Windows 10 Media Creation Tool Stops Downloading While Gaming

Downloading a ISO using Windows Media Creation Tool freezes or stops or pauses while playing games. If you switch to a game fullscreen or windowed then the download stops completely. The second that you move focus to a different application then the download continues immediately at full speed. This was 100% reproducible in my case.

Many sites have solutions to similar issues. I have not found any that covers this specific problem. There are solutions from other issues for example downloading the ISO directly. This solution requires that you have technical knowledge and that you restart the download (I wanted to avoid this at all costs).

I understand that this is a niche problem. If you need to download Windows 10 during gaming time or consider 4.45 GB as a large download then this can be a real pain. My workaround was to not play games until the download finshed. I would still like to know how to prevent the tool from pausing the download while playing games.

Additional Infomation: I am very confident that it is not a network/firewall problem, judging on how reproducible this problem is it seems like a real undocumented feature (not joking). I played a game for about 1 hour and my internet was not used at all during that time. The Media Creation Tool ran in Windows 10 Version 2004.

File name: MediaCreationTool20H2.exe
MD5: aa2ad37bb74c05a49417e3d2f1bd89ce
SHA1: 1bf5f814ffe801b4e6f118e829c0d2821d78a60a
SHA256: 690c8a63769d444fad47b7ddecee7f24c9333aa735d0bd46587d0df5cf15cde5

Windows has a Game Mode that is designed to limit system tasks during periods where you may want performance elsewhere. The Media Creation Tool uses the same facilities that Windows Update uses to prepare your system for a major feature update but instead of preparing to install immediately can run a final stage to create an ISO image.

As a result it is entirely possible that Game Mode blocking Windows Update also blocks the Media Creator from working.

When you use Game Mode, Windows prioritises your gaming experience. When you’re running a game, Game Mode:

• Prevents Windows Update from performing driver installations and sending restart notifications.
• Helps achieve a more stable frame rate depending on the specific game and system.

To disable Game Mode:

• Press the Start button, and then select Settings.
• Choose Gaming > Game Mode.
• Turn Game Mode On or Off.