Media Creation Tool will not run

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  1. Posts : 9
    Windows 8.1 Pro and 7 Ultimate
       #1

    Media Creation Tool will not run


    The Media Creation Tool will NOT run at all on my Windows 7 Ultimate desktop and my Lenovo Yoga 2 Pro with Windows 8.1. When I try to run it, nothing happens after clicking the message that allows it run. I know it does not start immediately but I have successfully run it on two other PCs with Windows 8.1. I've spent the better part of the last four days trying to get the Windows 10 upgrade installed on my desktop. After starting the "tool", I've even let the PC sit overnight to see if it would ever start to run. It never does. I've rebooted numerous times and I've also tried running it from that PC, from a network drive and from a USB drive ("Run as Administrator" does NOT work either). Nothing works. I was able to create both a USB and DVD setup disk using the Media Creation Tool on a different Windows 7 Ultimate PC so I've also tried using both of those options to upgrade my desktop PC. If I boot from either the USB drive or the DVD, I can install a new copy of Windows 10 but, of course, cannot enter a product key that works so that does not help. However, if I boot normally and then run Windows 10 setup.exe from either the USB or DVD, it does NOT run at all (just like with the Media Creation Tool). For a brief moment the other day, I thought I might have found the problem... I forget that I was starting to run low on disk space on that SSD. It was down to 21.6Gb available which, I think, should have been enough disk space but it might be borderline. So I did manage to get the free disk space to more 50Gb. That, however, did NOT help at all. I've tried about every possible scenario multiple times and have gotten nowhere over the last four days. I even tried Microsoft chat support yesterday but started off with 454 people in front. I wasn't in front of my computer when my turn finally arrived -- so I missed it. Haven't tried it again but don't expect much from that anyway. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 14,046
    Windows 11 Pro X64 22H2 22621.1848
       #2

    Try this:

    Open msconfig via the Run box.
    Click on Services tab, click on Hide all Microsoft services, click Disable All. CLick OK.
    Click on the Startup tab, click on Disable all, click OK.
    Reboot.
    Try running setup.exe from the flash drive. If it won't run, right click on it and select Run as Administrator.
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 9
    Windows 8.1 Pro and 7 Ultimate
    Thread Starter
       #3

    Ztruker said:
    Try this:

    Open msconfig via the Run box.
    Click on Services tab, click on Hide all Microsoft services, click Disable All. CLick OK.
    Click on the Startup tab, click on Disable all, click OK.
    Reboot.
    Try running setup.exe from the flash drive. If it won't run, right click on it and select Run as Administrator.
    Thanks for the reply. I had already tried using "msconfig" to disable all of my startup programs but did not think of disabling all of the non-Microsoft services as you suggested. However, before receiving your reply, I had already decided to "bite-the-bullet" and restore my computer to a new SSD from a Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials backup a couple of days earlier than the Win10 release (i.e., July 27th). That took a couple of hours. After completion, I tried the Win10 update from within Win7ULT from a USB drive. The setup program actually did run for the "first" time so I thought I was "home-free". Wrong! It took several hours to go through the update, checking my computer periodically as the update proceeded. Things were looking good. Then, disaster... The final stage of the update process (i.e., updating the Windows 10 files that had been installed so far) was taking forever to complete (at least a few hours) as I checked it periodically while doing other things. After it completed that stage, the next time I checked it, I was greeted with a "ridiculous" message saying that it has completed the update and the computer was now sitting idle and the installation routine did not know what to do next. It suggested that I "restart" the setup program. I couldn't believe it and I could not figure out any way to make it continue; so I had no choice but to restart the process after totally wasting the past several hours. So I restarted "setup.exe" from the USB drive. Amazingly, this time it would NOT run at all (just like had been happening previously, before I had restored the computer). My only choice left was to try the "Media Creation Tool" even though, if it worked, that would mean re-downloading Windows 10 even though I also had the files. So I tried running the "tool" and, surprisingly it actually worked. I started running it later in the evening so I had to let it run all night to complete the download. The next morning I was able to continue with the upgrade. It took at least a few more hours but it actually did complete without any issues. I wanted a "clean" install so I told it to upgrade without keeping any of my files. It worked! I couldn't believe it! It took me most of nearly five full days to get this upgrade to work. Un-frickin'-believable! So my primary desktop computer is finally updated. Meanwhile, I tried the upgrade on a very old Dell laptop that was running Windows 8.1. I also tried the upgrade from the USB drive and it worked flawlessly. I've still got at least 3-4 other computers I want to upgrade. I already checked that the "Media Creation Tool" and/or the "setup" program will run on all but one of these computers but have not tried to update any of them yet. The one other computer that those programs will NOT run on is my Lenovo Yoga 2 Pro ultrabook running Windows 8.1. I'll have to try your suggestion on that one to see if it lets either of those update programs run. I'm not in a big hurry to update the remaining computers yet because I'm still waiting for Microsoft to release the "connector" software for Windows 10 systems to connect to Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials which is what I use to automatically back-up all of my computers. It's pretty damn annoying that they haven't released the "connector" software. They announced more than a week ago that a manual install version would be available in the Microsoft Download Center shortly after July 29 (but nothing yet). An automated version won't be available until October, supposedly. What a nightmare this been so far but at least I've finally got a running Windows 10 Pro computer.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 16
    Windows 10
       #4

