Cannot create new folders or copy folders in game directory inside WindowsApps (Error...

The error crops up because when you try to set the hard drive as default save location it tries to create a new 'WindowsApps' folder. However, it can not make this folder because it already exists and is protected from alterations due to its folder permissions.

What you need to do:

• Take ownership of the hidden WindowsApps folder on your hard drive -
  not the one on C:\ drive (your SSD). The WindowsApps folder will be in the root directly of any other drive.
• Once you have full access, delete the WindowsApps folder from this hard drive,

Information on how to take ownership of WindowsApps folders can be
found here. Remember, in your case, you need to take permission of the old WindowsApps folder, which on a second hard drive should be located in the Root Directory of the D:\ drive.

Once the folder is gone, try setting the hard drive as your new default location. All being well, Windows will create a new WindowsApps folder and you can start using it again.

Hi Zephire14! My name is Ricardo an independent advisor ready to help you with this situation!

Apps are required to be in that folder in order to work and in any drive you want to install games the folder will be created to install the games, if you wanna modify the files in the folder you have to take ownership of the folder, you can do that following this steps

That's going to be changing very soon. In fact, users can easily sign up to be an insider for the Xbox App and test out the new up-coming installation features that will eventually be available to all users by default.

Advanced Installation and Management Features available for Insiders through the Xbox App for Windows

Without enabling the advanced install features, the default install folder is the encrypted 'WindowsApps' folder. This folder is encrypted and protected, changing the ownership will have no effect on this.

The insiders advanced features option can install supported games to any directory, and unlike the WindowsApps folder, these directories are not protected. Supported games are ones where 'Administration approval required for installation' is listed on the download screen.

Hi,

It's the WindowsApps folder in root directory of D:\ (or whatever your other drive letter is) you need to delete. These folders aren't hidden on other drives, only the C:\ drive WindowsApps folder is hidden.

The modifiable WindowsApps folder has no security protections attached to it.

Hello

There isn't a workaround as unfortunately the WindowsApps folder encryption does not pass over to a fresh Windows 10 install. You'll need to take over permission of the folder, remove it and download the games again.

WindowsApps folder can be found in the root directory along with two other folders 'WpSystem' and WUDownloadCache. So for example, if your drive is D:\ it will be located in D:\WindowsApps. This folder is not hidden as it is on the C:\ drive, but it is still encrypted and protected.

As you've installed Windows 10 again from scratch, your previous WindowsApps folder will no longer be accessible and Windows 10 will not be able to see any games installed to the folder.

Please follow this guide to help you delete your current WindowsApps folder. Once done you will also need to the delete the previously mentioned 'WpSystem' and 'WUDownloadCache' folders.



Once your old folder is deleted you should be able to change the drive where Apps are installed to in Windows 10 to the previos drive. Doing this will create a new WindowsApps folder on that drive.



Please let us know how you get on.

Windows Games from both from the PC Game Pass and the Windows Store install differently to any other PC download service such as Steam, GoG, Origin etc as they go into a protected folder.

Error code 0x80070005 is a Windows 'Access denied' error code.



All Windows 10 games and Apps from the Windows Store (including games from PC Game Pass) install to secure encrypted folder called 'WindowsApps'. On the C:\ drive the WindowsApps folder is located in C:\Program Files\WindowsApps. But to see this folder you'll need to unhide it.



For any other drive, the WindowsApps folder can be found in the root directory along with two other folders 'WpSystem' and WUDownloadCache. So for example, if your drive is F:\ it will be located in F:\WindowsApps. This folder is not hidden on other drives, but it is still encrypted and protected.



If you've have installed Windows 10 again from scratch, your previous WindowsApps folder will no longer be accessible and Windows 10 will not be able to install Windows Store Apps and games to this drive until your old WindowsApps folder is deleted. This is why Windows 10 generates the 0x80070005 error code.



Please follow this guide to help you delete your current WindowsApps folder. Once done you will also need to the delete the previously mentioned 'WpSystem' and 'WUDownloadCache' folders.