Fix 0x80070780: The File Cannot Be Accessed by the System Error in Windows 10/8/7 [10 Solutions]

Error 0x80070780: The file cannot be accessed by the system.

Occasionally, when attempting to access certain files or folders on your computer, external hard drive, or other USB devices, you might encounter an error message stating "The file cannot be accessed by the system" along with the error code 0X80070780, preventing you from proceeding. This issue can occur in Windows 10, 8, or 7 for various reasons, such as file permission problems, corruption or absence of system files, hard disk errors or bad sectors, corruption and unreadability of the file or directory, or an unidentified virus or malware infection.

Typically, users may encounter error 0x80070780 in four common scenarios. Select the situation that applies to you and implement the corresponding solutions to resolve "the file cannot be accessed by the system."

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Solutions for Error 0x80070780 "The file cannot be accessed by the system"

Various scenarios point to distinct causes, and distinct causes necessitate distinct remedies. Allow me to guide you through resolving the frustrating error 0x80070780 with ease.

Quick Fix: Log in as Administrator

Before beginning, here's a quick solution you can try to resolve the 0x80070780 error and gain immediate access to your files:

Step 1: Click the Windows icon and then click on your username at the top.

Step 2.  On the user account list, check if you are logging in as an administrator. If not, click to switch to "Administrator".

Step 3. Sign in with the password of your administrator account.

Following this, attempt to open your files and folders again on your computer. If the files are accessible, congratulations – you can stop here. If the files remain inaccessible, proceed with the solutions below to resolve the issue.

Situation 1: Encountering Error 0x80070780 When Accessing Files

When attempting to open your computer's hard drive or external storage device to access its files, you might encounter a notification stating that the system cannot access the file. In such a situation, you have four options to consider.

Method 1: Conduct Data Recovery

If data recovery is the top priority, you can first recover data using the Data Recovery Wizard tool. This data recovery software can retrieve your data from your computer or external storage devices. It is also effective in recovering lost data and, in some cases, repairing damaged or corrupted files.

It's worth attempting to salvage your files using this reliable software, especially when storage devices become inaccessible.

If the software is unable to recover the files you wish to retrieve, it might be due to the files being severely corrupted or damaged. In that case, you should learn how to recover corrupted files instead.

Method 2: Reinstall Device Driver

Device driver issues can lead to devices not appearing on a computer, such as the issue of USB not showing up in Windows 10, which can also result in inaccessible files. One effective way to rule out driver issues is to reinstall the device driver. You can utilize a professional tool like DriverHandy, which can swiftly scan and identify all computer drivers and intelligently fix them.

It will provide several solutions, such as repair, backup, and reinstall, to fix all device driver issues.

Method 3: Perform Disk Cleanup

Step 1: Open "This PC", right-click on your hard drive, and then select "Properties".

Step 2: Under the "General" tab, click on "Disk Cleanup."

Step 3: Select the files you wish to delete and click "OK".

Method 4: Format the Drive

Formatting a drive can help resolve file system errors and may rectify some disk issues leading to Error 0x80070780: The file cannot be accessed by the system. However, formatting will erase all files present on the drive. Therefore, it's advised to backup your valuable files beforehand using free backup software. Once your important data is secure, you can proceed with formatting the hard drive without concern for data loss.

Step 1: Open "This PC," right-click on your hard drive, and select "Format" from the menu.

Step 2. Assign a Windows-compatible file system to your USB and click "Start".

Step 3: In the warning window, click "OK" to confirm the operation.

Here are some practical tips to help you resolve the error 0X80070780 "The file cannot be accessed by the system" when attempting to access files on your computer or external storage device.

Situation 2: Encounter Error 0x80070780 While Copying Files

If you encounter an error stating that the file cannot be accessed by the system while attempting to copy files from one location to another for backup purposes, you can try using utilities like Data Recovery Wizard software to recover your data initially. Furthermore, there are two additional methods to accomplish your goal of copying or backing up files.

