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
    2019-09-17T18:46:36+00:00

    I had exactly the same problem as you did, no matter how many times I tried with 3 different 32Gb thumb drives.

    Eventually I tried both of these simultaneously and it worked, so one of these (or both combined) may work for you:

    First: Manually make the thumb drive bootable with Diskpart:

    • Open an elevated command prompt and run diskpart.
    • Once inside Diskpart, type list disk and you'll get a list of all storage drives in your computer. Take a note of the number that matches your thumb drive (it'll read, for instance, Disk 2 (I'll use 2 for the sake of this example)
    • type select disk 2<enter>
    • type clean <enter>
    • type convert mbr<enter>
    • type create partition primary<enter>
    • type format fs=fat32 quick<enter>
    • type active <enter>
    • type assign <enter>
    • close the elevated prompt

    Second: Run the Windows Media Creation Tool IN ELEVATED MODE

    Basically, right click on the executable file and "Run as administrator". You'll get the usual UAC prompt. Accept and let the media creation tool do its thing.

    I got this to work after trying a lot of stuff. I didn't find this exact solution elsewhere so your mileage may vary, but it's worth a shot

    This is what worked for me. Also selected both versions rather than only the 64 bit. Did not run the tool from the flash drive.

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  2. Anonymous
    2019-05-22T04:37:45+00:00

    What did file format did I use?

    I ran the tool to build the USB on its own. There is no file format option. Or maybe I don't understand your question.

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  3. Anonymous
    2019-06-16T09:11:27+00:00

    As a workaround, try this. Copy the Media Creation Tool onto the freshly formatted thumb drive and launch the .EXE from there. This seems to help for some dumb reason.

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  4. Anonymous
    2019-05-22T04:47:28+00:00

    Yes. That does work. Every time it fails, it fails when it tries to copy the downloaded files to the USB. When I did this for 1809, I got sick of redownloading everything the 3rd time and just told it to make me the ISO. Then I mounted the ISO and dragged the files to the USB myself. You know. Like the tool should do for you?

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