    You need to delete the 2 hidden folders on your c:\ directory before allowing it to run if it developed an error. Go to search on your start menu & type in folder options & then open it. Click on view tab & then check show hidden files. Click OK & then go to your C drive & you should see 1 maybe 2 folders that are faded names $Windows.~BT & $Windows.~WS Delete both of those. If you have system security enabled like the UAC or other forms. Right click on the Media Creation Tool & click on Run as Administrator. This will then prevent it being paused to await on user security prompt checks. A friend had this problem & this resolved this for him!

    Also.. A time when submitting a threat or reply. Use the Enter key after a couple of full stops to make it an easy read because I read about 6 or 7 lines until I just lost interest in trying to keep track reading the rest
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 215
       #5

    I used this tool on 3 pcs that ran 8.1 and 4 laptops (one surface pro 3, the dell that has 8.1 on it- my windows 7 Pro that I had upgraded to 8.1 before I purchased the dell, and a real old laptop (15 years old) that started with Vista, then windows 7 then 8.1 now windows 10. If you have patience it does load fine.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 16
    Windows 10
       #6

    Yeah I forgot to mention, when opening the tool, it can take around 20-30 seconds or a bit longer depending on system speed to actually open!
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 9
    Windows 8.1 Pro and 7 Ultimate
    Thread Starter
       #7

    Robinb9 said:
    I used this tool on 3 pcs that ran 8.1 and 4 laptops (one surface pro 3, the dell that has 8.1 on it- my windows 7 Pro that I had upgraded to 8.1 before I purchased the dell, and a real old laptop (15 years old) that started with Vista, then windows 7 then 8.1 now windows 10. If you have patience it does load fine.
    I hate to disagree with you but the "Media Creation Tool" does NOT run fine on every system... No matter how long you wait (is 12 hours long enough?). It would not run at all on two of my computers although it ran fine on four other ones. Same story with trying to run the Windows 10 setup program directly from a USB drive from within Windows 7/8.1. As mentioned is my too lengthy message, I did finally get my primary desktop computer upgraded after five days of total frustration. I have not yet tried again to upgrade my Yoga laptop which has similar problems.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 14,046
    Windows 11 Pro X64 22H2 22621.1848
       #8

    It only needs to run on one computer. Create a flash drive or ISO then you can use that on as many computers as you want. No need to use MCT repeatedly.
      My Computers


  9. Posts : 16
    Windows 10
       #9

    Ztruker said:
    It only needs to run on one computer. Create a flash drive or ISO then you can use that on as many computers as you want. No need to use MCT repeatedly.
    the MCT wont let you passed the enter key stage as the next button is faded out! I burned a Media Disk & it did exactly this to me!
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 14,046
    Windows 11 Pro X64 22H2 22621.1848
       #10

    Then I would say the ISO you have is probably different than the system you are upgrading, so it prompts for a key.

    Which version did you get via MCT and what does winver tell you about the system you are upgrading?
      My Computers


 

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