8 Methods: The system Cannot Find the File Specified
Troubled by “The system cannot find the file specified” in Windows 11,10, 8, 7.? Effective solutions are available in this article to help you fix the “system cannot find the file specified” error on Windows.
By Emily 
/ Last Updated May 12, 2023
Scenarios
“I get ‘The system cannot find the file specified (0x80070002)’ error preventing backup from starting Windows 10. Upgraded from Windows 7. Everything else works 100% fine. Trying to backup to internal drive. Help would be appreciated, thank you.”
Why “The system cannot find the file specified” occurs?
“The system cannot find the file specified” is a quite common error for Window users, especially for Windows 10. This error is sometimes followed by an error code: 0x80070002. But the failure type or code will be various on the different operating system specification. It might occur when you install disk driver, make a system image, access files or make other operations on the system. The main reasons include:
•Virus or malware attack.
•The connection is loose.
•Abnormal registry keys.
•There are some disk errors on the source volume.
•Crucial system files are missing or damaged.
•System partition is under an offline state.
•System partition is not active.
•Required files for the specific software are missing or corrupted.
8 Methods to fix «The system cannot find the file specified»
Next, we would like to share the following 8 effective solutions for “The system cannot find the file specified” error. For the best result, you can try them one by one until you get the error fixed. Before proceeding, you can first run reliable anti-virus software to remove any possible virus or malware and check whether the connection between hard drive and computer is tight. If everything is OK and the error still pops out, look further.
Method 1. Change registry key
First of all, you can modify the registry key to fix this error. To do so, take the following steps:
1. Press “Windows + R” at the same time, type “regedit” in the pop-out dialogue and press “Enter” to open Registry Editor.
2. Navigate to the following path:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion
3. Expand the key and look for “RunOnce” key. If it does not exist, you can first create one: click the “CurrentVersion” key and choose “New > Key” from the drop-down menu, and name the new key as “RunOnce”.
Now, please navigate to “HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion” in the left panel and check if the RunOnce key has successfully been created. If not, repeat the above steps to recreate it. After that, you can close Registry Editor and restart Windows to check whether the error is fixed.
IMPORTANTCE: since making some changes to the current registry condition might cause risks, you can create an exact backup in advance.
1. In the registry editor window, click “File”> “Export” to export your registry.
2. Now enter the file name for your backup, and select “All” in “Export range” section. Click the “Save” button to export your registry.
Method 2. Check and fix disk errors
If “The system cannot find the file specified” error is caused by potential disk errors, you can run chkdsk command to check and repair errors.
1. Click Start button, input “cmd” in the search box and press Enter, right-click the Command Prompt icon and choose “Run as administrator”.
2. In the Command Prompt window, type command “chkdsk g: /f /r /x” and press Enter in order to check and fix possible errors. Replace “g” with the appropriate letter that matches your partition.
Method 3. Restore or repair the missing files
Restoring the missing files is another effective method to fix the issue. This method is quite simple; you just need to run “sfc/scannow” command in the Command Prompt window.
After completion, if everything goes well, the message: “Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.” will appear.
Method 4. Install Windows updates
If the Windows has not been updated for a long time, the error “The system cannot find the file specified” will occur to inform you that you should install all pending updates. So you need to install them:
1. Press «Windows + I» keys and select “Update & Security”.
2. Click Check for “Updates” and wait.
3. When the list of available updates is revealed, install all of them.
Repeat the same procedure until all needed updates have been installed. After that, you still need to restart the system to finish the installation of updates.
Method 5. Uninstall and reinstall the Drivers
If the error appears after you download the disk driver from the manufacturer’s official website, you can try to uninstall and reinstall the disk driver.
1. Type “Device Manager” in the search box and press enter, double click Device Manager to open it. Expand “Disk Drives” and locate the device you want to uninstall.
2. Right-click the device and select “Uninstall” from the drop-down list.
Then you will be asked if you are sure to uninstall the device, click “OK” button to confirm it. After uninstalling the driver, install the driver again.
Method 6. Make system partition online
If the issue still persists, there are chances that your system partition is offline, then you need to do the following:
1. Open Command Prompt again and run “diskpart” command inside it.
2. When diskpart starts, type “list volume” and press “Enter”: to list all partitions on your computer.
3. Type “select volume 1” and press “Enter”: to select the system volume. If your system volume is labeled by a different number, replace 1 with it.
4. Type “online volume” and press “Enter”.
At last, close Command Prompt and restart your PC.
7. Make sure system partition is active
If “The system cannot find the file specified” error occurs while you are using Windows Backup, you can check if your system partition is set to active to fix this issue.
To do so, you just need to open Disk Management, right-click the system drive (usually C drive) and choose “Mark Partition as Active” option. If this option is greyed out, that means your system volume is already set to active.
