If you find yourself in a situation like this, we have listed some effective fixes below you can try to get the Media Creation Tool up and running like before.
1. Run the Media Creation Tool as an Administrator
One of the most common issues preventing the Media Creation Tool from working correctly is the lack of sufficient permissions. In some cases, apps require administrative privileges in order to run, and when they lack that access, they throw errors like the one at hand.
The fix, in this case, is simple, as all that you need to do is run the Media Creation Tool as an administrator. Here is how:
Plug in the bootable USB drive and right-click on the Media Creation Tool icon on the desktop. Choose Run as administrator from the context menu. Click Yes in the User Account Control prompt to proceed.
If insufficient permissions were preventing you from using the Media Creation Tool, running it as an administrator will help you fix the problem.
2. Modify Windows Registry
You might also need to tweak the Registry Editor a bit to run the Media Creation Tool successfully.
Windows Registry is an administrative tool that stores information about the programs and processes within Windows. Most, if not all the changes (like installing an app or giving a program additional permissions) that you make within Windows are logged into the Registry.
Since Registry is a critical utility that is often only used by the administrators, make sure you create a Registry backup before making any kind of edits in the Registry. Also, keep in mind that you need to be logged into Windows as an administrator to perform the steps below:
Press Win + R to open Run. Type regedit in Run and click Enter. Click Yes in the confirmation prompt. Inside the Registry Editor, head over to the location mentioned below: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\WindowsUpdate\OSUpgrade Right-click on the OSUpgrade key and select the New > DWORD (32-bit) Value option. Name this value as AllowOSUpgrade. Double-click on AllowOSUpgrade and under Value data, type 1. Click OK and close the Registry Editor.
You can now restart your computer and check if you can use the Media Creation Tool now.
3. Enable Relevant Services
Several programs on Windows need relevant services to function properly. For Media Creation to run without any issues, the following services should be enabled:
Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) Server TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper Workstation IKE and AuthIP IPsec Keying Modules Windows Update or Automatic Updates
If one or more of these services are disabled, you are likely to run into issues while using the Media Creation Tool. Follow the steps below to enable these services:
Press Win + R together to open Run. Type services. msc in Run and click Enter. In the following window, look for Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) and right-click on it. Choose Properties from the context menu. In the Properties dialog, click on the Start button. In case the service is already working, you can restart it by stopping it first and then starting it again. Set the Startup type to Automatic. Perform the same steps with the other services we have mentioned above. Once done, close the Services window and check if you can use the Media Creation tool without any issues now.
4. Make Sure You Are Running the Latest Windows Version
Keeping your Windows up-to-date is crucial. The latest updates offer new features and make sure that your system and its applications stay compatible with each other. Most updates are also packed with security patches and bug fixes which can help you get rid of issues within Windows without providing much input.
You might be encountering issues with the Media Creation tool if your Windows version is outdated. If that is the case, install the latest updates by following the steps below. We will be using Windows 11 to demonstrate the process, but they work for Windows 10 as well.
Press Win + I to open Windows Settings. Choose Windows Update from the left pane. Then, click on Check for Updates button on the right side of the window. The system will scan for the latest updates and notify you if any are available. In case you find any pending updates, install them one by one.
5. Check Your System’s Storage
You should have at least 8 GB of free space on your computer’s hard drive to use the Media Creation Tool. Apart from that, your USB should also have around the same amount of free space to prevent any storage issues during the process.
You can head over to our guide on how to check the local drive storage space in Windows. If the storage space is less than the recommended free space, you can delete some unimportant Windows files and folders to create space.
6. Reinstall the Media Creation Tool
Finally, if the troubleshooting methods mentioned above have not done the trick for you, there is a chance that the issue is with the Media Creation Tool itself, rather than the system.
In this case, the only viable solution is to uninstall the Media Creation Tool and install it back from scratch. You can uninstall the current version from your USB drive and then reinstall it from the official Microsoft website.
Revive Windows Using Media Creation Tool
Having a Windows installation on your USB drive or disk can be quite beneficial in cases of errors where the operating system cannot repair itself. However, the Media Creation Tool itself failing can lead to a bit more complicated situation.
The methods mentioned above will hopefully help you if you encounter any such issues during the process. If you are still facing the issue even after trying the troubleshooting techniques above, we suggest you contact Microsoft support and report the issue to them.
