The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Start with the least disruptive checks: confirm the launcher’s service is working, make sure your PC and launcher are up to date, and check free space on the drive where the game will go. A download showing 0 speed may be writing received files to disk rather than being stuck. The exact menus and error-code remedies below are for Epic Games Launcher; for Steam, Xbox for PC, EA app, or another launcher, use that product’s current official support instructions.
1. Check whether the issue is the launcher or your PC
Before changing files or network settings, check the affected launcher’s official service-status page. A service problem can prevent downloads or installs even when your PC is working normally. Epic’s general launcher troubleshooting guide also recommends checking that the launcher is updated and that the PC meets its requirements.
If the problem affects just one game, verify that you are signed in to the account that owns or claimed it, and that the game is available for your operating system. If it affects multiple games, launcher availability, connectivity, or a shared destination drive may be more relevant than one game’s files.
2. Check the destination drive and folder
Out of disk space
For Epic error IS-DS01 or IS-IN-DS01, Epic identifies insufficient free space as the problem. Free space on the intended drive or choose another installation directory with enough room. See Epic’s instructions for IS-DS01: Out of disc space before trying to install a game.
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“Could not create directory”
Epic error IS-0003 means the launcher could not create the installation directory. Epic recommends clearing the launcher webcache, restarting the computer, running the launcher as administrator, and trying again. Follow the steps on Epic’s IS-0003 support page; do not assume this remedy applies to similarly worded errors in a different launcher.
“Directory must be empty”
For Epic’s specific “Directory must be empty” error, its support guidance says to delete the attempted game’s installation folder, restart the launcher, and try again. Confirm the exact error and the folder path before deleting anything: removing the wrong folder can erase unrelated files. See Epic’s “Directory must be empty” instructions.
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3. Decide whether a 0 download speed is really a stall
Epic says its download may temporarily drop to 0 while files already received are being written to disk. Look at the launcher’s download graph for disk read/write activity. If disk work is ongoing, let it finish before pausing, cancelling, or restarting the download. Epic explains this behavior in its download-speed guidance.
4. Troubleshoot a genuinely slow download
If the download remains slow and disk activity does not explain it, Epic’s checklist suggests these network checks. They are Epic-specific recommendations, and network configuration varies, so change one setting at a time and restore it if it does not help.
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- Recheck Epic service status, then try a wired Ethernet connection or another available connection.
- Check whether a download limit is enabled in the launcher and turn it off if you do not intend to limit downloads.
- Review network allow-list settings and confirm the launcher is not being blocked.
- Clear the device cache, flush DNS, or try a different DNS provider if appropriate for your network.
- Disable a proxy temporarily if one is configured and permitted to be turned off on your network.
Use Epic’s current slow download speed troubleshooting steps for the detailed procedure.
5. Use file cleanup only for the matching Epic error
IS-0007
Epic says IS-0007 can indicate a corrupt or invalid file. Its remedy includes removing the affected game folder and retrying, with a different folder as another option. Identify the affected game and exact folder before deleting it, and follow the IS-0007 instructions rather than treating folder removal as a general first step.
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Before removing any folder
- Match the error code or wording to the official instructions for your launcher.
- Confirm the folder belongs to the affected game and is the installation folder named in those instructions.
- Prefer reversible checks—service status, free space, and cache clearing—before destructive file removal.
6. Give support useful diagnostics
If the Epic-specific steps do not resolve the issue, reproduce it and collect the logs relevant to the failure. Epic’s guide distinguishes launcher problems from install, update, verification, or uninstall problems; for the latter, it requests recent launcher logs plus install-helper and main-service logs. Its log collection instructions explain how to enable debug logging and gather the files. For another launcher, follow that vendor’s own logging and support instructions rather than sending Epic logs.
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