The Media Creation Tool is a great way to upgrade Windows. However, it comes with its own challenges and glitches. Error code 0x80072f8f – 0x20000 is one of many, but it can be frustrating.
Make sure you have admin rights or try other quick solutions ✅
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Error code 0x80072f8f - 0x20000 tends to pop up while upgrading your OS.
By all means, conflicting applications or the absence of admin privileges can trigger it.
Try to run the Media Creation Tool with administrative rights and see how it goes.
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Now, the tool can be used to install the latest iteration on the computer it is running or create an installation media for another PC. But sometimes, the Media Creation Tool won’t work in Windows no matter what.
What’s more, it’s not limited to a singular version. Thus you can encounter it in Windows 10, but instances of 0x80072f8f 0x20000 in Windows 7 are just as frequent. Luckily, the solutions for Windows 10 and 11 are interchangeable, so they should work in both operating systems.
🔵What causes error code 0x80072f8f – 0x20000?
There are multiple causes for this error, with these being the most common ones:
- Lack of privileges – Certain tools require administrative privileges, and to use them you need to make apps run as admin.
- App conflicts – Third-party applications can sometimes come into conflict with Media Creation Tool and cause this problem. If that’s the case, you need to find and uninstall those programs.
- Corrupted cache files – Sometimes installation cache can get corrupted. If that happens, deleting the SoftwareDistribution directory might help.
If you have these problems and you’re getting an error message when trying to run Media Creation Tool stating that There was a problem running this tool, check the tested fixes below.
How do I fix error code 0x80072f8f – 0x20000?
1. Run the Media Creation tool as an administrator ✅
- Locate and navigate to the folder where the Media Creation Tool is stored.
- 🔵What causes error code 0x80072f8f - 0x20000?
- How do I fix error code 0x80072f8f - 0x20000?
- Run the Media Creation tool as an administrator ✅
- Perform a Clean Boot
- Check your date and time
- Clear the software distribution folder
- Modify the registry
- Uninstall antivirus or other conflicting apps
Right-click on it to open the context menu.
Select Run as administrator from the context menu.
Click Yes in the UAC (User Account Control) prompt.
Check if the issue persists.
If you are not running the Media Creation tool with administrative privileges, there’s a chance that you are encountering the error code 0x80072f8f – 0x20000 because of that.
Therefore, manually running it as an admin is likely to fix the issue.
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If this method doesn’t work in Windows 10, head to the next one.
2. Perform a Clean Boot
- Type MSConfig in the Start search and select System Configuration.
- In the General tab, select Selective Startup.
- Check Load System Services.
- Click the Services tab and choose to Hide All Microsoft Services.
- Select Disable All.
- Click Apply and OK and restart the computer.
If the problem does not appear with a clean boot, you may now try to locate the culprit program or service.
The simplest method to handle this is using a third-party specialized removal application to remove stubborn apps while in Clean Boot mode.
CCleaner provides many choices for cleaning and wiping difficult-to-manage applications, and the software is relatively simple.
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3. Check your date and time
- Right-click the clock in the bottom right. Choose Adjust date/time.
- Disable Set time automatically.
- Wait for a few moments and then enable it again.
4. Clear the software distribution folder
- Press Windows + R to launch the Run command.
- Paste the following path in the text field, and either click OK or hit Enter to launch the Software Distribution folder. C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download
- Press Ctrl + A to select all the files.
- Then, right-click on them, and select Delete from the context menu. Alternatively, you can pick them up and hit the Delete key.
- Once done, press Windows + S to launch the Search menu, enter Command Prompt in the text field, and then click on Run as administrator at the right.
- Click Yes in the UAC prompt that appears.
- Paste the following command and hit Enter: wuauclt.exe /updatenow
After following these steps, restart the computer for the changes to effect, and check if the error code 0x80072f8f – 0x20000 is fixed.
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Nite than cleaning up the software distribution folder can also help with Media Creation Tool’s refusal to update your PC.
5. Modify the registry
- Press Windows + R to launch the Run command dialog box, type Regedit in the text field, and click on OK to launch the Registry Editor.
- Click Yes in the UAC prompt that pops up.
- Paste the following path in the address bar at the top, and hit Enter: Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsUpdate\Auto Update
- Now, right-click on the empty portion on the right, hover the cursor over New, select DWORD (32-bit) Value from the context menu, and name it AllowOSUpgrade.
- Double-click on the key you just created to change its value.
- Finally, enter 1 under Value data and click on OK at the bottom to save the changes.
This registry fix has helped many users eliminate the error code 0x80072f8f – 0x20000, so try it in Windows 10. In all likelihood, the error should be fixed after this.
6. Uninstall antivirus or other conflicting apps
- Press the Windows key + X and select Apps and Features from the menu.
- Then, select your antivirus software and click on Uninstall.
- Follow the instructions on the screen to remove it.
- After removing the software, try to perform the upgrade again.
If you remove your antivirus, you can take a look at these best and most reliable antiviruses for Windows.
Error code 0x80072f8f – 0x20000 is a common issue and it can lead to Windows installation fails, so it’s important that you fix it.
Please tell us which fix worked and the iteration of Windows on which you were facing the problem in the comments section below.
If the advices above haven’t solved your issue, your PC may experience deeper Windows problems. We recommend downloading this PC Repair tool (rated Great on TrustPilot.com) to easily address them. After installation, simply click the Start Scan button and then press on Repair All.
Still having issues? Fix them with this tool:
- Media Creation Tool
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