How to Fix Rufus Error Access To The Device Is Denied in Windows 10
Rufus Error Access To The Device Is Denied: Causes and Solutions
If you want to create a bootable USB drive from an ISO file, you may have heard of Rufus, a free and open-source utility that can help you with this task. Rufus is a simple but powerful tool that can format and write ISO images to USB flash drives, such as USB keys, memory sticks, etc. It can be especially useful for cases where:
Rufus Error Access To The Device Is Denied
You need to create USB installation media from bootable ISOs (Windows, Linux, UEFI, etc.)
You need to work on a system that doesn't have an OS installed
You need to flash a BIOS or other firmware from DOS
You want to run a low-level utility
However, Rufus is not perfect and sometimes it may encounter errors that prevent it from creating a bootable USB drive successfully. One of the most common errors reported by users is the "Rufus error access to the device is denied". This error means that Rufus cannot access the USB drive for exclusive write access. This may happen because of various reasons, such as faulty USB drive, enabled Controlled Folder Access, corrupted or incompatible ISO file, insufficient permissions or conflicts with other programs.
In this article, we will explain the possible causes and solutions for this error. We will also provide some tips and FAQs to help you use Rufus more effectively. By following this guide, you should be able to fix the Rufus error access to the device is denied and create a bootable USB drive without any hassle.
Faulty USB Drive
One of the most common causes for the Rufus error access to the device is denied is a faulty USB drive. If there are bad blocks on the USB drive, Rufus is unable to partition or reformat it. Bad blocks are sectors on the storage device that are damaged or corrupted and cannot be read or written. They can occur due to physical damage, wear and tear, power surges, malware infections, etc.
How to check and fix bad blocks on USB drive
To check and fix bad blocks on USB drive, you can use the built-in Windows tool called Check Disk (chkdsk). This tool can scan your USB drive for errors and attempt to repair them. Here are the steps to use chkdsk:
Insert your USB drive into your computer and note its drive letter (e.g., G:).
Open Command Prompt as administrator. To do this, type cmd in the Windows search box, right-click on Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.
Type chkdsk G: /f /r /x and press Enter. Replace G: with your USB drive letter. This command will perform a full scan of your USB drive, fix any errors found, recover any readable information from bad sectors, and dismount the volume before scanning.
Wait for the process to complete. It may take some time depending on the size and condition of your USB drive.
When it's done , you can close Command Prompt and try to use Rufus again.
If chkdsk cannot fix the bad blocks on your USB drive, you may need to replace it with a new one. You can also try to use a different USB port or cable to connect your USB drive to your computer.
Enabled Controlled Folder Access
Another possible cause for the Rufus error access to the device is denied is the enabled Controlled Folder Access feature in Windows Defender. This feature is designed to protect your important files and folders from unauthorized changes by malicious apps. However, it may also block legitimate apps like Rufus from accessing your USB drive.
How to disable or add exception for Rufus in Windows Defender
To disable or add exception for Rufus in Windows Defender, you can follow these steps:
Open Windows Security app by clicking on the shield icon in the system tray or typing Windows Security in the Windows search box.
Select Virus & threat protection from the left pane.
Click on Manage settings under Virus & threat protection settings.
Scroll down and click on Manage Controlled folder access under Controlled folder access.
Toggle off the switch for Controlled folder access to disable it. Alternatively, you can click on Allow an app through Controlled folder access and then click on Add an allowed app to add Rufus as an exception.
Restart your computer and try to use Rufus again.
If you are using other antivirus programs, you may need to check and adjust their settings as well. Some antivirus programs may have similar features that can prevent Rufus from accessing your USB drive. You may need to disable them temporarily or add Rufus as an exception in their settings.
Corrupted or Incompatible ISO File
A corrupted or incompatible ISO file can also cause the Rufus error access to the device is denied. An ISO file is a disk image file that contains all the data and information of a CD/DVD/Blu-ray disc. Rufus can write ISO files to USB drives and make them bootable. However, if the ISO file is corrupted or incompatible with your USB drive, Rufus may fail to do so.
How to verify and download ISO file from official sources
To verify and download ISO file from official sources, you can use these tips:
Always download ISO files from official or trusted sources, such as Microsoft, Linux distributions, etc. Avoid downloading ISO files from unknown or suspicious websites, as they may contain malware or viruses.
Always check the integrity and authenticity of the ISO file before using it. You can do this by comparing its checksum (MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256, etc.) with the one provided by the source. A checksum is a unique string of numbers and letters that identifies a file. You can use tools like HashCalc or WinMD5Free to calculate and compare checksums.
If the checksums do not match, it means that the ISO file is corrupted or tampered with. You should delete it and download it again from a reliable source.
How to choose the right partition scheme and file system for USB drive
To choose the right partition scheme and file system for USB drive, you need to consider these factors:
The size of your USB drive. If your USB drive is larger than 32 GB, you cannot use FAT32 as the file system, as it has a maximum volume size limit of 32 GB. You need to use NTFS or exFAT instead.
The type of your computer's firmware. If your computer uses UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) as its firmware, you need to use GPT (GUID Partition Table) as the partition scheme for your USB drive. If your computer uses BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) as its firmware, you need to use MBR (Master Boot Record) as the partition scheme for your USB drive.
