How to Fix the Error 'The System Cannot Find the File Specified'

Quick Fix: Repair 'System File Missing' Errors with SFC

In Command Prompt, type sfc /scannow, and then press Enter.

After the scan and repair is complete, restart your computer and check if the “System cannot find the specified file” error has been resolved.

"The system cannot find the specified file."

"The system cannot find the file specified" is an error that may occur on Windows 10 or earlier versions, usually indicating the Error Code 0x80070002. This error might appear in various situations, but most users get it when:

• Access local disks, external hard drives, USB devices, and more through Disk Management
• Browse and access files and folders on the computer
• Launch programs
• Install drivers
• Backup the system

The system cannot find the file specified.

How to Fix the "System Cannot Find the Specified File" Error

The solution to the "System cannot find the specified file" error will vary depending on your situation. Identify which applies to you and find the corresponding resolution below.

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Scenario 1: You receive a 'System cannot find the specified file' error while accessing the hard drive

Most people encounter the "System cannot find the specified file" error when trying to access or back up certain data. This happens because the file system on the target device is corrupted or faulty, making your hard drive, USB drive, or external HDD inaccessible. To fix this issue, you need to run the chkdsk command to repair the damaged file system and use a reliable data recovery software to restore all lost data. Then, clean and repartition the hard drive using the diskpart command in CMD.

First, run the CHKDSK command to fix the “The system cannot find the file specified” issue on a device.

1. Right-click the Start button, then type cmd in the search box, and select "Run Command Prompt as administrator." 2. In the Command Prompt window, type **chkdsk x: /f /r** (where x represents the drive you want to check), then press Enter. Wait for chkdsk to attempt repairing the corrupted file system. 3. Type `exit` and press Enter to close the command.

After that, try opening the drive again to look for your saved files. If they're missing or aren't showing up, continue with the tutorial below to learn how to recover data from a storage device using reliable data recovery software.

Next steps: Recover data from a problematic hard drive or device

Whether it's an external storage device or a local hard disk, you can use the Disk Data Recovery Wizard to retrieve data from the device. It can recover deleted, formatted, or lost files and restore data from formatted or inaccessible hard drives. To regain access to your precious files:

Step 1: Run the tool – Data Recovery Wizard. Select the drive where you lost your files and start scanning. This software allows you to recover lost data from all devices, including HDD, SSD, USB drives, SD cards, flash drives, cameras, and more.

Step 2. Preview the scan results. You can choose the file types you need by clicking the File Type filter. The tool supports over 1000 file types, such as photos, videos, documents, emails, audio files, and more.

Step 3: Preview the files you want to recover. Click “Recover” and set a location to save the recovered data.

Lastly, fix hard drive errors with Disk Cleanup and Diskpart.

Since you've ensured the safety of your files and the device is still inaccessible, you can proceed with fixing the device hassle-free by following these steps:

Step 1: Run the Command Prompt as an administrator.

Step 2: Type “diskpart” and click “Yes” to allow the app to make changes to your computer.

Step 3: Enter each of the following commands one at a time:

• List disk
• Select disk 1 (replace the "1" with the number of the disk that has the problem)
• List disk (you should now see a star next to the disk you selected)
• Clean (a prompt will appear asking you to insert the disk. Click "Cancel." Repeat the "Clean" command until it is successful.)

Step 4. If the disk is successfully unmounted, enter the following commands in order:

• List disks
• Select disk X
• Create primary partition
• Select partition 1
• Active
• Format fs=fat32 quick ("fs" stands for the file system you want to assign to the partition, which can be FAT32, NTFS, or exFAT. "quick" means "quick format.")

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Assuming all went well, you should now be able to access your hard drive or USB drive and reuse it for data storage.

Read more: SFC scannow Pending System Repair

Scenario 2: You receive the "System cannot find the specified file" error when accessing a file or folder

This error also appears when you try to open a file or folder by double-clicking it. There are three ways to fix this issue.

Method 1: Check the System Log Files

Step 1: Browse to the C:\Windows\inf directory and open the Inf folder.

Step 2: Locate the setupapi.dev or setupapi.dev.log file and open it.

Step 3: Press the "Ctrl + F" shortcut keys, and type "file not found" in the search box.

