How to Fix an Error Code 0x80072f8f – 0x20000 on Windows
Be able to create bootable drives again
Media Creation Tool’s 0x80072f8f – 0x20000 error prevents you from launching the tool and creating your bootable Windows drive. Many items can lead the Media Creation tool or your system to report this error. Your tool may be lacking the required permissions to run, or your computer may have a system issue. Regardless, we’ll show you how to fix this problem on your Windows 11 or Windows 10 PC.
If you’re curious to know what’s causing Media Creation Tool not to run, some reasons are that your computer isn’t compatible with the operating system you want to install, your antivirus program has blocked your access to the tool, your disk doesn’t have enough free space to accommodate the tool’s downloaded files, and more.
Resolve Your Internet Connection Issues
As you know,Media Creation Tool utilizes your computer’s internet connectionto download the required operating system files. If your internet connection isn’t working or is unstable, that may be why you have trouble using the tool.
In this case, check and fix issues with your internet connection before running the tool. You can find out if your connection is faulty by opening a web browser and launching a site. Your site won’t load if your connection has issues.
You can try toresolve your connection problemsby giving your router a reboot, using anEthernetconnection instead of a wireless one, rejoining your Wi-Fi network, or contacting your internet service provider (ISP).
Ensure Your Computer Meets Your OS’ Minimum System Requirements
If you’re trying to upgrade your current Windows version, ensure your computer meets at least the minimum system requirements of the Windows version you’re upgrading to. Ifyour computer doesn’t meet the target operating system’s requirements, you can encounter issues.
Here are Windows 10’s minimum requirements:
If you’re upgrading to Windows 11, your system must meet the following requirements:
Check your computer’s current specifications and ensure they meet the minimum requirements of the Windows version you want to install.
Run the Media Creation Tool as an Admin
If your internet connection is working and your computer meets the minimum requirements for the Windows version you want to run, run the Media Creation Tool with administrative privileges and see if that fixes your issue.
That’s because the tool may be lacking the permissions to run required tasks, leading to an error message. Running the tool as an admin gives it all the rights it needs.
Use Another Port on Your Computer
If you’re trying tocreate a bootable USB flash drive, ensure your drive is plugged into a working port on your computer. The current port you use with your USB drive may not be working, causing interruptions in Media Creation Tool’s working.
You can fix that by unplugging your USB drive from the current port and plugging the device into another port on your computer. Once you’ve done that, run theMedia Creation Toolto make your bootable drive.
Turn Off Your Computer’s Antivirus Program
One reason Media Creation Tool fails to launch is that your antivirus program has blocked your access to the tool. This happens when your antivirus recognizes your file as a potential threat.
If you’ve downloaded the tool from the official Microsoft website, you cantemporarily turn off your antivirus protectionto run the tool and perform your tasks. However, if you’ve obtained the tool from elsewhere, your tool may indeed have a virus or malware. In this case, delete the tool from your computer immediately and download the tool from the official Microsoft website.
To turn off your antivirus protection in Microsoft Defender Antivirus:
Make sure to turn your antivirus protection back on when you’ve finished your tasks with the Media Creation Tool. This is to ensure your PC remains protected from any threats.
Delete All Files in the SoftwareDistribution Folder
SoftwareDistribution is the folder on your PC where Windows downloads and saves your Windows Update files. Sometimes, this update cache becomes corrupted, causing various issues on your computer.
Your Windows system may be trying to install all the available updates from this folder before allowing you to upgrade your Windows version. Since this update cache is corrupted, your update process is failing, leading to various errors.
You can fix that bydeleting all the contents of the SoftwareDistribution folderon your PC. This doesn’t delete your personal data.
Free Up Disk Space on Your Windows PC
Since Media Creation Tool downloads and saves huge files on your system, you must have adequate free disk space available to accommodate those files. If you’re running low on disk space on your PC, free up some space to store the tool’s files.
There are various ways tofree up a Windows PC’s disk space. You can manuallyfind and delete unwanted large filesfrom your storage or use a built-in utility called Disk Cleanup toremove junk files from your systemautomatically.
Here’s how to use the latter method:
Enable TLS Versions on Your Windows PC
One item that can cause issues with Media Creation Tool and lead to a 0x80072f8f – 0x20000 error is the deactivation of various TLS (Transport Layer Security) options on your PC. You can enable all the available TLS options to possibly fix your issue.
Enable OS Upgrade in Your Windows Registry
It’s possible the operating system upgrade option is disabled in your Windows registry, preventing you fromupgrading your Windows version. In this case, you can tweak your registry to allow OS upgrades on your machine.
Clean Boot Your Windows PC
If your Media Creation Tool still doesn’t run, a third-party app installed on your PC may be causing the issue. This app may be interfering with the tool’s working, causing the tool not to launch or not work as expected.
In this case, you canclean boot your Windows PC, which prevents your third-party apps from running. This helps you verify if a third-party item is causing your apps not to function. You can check out our guide on that topic to learn how to perform the procedure.
Troubleshooting a Media Creation Tool Error 0x80072f8f – 0x20000
Not being able to run Media Creation Tool means not being able to create a bootable drive for your favorite Windows version. There are various items that can prevent this tool from running or functioning, as explained above.
Once you go in and fix those items, the tool will start working just as it should, letting you create all kinds of supported bootable drives. Enjoy!
Mahesh has been obsessed with technology since he got his first gadget a decade or so ago. Over the last few years, he’s written a number of tech articles on various online publications including but not limited to MakeTechEasier and Android AppStorm.Read Mahesh’s Full Bio
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