Fixed: Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool unable to copy files

I’ve been a fan of the simple and effective Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool for quite awhile, and have often used it to create a bootable USB flash drive for installing Windows 7.

But I recently ran into a problem with a flash drive after connecting it to my Xbox 360 and using it to move my profile. The Xbox 360 must have made some change to the MBR on the flash drive that the WUDT didn’t like, because it was unable to format the drive.

The WUDT would begin to format the drive, then report:

We were unable to copy your files. Please check your USB device and the selected ISO file and try again.

Windows 7 had no problems formatting the drive, but something was obviously missing from the process.

A quick search in Google turned up the solution. The formatting done by Windows 7 or the WUDT wasn’t cleaning the MBR and partition table.

To thoroughly format the drive so that it can be used by the WUDT, open an elevated command prompt and enter the following commands, using the drive number of the USB drive reported in list disk for the value of select disk #.

diskpart
list disk
select disk #
clean
create partition primary
select partition 1
active
format quick fs=fat32
assign
exit

For the curious, here’s a more detailed explanation of the clean command:

Removes any and all partition or volume formatting from the disk with focus. On master boot record (MBR) disks, only the MBR partitioning information and hidden sector information are overwritten. On GUID partition table (GPT) disks, the GPT partitioning information, including the Protective MBR, is overwritten; there is no hidden sector information.
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc766465(v=ws.10).aspx

I would expect that the MBR and partition table would need to be cleaned after formatting a drive for booting Mac OS X, too.

Credit: http://4sysops.com/archives/windows-7-usbdvd-download-tool-wudt-is-unable-to-copy-files/

44 thoughts on “Fixed: Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool unable to copy files”

  2. Corey

    Dude.. Thank you so much.. I also used my flash drive to copy a profile to another xbox… I never would’ve thought that it was an issue with the way that the Xbox 360 handles formatting a drive and the way that Windows does… You’d think they would be cross-compatible with no problems like this since they’re both Microsoft products. You really should contact Microsoft and make them aware of this because I was on the phone with them forever going through different levels of tech support with nobody having a clue as to why this was happening…

    Today, you’re my technological savior 🙂
    Thanks a bunch..

  3. Corey

    Just saw your source for this information from an article dated March 3rd 2012…. Guess that’s why I was unable to find any info on this until now.. My issue occurred in February.. :-

    Still, thanks for helping make this known to more people and somebody really needs to contact Microsoft to make them aware of this issue and how to fix it..

  4. LostGraduation

    Many thanks on finding this, was having the same problem and this worked like a charm.

  5. DonRon

    I had no problems using the Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool, but I was not able to boot from USB. It was recognized as bootable, but it seemed like it went into a continuous read-loop.
    After fixing the MBR, and using the Windows 7 Tool again, it finally boots. Thanks for sharing this!

  7. knallfrosch

    Just wanted to add that sometimes the problem is an anti-virus program scanner like “Antivir.”

    Gotta disable those and try again, just in case 😉

  11. paperbagface

    Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool we are unable to copy file

    i solved it for me.

    the problem was, that W7U/DDT can write/copying the files if you Anti-Virus-Software (i have avira antivir pro…) protects autorun.inf (autostart) functions.

    deactivate the autostart- protection for the time you need to create the stick

    good luck

  13. Dustin

    omg thanks a lot! At first I kinda doubt it all while doing the commands, but i got to hand it to you (:

  20. Joop deBruin

    Thank you very much! This Linux guy was having a very bad time trying to get a new Win8 image from a USB and your post saved me hours.

    Dank U Wel!

  23. Oskari

    For me the problem was Avira antivirus sofrware blocking the autorun for the USB. No problems after disabling that feature.

  28. the_mgt

    Had this issue on a new and virgin usb pendrive. Never connected to anything else but this computer. It’s a 4GB Verbatim Store and Go Pendrive. Thanks for your hints!

  30. Craig

    Just wanted to say thank-you! Really appreciate articles like this. Saved me a bunch of time with my girlfriends laptop. Was wondering why my silly USB wouldn’t work. Cheers mate, you’re a champ 🙂

  31. soberoy

    Wow! that’s fantastic. You’ve figured something outside from the box. Great for you, dude.

    Well, about long path files, Long Path Tool works for me for a long time, since I’ve encountered this problem (I also consider this as a Malware), but I’m wrong because It’s about some NTFS or somewhat related to corrupted files.

    Long Path Tool helped me out.

    Hope this will help anyways.

  32. sam

    clever. disabling antivirus did the trick. it’s really helpful to read comments first before doing anything risky. thanks to all.

  36. Ragiv

    Before you format your pen drive set filesystem FAT32 andd change default allocation table….to default

  38. Arian

    Thanks a lot. After following your instructions, the Windows 7 Update Tool (Windows7-USB-DVD-tool.exe) still works with Windows 8.1 (en_windows_8.1_with_update_x64_dvd_4065090.iso).
    Regards

  39. navid

    hello all
    i perform this instruction but when 99% of operation was complete suddenly “status we were unable to copy your files. please check your usb … ” appear again

  40. Gordon

    I can’t use this instruction because the command list disk doesn’t show the USB drive. What should I do?

  42. Jim

    Woot! I don’t even properly understand how to use a command prompt and this worked for me:) Only thing I changed is fat32 to ntfs as I’d like to be able to run from the usb drive too.

  44. Jack H.

    Thanks. Formatted a USB drive in a Mac, and OSX formats Fat32 partitions like a piece of crap. This resolved it.

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