Error Code 0x80042405-0xA001A in Media Creation Tool [Fix]

The Media Creation Tool (MCT) is used to create bootable drives containing files necessary for Windows 10 installation. If you’re running into the 0x80042405-0xA001A error code when using the Media Creation Tool, this article is for you.

We’ll explore what causes the error, how you can fix it, and give further troubleshooting tips too.

What causes the Media Creation Tool 0x80042405–0xA001A error?

There are many different reasons that could result in this MCT error, however, some are more common than others. Below is a list of common user reports that might help you identify why you’re getting the 0x80042405–0xA001A error.

• Your USB is not NTFS type. The NTFS file system is designed to be used for Windows-only environments, meaning that your USB stick should be of this type. If you're using a different type, the Media Creation Tool may run into errors.
  
• Media Creation Tool bug. Microsoft has confirmed that there is a bug with the Media Creation Tool, where the 0x80042405–0xA001A error shows up.
  
• Your USB doesn’t have enough space. If the USB stick you’re using doesn’t have enough available space on it for the Media Creation Tool, you’ll run into errors.

If the 0x80042405–0xA001A error keeps recurring, it’s time to start troubleshooting. The methods below will show you how to efficiently get rid of the problem.

How to fix Media Creation Tool Error 0x80042405–0xA001A

Method 1. Download the Media Creation Tool directly to your USB

Users have reported that a simple workaround for the error is simply putting the Media Creation Tool directly to the USB drive that you want to use as the bootable device. To put it simply, when downloading the tool, you should select the USB you’ll use to install Windows 10.

Normally, you’d download this tool somewhere on your local hard drive, such as the C: drive, and then launch the application. By following this method, you’ll make sure that all the necessary files will be intact on the USB stick.

1. Download the relevant version of the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool from Microsoft.
2. Choose the version you will be running the tool on. Select either a 32-bit or 64-bit system and download the file.
   
3. When choosing where to save the file, navigate to This PC → and select the USB stick. The drive letter for this will be the next letter that comes after your last local hard drive.
   
4. After the download is complete, open the File Explorer and go to This PC → USB drive. From here, run the Media Creation Tool and follow the on-screen instructions.

Method 2. Format your USB as NTFS

It’s possible that your USB stick is currently formatted as a FAT32 device. This might result in a known Media Creation Tool bug, where the 0x80042405-0xA001A error appears. The easiest workaround is simply formatting your USB in the NTFS format.

1. Open the File Explorer (Ctrl + E on your keyboard) and then click on This PC using the pane on the left.
2. Right-click on your target USB device, and choose Format from the context menu.
   
   
3. The Format window will pop up on the screen. Here, all you have to do is make sure that the File system is set to NTFS.
   
   
4. Click Start to format the USB drive. After the process is complete, try to install and run the Media Creation Tool again.

Method 3. Use Disk Management to convert to MBR

The Media Creation Tool requires your USB drive to be set as MBR (Master Boot Record) instead of GPT (GUID Partition Table). You can change this by following the steps below.

1. Press the Windows + R keys on your keyboard. This is going to bring up the Run utility.
2. Type in “diskpart” without the quotation marks and press the Enter key on your keyboard.
   
   
3. When prompted by the User Account Control (UAC), click Yes to allow the app to launch.
4. First, input the following command and press the Enter key on your keyboard to execute it: list disk
   
   
5. You’ll see a list of the connected disks to your computer. Type in the following command and execute it again: select disk #. Make sure to replace # with the number of the disk used to create bootable media.
6. Next, input the following command and press the Enter key on your keyboard to execute it: clean
7. After you wipe the data on the USB stick, input the following command and press the Enter key on your keyboard to execute it: convert mbr

After completing these steps, you may try to run the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool again. Check if the 0x80042405-0xA001A error code shows up once more, or if the problem has been resolved.

Method 4. Temporarily disable your antivirus

Antivirus applications are known to cause issues on computers by interfering with your internet connection or blocking apps and services from running properly.

Many users have reported that software such as F-Secure SENSE, McAfee, BitDefender, or any other third-party solutions have caused the 0x80042405-0xA001A error in the Media Creation Tool.

Note that this method is not recommended as it is unsafe to use your computer without protection. Only proceed if you’re aware of the possible risks and have a backup of your system to revert any damage that may happen.

1. Right-click on an empty space in your taskbar and choose Task Manager.
2. If the Task Manager launched in compact mode, make sure to expand details by clicking on the “Mode details” button.
   
   
3. Switch to the Start-up tab using the header menu located at the top of the window.
   
   
4. Find your antivirus application from the list and select it by clicking on it once.
   
5. Click on the Disable button now visible in the bottom-right of the window. This will disable the application from launching when you start your device.
6. Restart your computer and try to use the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool again.

Method 5. Disable the USB Selective Suspend setting

1. Press the Windows + R keys using the on-screen keyboard to bring up the Run utility, then type in “control” and click the OK button. This is going to open the Control Panel.
   
   
2. Make sure that your view mode is set to Category, and then click on the Hardware and Sound heading.
   
   
3. Click on the Change when the computer sleeps link from the Power Options section.
   
   
4. Click on the Change advanced power settings link. A new window should pop up on the screen.
   
   
5. Scroll down and expand the USB settings section by clicking on the + icon. Next, expand the USB selective suspend setting and choose Disabled from the context menu.
   
   
6. Click the Apply button, and then click OK to exit the window. Now, try to use the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool and see if error code 0x80042405-0xA001A is fixed.

Final thoughts

Our Help Center offers hundreds of guides to assist you if you’re in need of further help. Return to us for more informative articles, or get in touch with our experts for immediate assistance.

Would you like to receive promotions, deals, and discounts to get our products for the best price? Don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter by entering your email address below! Be the first to receive the latest news in your inbox.