Finally, close Disk Management and restart your PC to check whether the error disappears.
Method 8. Format the USB flash drive
If “The system cannot find the file specified” error happens when you insert your USB flash drive or any other removable storage devices, you can format them. To do so, you can right click the USB drive in Windows File Explorer, choose “Format” and follow the guide to finish the formatting operation.
If you fail and receive some format errors, you can use AOMEI Partition Assistant Standard. This freeware can format RAW, corrupted or even write-protected USB flash drive, SD card or other hard drives with ease in Windows 11/10/8/7. If you upgrade to Professional version, you can optimize SSD drive performance, migrate OS to SSD, recover lost partitions and more.
1. Download the freeware, install, and run it. Right-click the USB drive and choose “Format Partition”.
2. Choose a proper file system based on your requirements and click “OK”.
3. Back to the main interface, click “Apply” to commit the pending operation.
Sum up
“The system cannot find the file specified” error on Windows 11/10/8/7 can significantly affect the computer’s functioning. With the above effective solutions, I believe you can fix the error easily.
Fix The System Cannot Find the File Specified | 10 Solutions
Meet the error message “The system cannot find the file specifed” in Windows 11/10/8/7? This article collects its causes and 10 effective solutions to help you fix it.
By Delia / Updated on October 18, 2022
Symptom: The System Cannot Find the File Specified in Windows 7/8/10/11
When creating a system image backup, accessing files, connecting USB or doing other things, you may get the message “Windows backup failed: the system cannot find the file specified». It is a quite common error for Windows users, especially for Windows 10 or 11. And the error usually indicates an error code 0x80070002.
Causes to The System Cannot Find the File Specified Error
Various reasons can lead to the “The system cannot find the file specified” error in Windows 11/10/8/7. The following are common factors:
System files are missing or corrupted.
Missing driver file.
Abnormal registry keys.
Missing files in drivers.
Required files for the specific software are missing or corrupted.
Incorrect file permission settings.
How to Fix The System Cannot Find the File Specified in Windows
Now you know some common reasons that will cause the issue. Although the cause is unknown clearly, there are 10 solutions to solve the problem. Just keep reading.
Solution 1. Create RunOnce Registry Key
This is the first method you can have a try to fix “The system cannot find the file specified” problem.
1. Press Windows key and R key together to open Run box.
2. Type regedit and press Enter.
Tip: Modifying the registry comes with certain risks, you’d better export your registry firstly to create a backup. Click File > Export to make it.
3. After you have backed up the registry, navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion.
4. Expand the key and look for RunOnce key. You can create it if this key doesn’t exist. Click the CurrentVersion key and choose New > Key from the menu.
5. Type RunOnce as the name of the new key.
6. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion.
7. Check if the RunOnce key is there. If not, repeat the above steps to create it.
8. Exit Registry Editor and restart your PC.
Solution 2. Delete ProfilemagePath Key
When you are trying to create a backup using the Windows backup utility, backup error 0x80070002 occurs and prevent you from creating your backup. You can delete certain values from your registry to fix the problem. Below are the steps:
1. Press Windows key and R key together to open Run box.
2. Type regedit and press Enter.
Tip: Remember to create a backup before making any changes. Click File > Export and choose a path to save the backup.
3. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList.
4. Expand the ProfileList key. Navigate through each subkey, and check whether it has ProfileImagePath value available on the right pane.
5. If certain subkey doesn’t have ProfileImagePath value available or if its Data is empty, you need to click it and then choose Delete button to delete it from the menu.
Solution 3. Open the Libraries Folder
The Libraries folder is hidden by default in Windows 10. Some users say that accessing the Libraries folder has helped them fix the system cannot find the file specified error successfully. You can also try it with the following steps:
1. Open This PC.
2. Right-click the empty space in the left pane > choose Show libraries.
3. Then you can find the Libraries folder in the left pane.
Solution 4. Run Antivirus Software
The virus, cyber threats, and malicious attack may cause «The system cannot find the file specified» error in Windows 11/10/8/7. You can run antivirus software and scan your system to work out this problem.
Solution 5. Run System File Checker
If the file is missing or corrupted, you can meet the system cannot find the file specified error when you are trying to access or backup some files stored on the system. In this case, you can run SFC scan to repair the missing files.
1. Type Command Prompt in the search box > Right-click its name and choose Run as administrator.
2. Type «sfc /scannow» into the Command Prompt window and press Enter to start.
3. When the process is done, type exit and press Enter to leave this command.
Solution 6. Run CHKDSK Scan
You may meet «The system cannot find the file specified» issue when the file is damaged or corrupted. You can run CHKDSK to scan the file.
