?

Thanks..

Answer: 
Assuming that your first partition is Windows 7 and the second is Windows 8, you can do this just using tools coming with Windows 7:

1. Boot Windows 7
2. Open the disk management
3. Simply delete the Windows 8 partition
4. Resize the Windows 7 partition to use the now available free space

However, if you have some partition layout where the Windows 7 partition comes *after* your Windows 8 partition or if they are not "neighbors" at all (e.g. first Windows 7, then Ubuntu, then Windows 8), you would have to boot a linux-based live system like [gparted](http://gparted.sourceforge.net/livecd.php) or [parted magic](http://partedmagic.com/) to move/delete/resize partitions. **Be careful though to not mess up your system.**
I highly recommend [Gnome Partition Editor](http://gparted.sourceforge.net/).

It can perform actions with partitions such as:

* create or delete
* resize or move
* check
* label
* set new UUID
* copy and paste

Manipulate file systems such as:

* btrfs
* ext2 / ext3 / ext4
* fat16 / fat32
* hfs / hfs+
* linux-swap
* nilfs2
* ntfs
* reiserfs / reiser4
* ufs
* xfs

And many more features