Fix Windows Error 0x8007045d The Request Could Not Be Performed (2025)

Updated: 11/29/2025

You try to copy files, create a backup, or install Windows, and suddenly a dialog pops up with Error 0x8007045d and the message that the request could not be performed because of an I/O device error. The operation stops partway, and repeated attempts often fail at the same place. This error points to trouble reading or writing data to a storage device, which might be a USB stick, external drive, DVD, or even your main hard drive.

Table of Contents

Method 1: Check Physical Connections And Try Another Port Or Device

If the error appears while installing Windows from a scratched DVD or a very old USB drive, recreate the installation media on a newer, reliable USB stick using official tools. Physical defects on old discs or flash drives often trigger I/O errors exactly like 0x8007045d.

Warning: If you suspect imminent drive failure, focus on copying critical files to a safe location first, before running heavy diagnostics that perform many read and write operations.

Method 2: Scan For File System Errors And Bad Sectors

When the scan finishes, read the summary output for lines about bad sectors or unrecoverable errors. If many sectors are reported as bad, consider replacing the drive soon, since 0x8007045d is often an early warning sign of more serious hardware failure.

Method 3: Repair System Files And Use Clean Paths For Backups Or Installs

When making backups, choose a different destination drive if possible, and when restoring or installing, use fresh installation media downloaded from official sources. Avoid repeatedly reading from or writing to a location that has already produced I/O errors, since it is more likely to fail again.