1. Type Command Prompt in the search box > Right-click its name and choose Run as administrator.
2. Type chkdsk X: /f (replace X with the appropriate letter that matches your partition). Press Enter to start scanning.
Solution 7. Install Windows Update
Windows updates often help fix hardware and software error. You can go to have a check and update your Windows to the latest version.
1. Press Windows key and I key together to open Settings.
2. Choose Update & security > click Check for updates button.
3. If updates are available, download and install all the updates.
Solution 8. Uninstall and Reinstall the Drives
If you download the driver from the manufacturer’s website and meet “The system cannot find the file specified” problem, then you can try this solution.
1. Right-click This PC > choose Manage > Device Manager.
2. Expand the category and find the device you want to uninstall.
3. Right-click the device and choose Uninstall.
4. Check Delete the driver software for this device and click OK to confirm.
5. Finally, install the driver again.
Solution 9. Format the USB
The system cannot find the file specified error may happen when inserting your USB flash drive, on this occasion, you can format your drive to fix the problem.
1. Open This PC > right-click the USB flash drive > click Format.
2. Check Quick Format option when the format window opens.
3. Click Start to make it.
Tip: It will erase all the existed data on the USB flash drive, just backup your USB in advance to avoid data loss.
Solution 10. Use WinRAR
If you meet “The system cannot find the file specified” when trying to delete a specific file or folder, then you can try this method.
1. Right-click the problematic file > choose Add to archive.
2. Check Delete files after archiving > click the OK button.
Now you are able to delete the file completely.
How to protect your system and data in a powerful way
When you are encounter the system cannot find the file specified issue, you may not access it due to many reasons, for example, system files missing or corrupted, abnormal registry keys, etc. If you don’t want to lose any data in the future, it’s suggested to create a system image regularly with a reliable backup software for Windows PCs. Here I strongly recommend you AOMEI Backupper Standard.
It will include every file, folder, system, installed program, even changes made later in a backup. Once something bad happens or this error occurs again, you can easily restore your computer to an earlier date including all the files. And you can check its advantages in the following before using it:
Backup system regularly: With it, you can use Daily, Weekly, or Monthly backup frequency, depending on how often you change files on the system partition. And you can set backup date, backup time, backup intervals separately. Backup only changed files: This software use Incremental Backup as default backup method, which backup only changed files since last backup. Note it requires all the backups are intact while you restore system image to new hard drive or computer. Multiple backup destinations: You can use it to backup to external hard drive, local disk, NAS network shared folder or other locations.
Now, you could download this free backup software to have a try! For servers users, try AOMEI Backupper Server.
1. Click Backup tab after launching this software, and then select System Backup. The necessary partitions for a full system restore will automatically be included.
2. Specify the backup target location by clicking the circled place and selecting it on the computer or network location.
4. Confirm the information and then click Start Backup to start the backup process.
That’s all the steps for complete system backup in Windows 10 or other systems. It’s really easy, isn’t it? But if you want to run this task automatically, click «Schedule Backup» and Enable Schedule Backup, then select Daily, Weekly, or Monthly backup frequency.
It will be fine in a short time, but in a long run, this may result in backup disk full due to increasing backups. To avoid this problem completely, you can choose to delete old backup regularly based on quantity or backup cycle.
Click Backup Scheme under the Schedule Backup tab, then click Enable Automatic Backup Cleanup and select By quantity, By time or By daily/weekly/monthly cleanup methods.
Conclusion
That’s all for how to fix “The system cannot find the file specified” error in Windows 11/10/8/7. Hope one of the methods can help you get out of the trouble. Meanwhile, please note some operations may result in further data loss, thus it’s suggested to create a system image backup with a free backup software like AOMEI Backupper.
And if you are worried about your computer may fail, you can choose to create a bootable media in advance. Then, you can restore system in a ny situation , even when it is not working.
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The system cannot find the file specified. in Visual Studio
The system cannot find the file specified usually means the build failed (which it will for your code as you’re missing a # infront of include , you have a stray >> at the end of your cout line and you need std:: infront of cout) but you have the ‘run anyway’ option checked which means it runs an executable that doesn’t exist. Hit F7 to just do a build and make sure it says ‘0 errors’ before you try running it.
Code which builds and runs:
The code should be :
Just a quick note: I have deleted the system command, because I heard it’s not a good practice to use it. (but of course, you can add it for this kind of program)
I had a same problem and this fixed it:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v7.1A\Lib\x64 for 64 bit system
C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v7.1A\Lib for 32 bit system
in Property Manager > Linker > General > Additional Library Directories
Another take on this that hasn’t been mentioned here is that, when in debug, the project may build, but it won’t run, giving the error message displayed in the question.
