How to fix the Modern Setup Host error

Matthew Adams
by Matthew Adams
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With Windows 7 approaching its end of support date in January 2020, more users are upgrading to Windows 10. However, a “Modern Setup Host has stopped working” error can arise for some users when trying to upgrade to Windows 10 with the Media Creation Tool. Consequently, users can’t upgrade to Windows 10 from Win 7 or 8 when that error message pops up.

Modern Setup Host is an installer contained in a self-extracting archive within the $Windows.BTSources folder. That is a process required for the installation of Win 10 build updates and when running the setup to upgrade to Windows 10. Some users might see the Modern Setup Host process on Task Manager’s Processes tab.

How Can Users Fix the Modern Setup Host Error?

1. Free Up Some Hard Drive Storage Space

First, make sure there’s enough hard drive system partition space to upgrade to Windows 10. Users will need at least 15 GB free HDD storage to upgrade to Win 10 with the Media Creation Toolkit. The best way to free up storage space is usually to uninstall superfluous software. Check out the post below for some tips to free up hard drive storage.

Storage options modern setup host windows 10 - what is it and how to fix common issues

Read also: 7 Best Methods to Free up Hard Disk Space on PC

2. Clean Boot Windows

  1. Clean-booting Windows will ensure that third-party software doesn’t conflict with the upgrade process in any way. Users can do that in Win 7 & 8 by pressing the Windows key + R, entering ‘msconfig’ in Run, and clicking the OK button.The General tab modern setup host windows 10 - what is it and how to fix common issues
  2. On the System Configuration window’s General tab, click the Selective startup radio button.
  3. Then select the Use original boot configuration and Load system services check boxes.
  4. Deselect the Load startup items check box to remove third-party programs from the system startup.
  5. Next, select the Services tab shown directly below.The Services tab modern setup host windows 10 - what is it and how to fix common issues
  6. Click the Hide all Microsoft services check box.
  7. Select the Disable all option.
  8. Press the Apply button, and click OK to exit System Configuration.
  9. Then select the Restart option.
  10. Thereafter, try upgrading to Windows 10 again.

3. Check the Default Language is Configured to U.S. English

  1. Some users have said that adjusting the Windows language settings to U.S. English can fix the MSH error. To do that in Win 7, press the Windows key + R hotkey.
  2. Enter ‘Control Panel’ in the Open box, and click the OK button.
  3. Click the View by drop-down menu to select Category.The Category option modern setup host windows 10 - what is it and how to fix common issues
  4. Click Clock, Language, and Region to open the applet shown directly below.Date and time options modern setup host windows 10 - what is it and how to fix common issues
  5. Then click Region and Language to open a Region and Language window.
  6. Click the Location tab on that window.
  7. Select United States in the Current location drop-down menu.
  8. Then click Change keyboards on the Keyboards and Languages tab.
  9. Select the General tab on the Text Services window that opens.
  10. Then select English (United States) on the Default input language drop-down menu.
  11. Select the Apply option, and press the OK button to exit the window.
  12. Thereafter, restart the desktop or laptop.

4. Run setupprep.exe to Resume the System Upgrade

  1. Users can try resuming the upgrade process after the “Modern Setup Host has stopped working” error message pops up. To do that, exit Windows Media Creation after the error arises.
  2. Open Run with the Windows key + R keyboard shortcut.
  3. Then enter ‘C:\$Windows.~WS\Sources\Windows\sources\setupprep.exe’ in Run, as shown directly below, and press the OK button.The setupprep.exe process modern setup host windows 10 - what is it and how to fix common issues

5. Run Deployment Image and System File Scans

  1. Repairing a corrupted image or system files might also resolve the Modern Setup Host error. Open the Run accessory.
  2. Enter ‘Command Prompt’ in Run, and press the Ctrl + Shift + Alt hotkey, which open an elevated Command Prompt.
  3. Enter ‘DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:C:\RepairSource\Windows/LimitAccess’ in the Prompt and press Return.
  4. Then input ‘sfc /scannow’ in the Command Prompt and press Enter to run the System File Checker scan.System File Checker modern setup host windows 10 - what is it and how to fix common issues
  5. Restart the desktop or laptop if the SFC scan fixes something.

Those are some the potential resolutions that might fix the Modern Setup Host error for some users. Users can also upgrade to Windows 10 with a bootable USB drive that includes a Win 10 image. This post provides further details on how users can set up bootable Windows 10 USB drives for UEFI systems.

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