Method 1: Use Robocopy to Copy Files

Step 1. Click on the "Start" menu and type cmd.

Step 2: Right-click "Command Prompt" and select "Run as administrator."

Step 3. In Command Prompt, enter the command: "C:\Users\admin\Downloads\6-recover mac deleted files from trash" "F:\test"

The former path refers to where your source file is located, and the latter path indicates the destination where you want to copy the files to. Modify these according to your actual requirements.

Method 2: Backing Up Files with Third-Party Software

Another alternative method to back up your computer files is by using a third-party backup utility, such as Todo Backup. This software enables you to create backups of your disk, partition, system, emails, and more, transferring them to another storage device, cloud storage, NAS device, or other options.

Situation 3: Encounter Error 0x80070780 While Backing Up System

Numerous users have encountered the error 0x80070780, stating "the file cannot be accessed by the system," while attempting to backup their system to an external hard drive. Two potential solutions for this issue are:

Method 1: Repair Missing or Corrupted System Files Using SFC.exe

One possible reason for the error message "The file cannot be accessed by the system" with error code 0X80070780 could be corruption in system files. Running the System File Checker (SFC) utility to scan for and fix any corruption in Windows system files might resolve the issue. If this is the cause,修复系统文件后，你应该能够访问你的数据，并且不再收到错误消息。

Step 1: Click "Start," navigate to "All Programs" > "Accessories," right-click "Command Prompt," and then select "Run as administrator."

Step 2. At the command prompt, type the command sfc /scannow and then press "Enter" to proceed.

Step 3: The sfc /scannow command will automatically scan all protected system files and replace any incorrect versions with the correct Microsoft versions. Simply wait patiently for the process to finish.

If the SFC command detects any corrupted errors, proceed with the following steps to run the CHKDSK command:

Step 4. Type chkdsk E: /f /r /x and press Enter. (Replace E: with the drive letter of the device where you are unable to access or open files.)

This command will automatically scan and fix any file system errors found on the device where you're unable to access files.

Method 2: Disable Security Software as an Administrator

Disabling security software on a computer can be risky. Therefore, we recommend temporarily disabling it, completing the backup process, and then re-enabling the security software for continued protection.

Step 1: Click on "Start" > "Settings," then search for and open "Windows Defender Security Center."

Step 2: Open "Windows Defender settings" and click on "Open Windows Defender Security Center."

Step 3: Click on "Virus & threat protection." In the new window, select "Virus & threat protection settings."

Step 4: Click to turn off "Real-time protection," "Cloud-delivered protection," and "Automatic sample submission."

By the way, the free backup software mentioned above can also assist in migrating the operating system to a new drive, which is time-efficient and beneficial.

Situation 4: Encounter Error 0x80070780 While Performing System Restore

If you encounter the error during a system restore, you can temporarily disable the security software to give it a try. Additionally, performing a clean boot can also be helpful.

Method 1: Perform a Clean Boot on Windows

Step 1. Ensure that you are signed in as an administrator.

Step 2: Click "Start" and type msconfig.

Step 3: Click to run "System Configuration".

Step 4: Navigate to the "Services" tab, check the box that says "Hide all Microsoft services," and then click on "Disable all."

Step 5: Switch to the "Startup" tab and click on "Open Task Manager."

Step 6: In Task Manager, navigate to the "Startup" tab. Here, select each startup item one by one and disable them. Once you've disabled all unnecessary startup items, close the Task Manager.

Step 7: Return to the "Startup" tab in System Configuration and click "OK."

Step 8: Restart your computer.

This will launch your computer into a clean boot state, where no third-party software can interfere with your access to the files on your computer.

The Bottom Line

Aside from the solutions mentioned above, there are other methods with the potential to resolve the error 0X80070780: The file cannot be accessed by the system, such as repairing bad sectors on hard drives and conducting a startup repair in Windows. However, I hope one of the solutions provided above has perfectly resolved your issue, and you won't need to attempt the additional, more complex tips.