The compatibility of your target system. If you want to use your bootable USB drive on different systems, you need to make sure that they support the same partition scheme and file system as your USB drive. For example, some older systems may not support GPT or exFAT.
You can choose the right partition scheme and file system for your USB drive in Rufus by clicking on the drop-down menus next to Partition scheme and File system under Format Options. Rufus will also suggest the best options for you based on your ISO file and USB drive.
Insufficient permissions or conflicts with other programs
The last possible cause for the Rufus error access to the device is denied is insufficient permissions or conflicts with other programs. If you do not have the administrative rights to run Rufus or there are other programs that are using or locking your USB drive, Rufus may not be able to access it.
How to run Rufus as administrator
To run Rufus as administrator, you can follow these steps:
Right-click on the Rufus executable file and select Properties.
Click on the Compatibility tab and check the box for Run this program as an administrator.
Click on Apply and OK to save the changes.
Double-click on the Rufus executable file to launch it.
Alternatively, you can also right-click on the Rufus executable file and select Run as administrator from the context menu.
How to close or uninstall programs that may interfere with Rufus
To close or uninstall programs that may interfere with Rufus, you can use these tips:
Close any programs that are using or accessing your USB drive, such as File Explorer, Disk Management, Disk Cleanup, etc.
Close any programs that are running in the background or system tray, such as antivirus, backup, encryption, compression, synchronization, etc.
Uninstall any programs that are known to cause conflicts with Rufus, such as Daemon Tools, Alcohol 120%, PowerISO, etc.
Restart your computer and try to use Rufus again.
Conclusion
In this article, we have explained the possible causes and solutions for the Rufus error access to the device is denied. We hope that this guide has helped you fix this error and create a bootable USB drive successfully. Here are some tips and FAQs to help you use Rufus more effectively:
Always backup your data before using Rufus, as it will erase all the contents on your USB drive.
Always use the latest version of Rufus, as it may have bug fixes and improvements for your issue.
Always check the official website of Rufus for more information and support. You can also report bugs or request features on their GitHub page.
FAQs
What are the system requirements and supported languages for Rufus?
Rufus is compatible with Windows 7 or later, 32 or 64 bit. It does not require installation or internet connection. It supports 39 languages, including English, French, German, Spanish, Chinese, etc. You can change the language in Rufus by clicking on the drop-down menu next to Language under Format Options.
What are the alternative tools to create bootable USB drives?
If you cannot use Rufus for some reason, you can try other tools to create bootable USB drives. Some of the popular ones are UNetbootin, Etcher, Win32 Disk Imager, etc. However, they may have different features and limitations than Rufus. You should compare them and choose the one that suits your needs best.
How to use Rufus to create a Windows To Go drive?
A Windows To Go drive is a bootable USB drive that contains a fully functional Windows operating system. You can use it to run Windows on any computer without installing it. To use Rufus to create a Windows To Go drive, you need to have a Windows 10 ISO file and a USB drive of at least 16 GB. Here are the steps to create a Windows To Go drive with Rufus:
Launch Rufus and select your USB drive under Device.
Select Disk or ISO image under Boot selection and click on SELECT to browse and choose your Windows 10 ISO file.
Select GPT under Partition scheme and NTFS under File system.
Select Windows To Go under Image option.
Click on START to begin the process.
Wait for the process to complete. It may take some time depending on the size of your ISO file and USB drive.
When it's done , you can eject your USB drive and use it as a Windows To Go drive on any computer.
How to troubleshoot other common Rufus errors?
Besides the Rufus error access to the device is denied, there are other common Rufus errors that you may encounter, such as:
Rufus error: ISO image extraction failure
Rufus error: failed to scan image
Rufus error: could not open media. It may be in use by another process
Rufus error: device is too small for this image
Rufus error: no bootable media found
To troubleshoot these errors, you can try these general solutions:
Make sure your USB drive is properly connected and recognized by your computer.
Make sure your ISO file is not corrupted or incompatible with your USB drive.
Make sure you have enough free space on your USB drive for the ISO file.
Make sure you have the administrative rights to run Rufus and access your USB drive.
Make sure there are no other programs that are using or locking your USB drive.
Make sure you have disabled or added exception for Rufus in your antivirus or firewall settings.
Make sure you have selected the right options in Rufus for your USB drive and ISO file.
Make sure you have updated Rufus to the latest version.
Where to find more information and support for Rufus?
If you want to find more information and support for Rufus, you can visit the official website of Rufus at https://rufus.ie/. There you can find the latest version of Rufus, the user manual, the FAQ, the changelog, the license, the donation link, and the contact details. You can also visit the GitHub page of Rufus at https://github.com/pbatard/rufus. There you can find the source code, the issues tracker, the pull requests, and the wiki of Rufus. You can also join the community of Rufus users and developers and share your feedback, suggestions, questions, or bug reports.
This is the end of the article. I hope you have enjoyed reading it and learned something useful from it. If you have any comments or questions, please feel free to leave them below. Thank you for your time and attention. dcd2dc6462