Step 4: Press "Enter" to run the search. You should see your lost file show up.

Step 5: Copy and paste it into the Windows/Inf folder.

Step 6: Reinstall the hard drive driver, and then restart the system.

Method 2: Find the File via Regedit

Step 1: Press the "Windows + R" keys, type regedit, and press Enter. If prompted for permissions, click "Yes."

Next, go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion and check if there is a RunOnce key. If it's not there, you'll have to create it manually.

Step 3: Go to "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion," and check if there is a "RunOnce" item. If not, create it manually.

Step 4: Exit the Registry Editor, restart your computer, and then reinstall the hard drive driver.

Method 3: Check the RTHDCPL entry in the registry key

Step 1: Press the "Windows + R" keys, type regedit, and press Enter. If prompted for permissions, click "Yes."

Step 2. Go to HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run\ and look for RTHDCPL. If it's not there, check the Permissions of the Run property, set Full Control for the Administrator user, and click OK to continue.

Be careful not to delete anything from the Registry, as this can cause serious problems with your computer.

Scenario 3: You receive an error message "The system cannot find the file specified" when starting the program

This error message seems to be quite common among users. You can try any of the following three methods to resolve it.

Method 1: Update the Hard Drive Driver

In this method, you'll be introduced to a utility tool called "DriverHandy." This tool allows you to update all your drivers with just one click. It automatically scans for outdated drivers and updates them for you, sparing you the hassle of manual updates. Download it now to give it a try.

With the help of tools like DriverHandy, you can have:

• Better audio and sharper graphics
• Less freezing and crashing
• Smoother browsing and downloading experiences

Method 2: Reinstall the Program

Step 1: Quit the program.

Right-click the Taskbar, and select Task Manager. Under the Processes tab, select the program, and click End Task.

Step 2: Reinstall your program

1. Go to "Settings" > "Apps" > "Apps & features." 2. Click on the problematic app, then select "Uninstall." 3. Visit the Microsoft Store to download and reinstall the application.

Step 3: Restart your computer.

Method 3: End the nginx.exe process

You might be unfamiliar with the essential Windows process called nginx.exe. The "System cannot find the file specified" error message might appear due to an abnormal start or restart of the nginx.exe within the Windows operating system. To resolve this issue:

Step 1: Right-click the taskbar and select Task Manager.

Step 2: Under the Processes tab, select nginx.exe and click End Task.

Step 3: Download nginx.exe again and restart it.

Scenario 4: You receive a 'System cannot find the specified file' error when installing a driver

If you receive this notification while installing a driver on your computer, try Method 2 or 3 under Solution 2 to fix the “System cannot find the specified file” error.

Scenario 5: You receive an error message "The system cannot find the file specified" while backing up the system

If this is your situation, there are a few things you can try. In addition to trying Method 3 from Scenario 3, try out the two suggestions below.

Method 1: Install Windows Updates

If you haven't updated Windows in a while, the “System cannot find the file specified” error means it's time to install all pending updates. To do this, you need to:

Step 1: Press the "Windows + I" keys, then select "Update & Security."

Step Two: Click “Check for Updates,” and then wait.

Step 3: Once the scan is complete, install all available updates.

Step 4: Repeat this process several times to ensure that all necessary updates have been installed.

Step 5: Don't forget to restart your system to complete the installation.

If you find your files missing after a Windows update, you can use a data recovery tool to help restore them. This free tool allows you to recover lost files in three simple steps due to system upgrades like Windows 10, 8, or 7, system crashes, accidental deletion, or virus attacks.

Method 2: Check the Service Settings

Step 1: Open the Start menu, and type Services.

Step 2: Right-click on “Background Intelligent Transfer Services,” and set the “Startup Type” to “Automatic” or “Automatic (Delayed Start),” then click “Start.”

Step 3: Locate the “Cryptographic Services” and “Windows Update” entries, and set their “Startup type” to “Automatic” as well.

Step 4: Don't forget to click “Start” to begin the service, then “Apply” and “OK.”

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Bottom line

Since the “System cannot find the specified file” error can occur in many situations, it's hard to include all the solutions in one article. That's why we've presented you with the four most common scenarios and the most effective fixes for them. Hopefully, one of these tricks will successfully resolve the “System cannot find the specified file” issue for you.