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This Tool Can’t Update Your PC: 6 Methods That can Fix This
If you get the tool can’t update PC error message, try to run a SFC scan
7 min. read
Updated onOctober 4, 2023
updated onOctober 4, 2023
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Key notes
While performing a PC upgrade, did you encounter the error this tool can’t update your PC? If you did, you should read on to see our best recommendation.
Upgrading to Windows 10 from Windows 7/8.1 is quite a simple task, thanks to a utility provided by Microsoft. With the Media Creation Tool, you can upgrade your system directly from the Windows UI orcreate a bootable installation media.
It usually works seamlessly, but there are some occasional hiccups along the way. For example, one common error breaks the upgrade process and informs affected users thatThis tool can’t update their PC.
This error can be displayed with this messageWe are not sure what happened but we are unable to run this tool on your PC. This error usually means that your tool doesn’t have permission to operate.
We dug deep and found a few possible solutions to your problem. Make sure to check them out and provide us with your feedback afterward.
Why am I getting This tool can’t update your PC message?
This is one message you hope to avoid, but sadly it often creeps up. From user interaction and experience, we learn that the following factors may trigger the error:
A few users may notice that other factors, such as unsupported system architecture, incompatible device drivers, and system hardware problems, may also trigger the problem. So, let us go straight to showing how you may resolve it.
How can I fix This tool can’t update your PC error?
Before jumping into the solutions, ensure that your device meets the minimum system requirements. These specs are not exactly demanding, just slightly above Windows 7 requirements.
Here are the Windows 10 requirements:
1. Run SFC and DISM
Allupgrade processesrely on the full integrity of the previous layer. Windows 7/Windows 8.1 must be perfect before the upgrade to Windows 10.
And if some essential system files are corrupted, all upgrade-related processes will fail.
We suggest usingSystem File Checkerand Deployment Image Servicing and Management tools to ensure there’s no system corruption.
Both utilities are built-in and run via the elevated Command Prompt. And both check for possible system corruption and fix them.
2. Run the chkdsk command
3. Remove content from the SoftwareDistribution folder
The installation of Windows 10 via the direct upgrade feature is similar to the structure of any win32 application. The installation files, or a setup, are downloaded and stored on the system partition.
After that, the setup starts, and it takes some time until everything is done. The place where Windows Update stores these files is the SoftwareDistribution folder. Sometimes, they get corrupted, which makes them unusable.
You’ll need to close everything and delete all content from the SoftwareDistribution folder. After that, you can start configuring Media Creation Tool again and start with the installation.
4. Reset services
The Windows Update services need to run for an update to be administered. And the main services and the associated ones tend to stop working, or they won’t start when called upon.
This can be a problem, especially if you’re upgrading from Windows 7 to Windows 10. The services we’re referring to are BITS, Cryptographic, MSI Installer, and Windows Update Services.
What you need to do is to stop all associated services and start them again. The best and fastest way is with the batch script, which runs everything for you.
5. Use the Update Assistant
If the Media Creation Tool doesn’t work, you can at least try using a similar tool with the same role.
The Windows Update Assistant allows you to upgrade your system to Windows 10 directly but lacks options to create an installation bootable drive.
Also, it checks your PC’s readiness and tells you if there’s something that fails to meet requirements.
6. Create a bootable drive and update that way
If you can’t upgrade directly from the system, you can use a bootable drive to run the setup. Apply the steps below to create your bootable USB device.
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Plug in the USB drive (6 GB or more) and restart theMedia Creation Tool.
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Click on theCreate installation media(USB flash drive, DVD, or ISO file) for another PC option.
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Pick the preferredlanguage, architecture, and editionand clickNext.
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ChooseUSB flash driveand then clickNext.
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After the bootable drive is created, restart your PC.
If you can’t upgrade directly from the system, you can use a bootable drive to run the setup. And there are two ways to do this.
The first is to run the Setup from the Windows interface, while the second requires booting with the installation drive and choosing to upgrade.
Both of those, of course, require the creation of a bootable drive.
You can also burn the ISO setup on the DVD, but we suggest going with the USB flash drive—the flash drive needs at least 6 GB of storage space.
Also, don’t forget to back up your data from the flash drive, as the creation procedure will ask you to wipe everything to add the setup.
Finally, if none of the previous steps fixed theThis tool can’t update your PCMedia Creation Tool error, the only remaining thing we can advise is a clean reinstallation.
Of course, it undermines the whole concept of an upgrade, as you’ll lose all your system partition data and configuration from the previous Windows iteration.
Nonetheless, this might be the only way to use Windows 10. If you’re unsure how to install Windows 10 from scratch, follow the instructions inthis article.
With that said, we can wrap up this article. Please tell us in the comments section below if you have any questions, suggestions, or remarks.
Aleksandar Ognjanovic
Aleksandar’s main passion is technology. With a solid writing background, he is determined to bring the bleeding edge to the common user. With a keen eye, he always spots the next big thing surrounding Microsoft and the Windows OS.
Focused on Windows errors and how to solve them, he also writes about the OS’s latest features as well as its interface.
In his free time, he likes to read, listen to music, and enjoy the nature. Hiking is one of his newly found passions.
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