Windows 10 Update failure, unable to delete $Windows.~WS

[iamarason]

I was updating to Windows 10 from Windows 8.1 Pro using Media Creation Tool, unfortunately my PC turned off from the power failure, Now I am unable to run the Media Creation Tool.
When I try to run it I get a message:

"There was a problem starting Setup. Close the tool, restart your PC, and then try running the tool again"

I did trying to restart the PC and run the Media Creation Tool again for a couple of times but nothing worked. So I did a Disk Cleanup and Erase the Updated files from system drive and start Windows update from the beginning, and I tried to manually Delete the '$Windows.~WS'. But I am a unable to delete it. When I do, I get a message:

"The action can't be completed because the file is open in Application Information"

My concern is to delete the $Windows.~WS. But I need help to do it.
Thanks

 

[fudgecakes99]

If you have catastrophic power failure during an o.s. install , you've officially lost all your data. Theirs not much you can do to recover while in the middle of an o.s. download. You're best course of action. Format the drive.

 

[Pearlmaster]

Hello,

Try the following to delete the said file;

- Right-click on Start button to open the WinX Menu. Select Command Prompt (Admin).
- Now copy-paste the following and hit Enter to delete the contents of $Windows.~WS directory

takeown /F C:\$Windows.~WS\* /R /A
icacls C:\$Windows.~WS\*.* /T /grant administrators:F
rmdir /S /Q C:\$Windows.~WS\

If this works, you will see a Successfully processed message.

If this does not work the first time, or you get maybe an Access Denied message, restart your computer and run these commands again. If you get message “The system cannot find the file specified” it means the folder is already deleted.

Hope this works.

 

[iamarason]

Hello,

Try the following to delete the said file;

- Right-click on Start button to open the WinX Menu. Select Command Prompt (Admin).
- Now copy-paste the following and hit Enter to delete the contents of $Windows.~WS directory

takeown /F C:\$Windows.~WS\* /R /A
icacls C:\$Windows.~WS\*.* /T /grant administrators:F
rmdir /S /Q C:\$Windows.~WS\

If this works, you will see a Successfully processed message.

If this does not work the first time, or you get maybe an Access Denied message, restart your computer and run these commands again. If you get message “The system cannot find the file specified” it means the folder is already deleted.

Hope this works.

I did that a couple of times, It had shown SUCCESS in the command prompt, but still $Windows.~WS is present and I am unable to run the Media Creation Tool.
Same issue!

 

[fudgecakes99]

Are you still able to load into windows? Is the issue the fact that the media creation tool you have isn't read?

 

[iamarason]

Are you still able to load into windows? Is the issue the fact that the media creation tool you have isn't read?

Yes I am able to load into windows, but Media Creation Tool is still giving me the same message, I hope it works fine when I get rid of $Windows.~WS

 

[fudgecakes99]

Are you booting of a usb or a dvd-r?

 

[fudgecakes99]

Maybe this article will help? https://www.reddit.com/r/windows/comments/3f5dxe/stuck_on_please_reboot_your_pc_and_try_running/

 

[techgeek]

I had a similar issue with one of my USB installs. Try re-doing the Media Creation on the USB key and try again. After many successful upgrades / installs, something became corrupted on the USB key itself, I remade the key and it fixed the problem.

Not entirely sure if our problems are the same, but it's worth a try, it'll only cost you a 3GB download.

 

[iamarason]

Alright guys I solved it myself, I run the PC in Safe Mode and deleted $Windows.~WS. Now everything works fine and now I am back upgrading to Windows 10.
Thank you so much everyone

 

[fudgecakes99]

Np. I figured that reddit post would have some ideas.

 

[av_chimay]

>> rmdir /S /Q C:\$Windows.~WS\
FAILURE !!!, several times.
Then I booted in "SAFE MODE"
SUCCESS !!!

It works 🙂