If this is the case, another option to look at is the output file versus the target file. These should match.
A quick way to check the output file is to go to the project’s property pages, then go to Configuration Properties -> Linker -> General (In VS 2013 — exact path may vary depending on IDE version).
There is an «Output File» setting. If it is not $(OutDir)$(TargetName)$(TargetExt) , then you may run into issues.
Error code 0x8100002F and or error code 0x80070002 when you back up files in Windows 7
After you back up files by using Windows Backup on a Windows 7-based computer, you receive a notification that resembles the following:
Check your backup results
The backup completed but some files were skipped.
When you click the Options button that is next to the notification, you receive the following message:
Check your backup results
The backup completed but some files were skipped.
View skipped files
When you click the View skipped files link, you see one of the following error logs.
Backup encountered a problem while backing up file C:\Windows\System32\config\systemprofile\<folder Name>. Error:(The system cannot find the file specified. (0x80070002))
Backup encountered a problem while backing up file C:\Users\<User Name>\AppData\LocalLow. Error:(The system cannot find the file specified. (0x80070002))
Backup encountered a problem while backing up file C:\Users\<User Name>\Contacts. Error:(The system cannot find the file specified. (0x80070002))
Backup encountered a problem while backing up file C:\Users\<User Name>\Searches. Error:(The system cannot find the file specified. (0x80070002))
Scenario 3:
Windows Backup will fail with error code 0x80070002, «The system cannot find the file specified.» In this scenario, either of the following issues occurs:
The computer stops responding.
The copy operation stops.
Cause
Scenario 1 cause
This issue occurs if you back up a library that contains custom folders that are located under your user profile.
Scenario 2 cause
This issue occurs if the following conditions are true:
Windows Backup tries to back up files in the LocalLow, Contacts, and Searches folders.
These folders are not present on your computer.
Note These folders are created only if certain applications are installed on the computer.
Scenario 3 cause
This issue occurs if the following conditions are true:
The computer has an NVIDIA USB Enhanced Host Controller Interface (EHCI) chipset.
The computer has at least 4 GB of RAM.
You try to copy data from the computer to an external USB storage device.
This issue may also occur when you are using USB devices other than storage devices.
This issue may also occur if you perform other input/output (I/O) operations on the USB storage device. In this situation, the I/O operations fail.
Resolution
To resolve this issue, use one of the resolution methods that are listed for your scenario.
Scenario 1 resolution
To resolve this issue, take one of the following actions:
Ignore the error message.
Note The custom library files that are stored in your user profile will not be backed up.
Move the library folder from the user profile path to a location outside the user profile path. For example, move the folder to the C:\MyLibraries folder.
Exclude the library from the list of files that Windows Backup backs up. Then, include the original location of the content in the library in the backup list.
Move the library folder to a location other than the user profile folder. Then, add a link to the moved folder from the library. Make sure that the library is included in the backup.
To do this, follow these steps:
Click Start, and then click your user name.
Right-click the folder that you want to move, and then click Cut.
On the navigation pane, expand Computer, locate the place where you want to store the folder, and then paste the folder in that location.
Right-click the folder that you moved to the new location, and then click Copy.
Click Start, click your user name, right-click any empty area in the folder, and then click Paste shortcut.
Note To store the folder in a location other than a folder in your user profile, you may have to create a new folder. To do this, browse to the root of the drive in Windows Explorer, click New Folder on the Windows Explorer menu, and then edit the folder name. For example, rename the folder «MyLibraries.»
Scenario 2 resolution
You can safely ignore this error message.
However, you can also use one of the following methods to eliminate this error message during future backup operations:
Create the missing LocalLow, Contacts, and Searches folders that are listed in the error message.
Exclude the folders from the files to back up in the Backup settings, and then include those folders in their original location. To exclude the folders in the additional locations and to include those folders in the original location, follow these steps:
In Control Panel, open Backup and Restore.
In the Backup section, click Change settings.
In the Set up backup dialog box, click Next.
In the What do you want to back up dialog box, click Let me choose, and then click Next.
Expand Data Files, expand <your user name> Libraries, expand Additional Locations, and then click to clear the AppData folder, Contacts, and Searchescheck boxes.
Expand Computer, expand the item for your system drive (for example, expand Local Disk (C:)), expand Users, expand <your user name>, and then click to select the AppData, Contacts, and Searchescheck boxes if they exist.
Click Next, and then click Save settings and exit.
In Backup and Restore, click Back up now to perform a new backup. The backup operation should complete without errors.
Scenario 3 resolution
For information about how to resolve this issue, see the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article:
976972 You encounter problems when you move data over USB from a Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2-based computer that has an NVIDIA USB EHCI chipset and at least 4GB of RAM