Media Creation Tool Error 0x80042405 0xA001B

Anonymous
2019-05-22T02:24:49+00:00

I must be doing something wrong because I always have the update fail with some BS error like this. What are the proper steps to run this tool?

I download the tool to the desktop. I'm on an Admin account. I insert a 16GB thumb drive. I format it. I start the tool. I point it to the thumb drive. During the phase where the files are copied to the USB, I get some stupid error like this:

Why are my steps not good enough? Where is the hole in my logic? Or is this tool just written poorly. I'd like to use stronger language here as I used to have to start it all over again and burn bandwidth trying this failed endeavor over and over.

I've heard people make it work by running the tool FROM the USB. Why would that matter? I've tried to write files to the thumb drive just after the format and before running the tool to make sure I have successful writes. Doesn't help. 

As a workaround today, I left the error up for a bit. Tried to access the thumb drive and it said it needed to be formatted AGAIN! So I did. Then I just opened the C:$Windows.~WS\Sources\Windows and copied the files to the drive by hand. Made the dang thing myself! WHO WRITES THIS STUFF??

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Install and upgrade

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Kapil Arya 38,446 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
2019-10-23T10:23:40+00:00

Hello,

I would suggest you to create latest media. Download the Media Creation Tool using this link:

https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=691209

Hope this helps!

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  1. Anonymous
    2019-07-02T22:07:26+00:00

    Good to hear it. Welcome to the "try & try again" club. My USB Installation drive got made on the 3rd try.

    The next hurdle will be to run the Installation USB drive thus made to actually perform the upgrade. You may get an error message stating "This PC can't be upgraded to Windows 10", as in...

    https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/release-information/status-windows-10-1903#490msgdesc

    Windows 10, version 1903 and Windows Server, version 1903

    ...under the section entitled "Error attempting to update with external USB device or memory card attached". If you get that, try doing the upgrade from an .ISO, as I posted on page 6 of this thread. (But it is said, a clean install does not suffer the same dismal fate from USB.)

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  2. Anonymous
    2019-07-04T20:15:11+00:00

    I feel like I have to reemphasize how dumb this issue is. The tool can't do what it's supposed to with brand new USBs... how is it that it can download and then crash 30-50% through the creation process? You spend hours waiting for it to finish downloading only to have to start over time and time again. And then you're supposed to go outside the tool to do the things because the entire purpose of the tool doesn't work. Make it as complicated as possible for people who may not even understand.

    Already tried moving it to the USB and running as administrator - still crashed. Guess I'm trying Rufus or something?

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  3. Anonymous
    2019-07-04T21:58:09+00:00

    This is ridiculous. Just like all of you, I just want the tools to work. Is it really too much for one of the richest companies in the world?

    Trying over and over again (whether is it with this tool - in my case the third time wasn't lucky, maybe the forth will be - or with other solutions) is simply a waste of time and a lot of unnecessary stress for an IT newbie like me (I don't understand a half of the posts in this threat and I do believe that there are people out there who understand even less).

    The first line of the error allert is apparently the best conclusion: Microsoft is not sure what happened.

    I just want the tools to work. Okay, they can not work from time to time - after all only people create them. But when they don't work, it would be nice from Microsoft (or whatever company is it) to make a statement: why they don't work and how to make them work.

    Thousands of people have this problem (not everybody ticks the option or even reads this thread), two weeks have passed and Microsoft is still... not sure what happened.

    Well, this is what happens when there is a monopolist with virtually no authority that has control over it.

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  4. Anonymous
    2019-07-04T22:06:11+00:00

    Tough this shouldn't be needed and it's not for the novice, what I did has never failed me and you don't need Rufus.

    After the tool errors, leave the error up. Try to open the USB drive. Windows will prompt you to format it. Do this. Open your root drive (C-drive?). Find the folder in the address of the screen shot I posted and copy everything to your USB drive. 

    After you're finished, closing the error will delete the folder off your root drive and you'll have to run the tool and have it download the files all over again.

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