How to solve Windows 8 installation has failed error

[Raj Nadar]

Since past two days I am trying to upgrade my windows 7 to new Windows 8 Pro. I read the system requirements mentioned on MS sites, checked mine, both matches fine. But whenever I try to install, the setup runs for few minutes about 20% and ends up with an error message saying:

Windows 8 installation has failed

The pop up use to have a OK button. When I click the same, everything gets rolled back to Windows 7. This is what I am trying to fix since 48 hours. Hope anyone you guys can tell me where the problem is and how can I get rid of the same.

[Tamohar]

I am using Windows 8 since its official release and learned several things about Win 8. But the error mentioned above ‘Windows 8 installation has failed’ doesn’t tells anything specifically about what exactly is preventing the installation. Hence there could be several problems creating conflict in the installation. You may need to try out several troubleshooting but the one I will suggest you to try first is make sure that you have no external devices connected with the system while running the setup. By external devices, unplug printers, USB drives, etc.. Just leave keyboard, Mouse and Monitor. Now start the setup again and see if it works.

By the way, here is a detailed guide of Installing Windows 8 in different way and different situation. Just check “Installing Windows 8 Dual Booting Windows 8 Consumer Preview and Windows 7 - Guides & Tutorials . Hope any of these method helps you getting rid of the error.

[Raj Nadar]

Thanks for the help Tamohar. I was just having external 250 hard drive connected with the system. However I unplug the same and tried running the setup but still get the same error. Bit better, this time it reached upto 45% and failed to install.

Now what?

[Sarag]

Which upgrad method are you following? I mean via CD, or downloaded ISO file or from USB Flash drive? Installing via CD/DVD will be the best choice. If you are using other resources then forget it and burn the ISO on DVD and then try again. Also if you have multiple user accounts on your system make sure that all users are logged off except the one Admin. If still you get the error or installation fails, you may need to delete any user profiles not in use. Yeah, that create problem during upgrade.

If your system already dual booted and you upgrading it than make sure you have enough space left on the partition where the Windows 7 is installed. I mean, after Windows 7 system files, there should be minimum 20GB of space left for Windows 8.

[Caiden]

Well I have never been across such error hence don’t have any personal idea but as I too interested to know the solution, I did some searches on Web and found an interesting stuff. I read somewhere that such error message usually appear as bluescreen errors, but as this is new operating system, may be Microsoft has made some changes and hence in this it may have been hidden by the generic installation error.

So there is a MS Tool called as “System Update Readiness Tool” that fixes such Upgrade problems in all latest Windows operating system including Win 8. You should give it a try. You can get more info about this tool here System Update Readiness Tool fixes Windows Update errors in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008 R2, and Windows Server 2008. Just follow the steps and see if it fixes your problem.

[Raj Nadar]

Thank you very much for the help Caiden. Now that was something useful. I followed the steps provided there and the System Update Readiness Tool had really done its job. Finally after a hard work of 3 days, I managed to upgrade the system to Windows 8. System is now working good so far, I hope it wont create any more problems.