Resolve Media Creation Tool Error 0x80072f76 – 0x20016

Step 1: Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter

To resolve this issue, initiating the Windows Update Troubleshooter can automatically identify and repair related issues. Follow these steps:

• Right-click the Windows icon and select Run from the Power Menu.
• Type “ms-settings:troubleshoot” and click OK to access the Troubleshoot section.
• Within the Windows Update section, click Run the troubleshooter.
• Click on “ Apply this fix to enforce the recommended repair strategy automatically.”
• After completion, Restart your computer to apply any changes.

Step 2: Set the Compatibility Mode to Windows 8

If the initial step does not resolve the issue, try setting the Compatibility Mode of the Media Creation Tool to Windows 8:

• Log in with administrative privileges.
• Download the Media Creation Tool from Microsoft and save it to your desired location.
• After downloading, right-click the file and select Properties.
• Go to the compatibility tab, check “Run this program in compatibility mode for”, and select Windows 8 from the dropdown list.
• Click Apply and then OK to save your changes.

Step 3: Reset Windows Update Components

Should the error persist, the issue might be tied to corrupt Windows files. Follow these steps to reset Windows Update Components:

1. Open the search box by pressing Win + S.
2. Type cmd, right-click on Command Prompt, and select Run as administrator.
3. In the elevated command prompt, execute the following commands, pressing Enter after each:

net stop bits net stop wuauserv net stop appidsvc net stop cryptsvc

4. Next, rename the software distribution folders with the following commands:

Ren %systemroot%\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.bak Ren %systemroot%\system32\catroot2 catroot2.bak

5. After that, restart the services:

net start bits net start wuauserv net start appidsvc net start cryptsvc

6. Lastly, restart your computer to apply the changes.

Step 4: Clear the $WINDOWS.~BT & $Windows.~WS Folders

Clearing cache files from the $WINDOWS.~BT and $Windows.~WS folders may resolve the issue. Follow these steps:

• Open Control Panel by searching for it from the Start menu.
• Switch the view to Large icons.
• Select File Explorer Options.
• Under the View tab, select Show hidden files, folders and drives and click OK.
• In This PC, locate and open the folders $WINDOWS.~BT and $Windows.~WS, select all cache files within, and delete them.

Step 5: Edit the AllowOSUpgrade Value via Registry Editor

If your system settings are preventing upgrades, changing the AllowOSUpgrade value may help:

• Open the Run dialog by pressing Win + R, type Regedit, and hit OK.
• In the Registry Editor, navigate to the following path:

Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsUpdate

• Right-click on WindowsUpdate, select New > Key, and name it OSUpgrade.
• Right-click in the right panel, select New -> DWORD (32-bit) Value, and name it AllowOSUpgrade.
• Double-click on AllowOSUpgrade and set its value to 1, then click OK.
• Close the Registry Editor and restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

Step 6: Refresh the OS via Windows Security

Refreshing your existing Windows can potentially resolve the issue. Here’s a quick guide:

1. Open Windows Security by clicking the Shield icon on the taskbar.
2. Select Device performance & health.
3. Scroll down and click on Additional info in the Fresh start section.
4. Click the Get Started button and follow the on-screen instructions to clean and validate your OS.

Step 7: Disable S. M.A. R.T

If the error remains unresolved, disabling the S. M.A. R.T option can be effective:

• Restart your PC and enter BIOS/UEFI settings by pressing the appropriate function key (F2, F3, F9, Del, Esc, etc.) during startup.
• In the BIOS settings, navigate to the Main tab and locate the S. M.A. R.T Monitoring setting.
• Set S. M.A. R.T monitoring to Disabled and save the changes.
• Exit the BIOS, allowing your system to reboot.

What causes the Media Creation Tool Error 0x80072f76 – 0x20016?

Can resetting Windows Update components help?