Error: “The system cannot find the file specified”

The error “The system cannot find the file specified” means that Windows tried to open a file or folder that it could not find. One of the possible causes is a corrupted drive, which prevents you from accessing your files and folders.

Errors like this can have a logical or a physical cause, and repeated repair attempts can make things worse. If the files matter, see how professional data recovery works, starting with a free diagnosis.

It is a very common error for Windows users, especially on Windows 10, where it usually comes with the error code 0x80070002.

If you have run into this error, this article explains its most common causes and the possible ways to fix it.

01What does “The system cannot find the file specified” mean?

When you create backups, you may sometimes see an error message saying “The system cannot find the file specified”.

The drive involved may be an external hard drive, an internal drive or a USB storage device.

One cause of this error is a faulty drive that makes the data inaccessible. When you try to back up to or from that drive or partition, Windows cannot reach the files or folders it needs.

When the error appears in Disk Management, it usually points to a problem with the drive itself or with its driver.

On Windows 10 this error usually shows the code 0x80070002, but the code may vary depending on the fault.

02What are the common reasons for this error?

Several situations can trigger the error “The system cannot find the file specified”.

These include:

Missing driver files

If your computer does not have up-to-date drivers for the drive, or if a driver file has been deleted by mistake, you will not be able to access the files or folders stored on it.

Connection problems

Sometimes a bad connection is to blame. A loose SATA cable between the hard drive and the motherboard may be the real cause, so the files cannot be found.

And if the drive is not detected, you cannot access the files and folders stored on it.

Invalid registry keys

Registry keys are another common reason why the system cannot find the file specified.

In short, a corrupted or outdated key can stop you from accessing the files it points to.

Missing or corrupted system files

The error is not always caused by a corrupted drive: corrupted or missing files on the drive also play an important role.

Because those files cannot be accessed, the system ends up showing the error.

Files required by a specific program are missing or corrupted

Sometimes, when you create a backup, missing files belonging to third-party software also cause the error. The same applies to corrupted files from a specific program.

Other causes of the error “The system cannot find the file specified” include disk errors on the source volume, incorrect permissions, a snapshot of the source partition being deleted during the backup, and the System Reserved partition being offline.

03How to fix the error “The system cannot find the file specified”

Below are nine possible ways to fix the error “The system cannot find the file specified”. If the drive holds important files, make sure they are backed up before trying any of them.

Here are the step-by-step instructions for each one:

Solution 1: Scan your computer with an antivirus

First, scan your system for viruses and other malware with your antivirus.

Viruses and other malware are a frequent cause of damaged files, so do not skip this step.

Solution 2: Check the setup log file

Another useful way to fix the error “The system cannot find the file specified” when installing a driver is to check the setup log, which shows which file is missing.

The steps are:

• Open File Explorer and go to C:\Windows;
• Open the inf folder;
• Find the file setupapi.dev.log (in some cases setupapi.dev) and double-click it to open it;
• Press Ctrl + F to open the Find box;
• Search for “cannot find the file” to see which file is missing;
• Get that file (for example, from the driver’s installation package) and copy it to the folder indicated in the log;
• Reinstall the driver.

Solution 3: Show the Libraries folder

In some cases, the error “The system cannot find the file specified” can be fixed simply by showing the Libraries folder, which is hidden by default in Windows 10.

To show it, follow these steps:

• Open File Explorer (“This PC”);
• Right-click an empty area of the left-hand pane and choose “Show libraries”;
• The Libraries folder will now appear in the left-hand pane.

Solution 4: Install Windows updates

If you have not updated Windows for a long time, the error may be a sign that you need to install all pending updates.

Windows updates often fix hardware and software errors, so we suggest you install the latest ones as follows:

• Press Windows + I;
• Select “Update & Security” > “Windows Update”;
• Click the “Check for updates” button and wait;
• Install all the updates;
• Restart the computer to finish installing the updates.

Solution 5: Recover the files and repair the corrupted file system

If your files are missing after a Windows update, you can recover them in one of two ways:

1. Data recovery software: it may not solve the problem and, if used incorrectly, can make the data loss worse. If you want to try it anyway, use our list to choose the right tool and never save recovered files to the same drive.
2. A specialized data recovery company: it can recover your data safely, without damaging the device or making the loss worse.

Solution 6: Format the USB drive

You may see the message “The system cannot find the file specified” when you connect a USB flash drive or another removable drive.

To fix this, you can try formatting the drive.

Remember: formatting erases all the data on the drive, so recover or copy your files before you format it.

Once that is done:

• Open “This PC”, right-click the USB drive and choose “Format”;
• Tick “Quick Format” in the window that opens;
• Click “Start” to begin formatting.

Solution 7: Repair missing or corrupted system files

Most people see the error “The system cannot find the file specified” when trying to open or back up files stored on the computer.

Often this is because a file is damaged or corrupted. To fix it, you can use the tools built into Windows: the chkdsk command checks the drive’s file system, and sfc /scannow (System File Checker) restores missing or corrupted Windows system files. To run System File Checker:

The steps are:

• Right-click the Start button and select “Command Prompt (Admin)”;
• Type sfc /scannow and press Enter. Wait while System File Checker scans and repairs the system files;
• Type exit and press Enter to close the window.

Solution 8: Use WinRAR

Sometimes this error appears when you try to delete a specific file or folder. In that case, you can get around the error “The system cannot find the file specified” with WinRAR.

To do this:

• Right-click the problem file and choose “Add to archive…”;
• Tick “Delete files after archiving” and click “OK”;
• The original file is removed, and you can then simply delete the archive you created.

Solution 9: Remove invalid entries from the ProfileList key

If the error appears when you use Windows Backup, you can remove invalid user profile entries from the registry. Editing the registry incorrectly can stop Windows from working, so export the key first (File > Export) as a backup.

To do this:

• Open the Registry Editor (regedit);
• Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList;
• Expand the list of profiles;
• Go through each subkey and check whether it has a ProfileImagePath value in the right-hand pane;
• If a subkey has no ProfileImagePath value, or its data is empty, right-click it and choose “Delete” to remove it.

04Conclusion

The error “The system cannot find the file specified” can mean that your drive is in trouble and Windows cannot access your files.

The most common causes are missing driver files, connection problems and invalid registry keys.

It can also be caused by missing or corrupted system files, or by missing or corrupted files that a program needs.

To fix it, you can run a virus scan, check the setup log file or show the Libraries folder.

Other options are to use WinRAR, format your USB drive (if that is where the error occurs, and only after copying your data) or remove invalid entries from the ProfileList registry key.

You can also install Windows updates, repair the corrupted file system and recover the files.

You can try the recovery with data recovery software, but it takes technical knowledge and experience, and even then it may not work and may make the data loss worse.

The safest option is to turn to a specialized data recovery company. That way you have the best chance of getting your files and documents back, without putting them or your device at further risk.

At Bot, we offer a safe data recovery service, with a highly trained team and a Class 100 (ISO 5) cleanroom with controlled particle levels.

Our specialists examine each device thoroughly and send you the diagnosis and quote within 48 hours.

To make things easier for you, collection of your device is free (islands excluded).

We know that the risk of losing data raises doubts and worries, so we are happy to answer any questions you may have on our social networks, where we offer 24/7 support.

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