Error 0x8007045d – Device I/O Error

The error 0x8007045d is relatively commonly faced by lots of users of Windows-based systems. This particular error is caused by an I/O (Input, Output ) device error. Usually, a user will be confronted with this error 0x8007045d when they try to back up their system using an external storage device. But, it’s also known to occur while trying to install or re-install Microsoft Windows using a DVD or USB stick.

This is a very pervasive problem, but it doesn’t have any long-term effects on your computer. Though, if you have damaged sectors on a hard disk, then it can negatively affect the overall integrity of the files on it. Thus, it’s in your best interest to guarantee that your system is kept in tip-top shape; which is done through the utilisation of maintenance suites.

Method 1:

You could put your system in clean boot state and check if any third party application or any services is causing the issue and hence the error.
Putting your system in clean boot state helps in identifying if any third party applications or startup items are causing the issue. If yes, you may go ahead and disable or uninstall the same.
Follow the below steps to put your computer in clean boot state:

1. Log on to the computer by using an account that has administrator rights.
2. Click Start, type msconfig.exe in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER to start the System Configuration Utility. If you are prompted for an administrator password or for confirmation, type your password, or click Continue.
3. On the General tab, click Selective Startup, and then click to clear the Load startup items check box. (The Use Original Boot.ini check box is unavailable.)
4. On the Services tab, click to select the Hide all Microsoft services check box, and then click Disable all.
5. Click OK, and then click Restart.

Once the system is in clean boot state, try to copy the files and check if you’re able to copy files without any errors.

Method 2: Try Different USB Port

One of the obvious and simplest methods of all is trying a different USB port and still, some people ignore this. This method is probably something you should try before attempting any of the other methods to fix the error 0x8007045d.

Faulty USB ports are not uncommon, so it’s definitely worth a try, and if this method does work, then it can mean one of two things, either the USB port is damaged, or you have a USB driver problem.

Method 3: Disable Anti-Virus and Firewall

There are times when an individual attempts to back up their system and the software application itself conflicts with the antivirus or firewall software program running in the background. So as a precautionary step, you might want to consider disabling all your security software on your computer.

The steps required to disable your security software will vary depending upon the type of software you have running on your computer. But generally, if you access the options of your application(s), there should be a disable option someplace in there.

Method 4: Repair Bad Sectors

Bad sectors on the surface of your hard disc drive are more than capable of causing data retrieval issues, which is ultimately the source of the error 0x8007045d. The good thing is that there are things that you can do to combat this issue. Running a full data recovery scan is the most viable solution.

The instructions below shows you how to do this.

1. First, ensure you’ve booted into your system with full administrative rights.
2. Once properly logged into your computer, Press Windows + R button to open the Run Command Box
3. Type cmd and press Enter.
4. Once Command Prompt loads up, type chkdsk /R X: (where X represents the drive letter you would like to scan), then press Enter.
5. You should be prompted to confirm the repair process, simply type Y press Enter, then restart your system.

Method 5: Enter Safe Mode

If you’re unable to disable your security software, then you may want to consider entering safe mode, as this will give you a working shell with minimal applications running in the background. Which is perfect, as it will create the perfect environment for you to use your backup software or external storage drive in.

1. First, log into your computer with administrative rights.
2. Then click on Start -> Run, type msconfig and press Enter.
3. This will bring up the Systems Configuration applet, from here click on the Boot Tab, then click on Safe Mode, and make sure Minimal is checked, then click on OK.
4. A small dialog box will pop up, prompting you to restart your system, simply click on Restart, and you’re done.

Method 6: Shrink Hard Drive Volume

For individuals having problems copying/saving data to their new external/internal storage device, shrinking the hard drive’s volume has been known to fix this problem. To shrink your hard drives volume, simply do the following:

1. First, ensure you’ve booted into your computer with administrative rights.
2. Then click on the Start Button and select Control Panel.
3. Once Control Panel loads up, click on System and Security.
4. From the System and Security screen, click on Create and format hard drive partitions.
5. This will bring up Disk Management, from here, right click on the drive you would like to shrink and select Shrink Volume.