12 Options to Repair “The System Can not Discover the Path Specified” Error on Home windows

You will have seen the error message, “The system can’t discover the trail specified,” whereas copying a file/folder path or putting in a program. It principally happens when the direct hyperlink for a file or folder merchandise is damaged or invalid. If not that, your system could also be contaminated with a virus. Strive one of many following options to repair the error in Home windows 10 and Home windows 11.

Tip: coping with a snipping instrument error as an alternative? We present you what to do.

What Is “The System Can not Discover the Path Specified” Error?

“The system can’t discover the trail specified” error means the at the moment logged-in PC person doesn’t have the right permission to entry a file or folder. It’s encountered within the Command Immediate whereas navigating to a listing path utilizing cd or making an attempt to open unavailable information from their hyperlinks utilizing a dir.

The error message additionally reveals on a Home windows desktop whereas making an attempt to put in or begin a program.

The trail specified errors was a typical annoyance in Home windows 7 and earlier variations. They might nonetheless happen in Home windows 10 and its predecessors (because of person errors) however are more and more uncommon in Home windows 11 due to its assist for superior malware management. Right here’s methods to take care of this error if it ever reveals up.

1. Repair the Invalid Folder Path

Whereas typing inside Command Immediate, customers could mistakenly kind an invalid folder path. (It’s a lot simpler to copy-paste them.) To rectify this, cross-check the precise folder path and make adjustments.

1. Browse to the designated folder utilizing File Explorer.
2. Proper-click to view the folder’s Properties. Within the following instance, we’re fixing the invalid folder path for desktop.

3. Go to the “Normal” tab and copy-paste the folder’s path from “Location.”

4. Paste the precise folder path in Command Immediate to test whether or not the trail specified error nonetheless persists.

2. Delete Invalid Setting Path Variables

To assist navigate the information and folders, Home windows makes use of a sequence of shortcut instructions known as surroundings variables, a very powerful of which is the %path% variable. You may manually test its whole record to find out whether or not there are any invalid entries, which must be deleted instantly.

1. Open “View superior system settings” from the Management Panel or Home windows search menu.

2. Navigate to the “Superior” tab and click on “Setting Variables” below “Startup and Restoration.”

3. Choose the “Path” entry below “System variables,” and click on “Edit.” This may open a brand new pop-up window.

4. Discover every path variable and duplicate your complete path.

5. Utilizing Home windows 11’s File Explorer tabs or the tackle bar in Home windows 10, seek for the trail variable’s existence.
6. If a path doesn’t exist, return to the earlier display screen to delete its variable. This may forestall the trail specified errors.

3. Modify Proprietor for File/Folder Permissions

Whether or not you log in as an administrator or in any other case, it’s possible you’ll end up not having the permissions for the file or folders you wish to entry. This may be mounted by modifying the proprietor as proven.

1. Proper-click the inaccessible folder and click on “Properties.”

2. Underneath the “Safety” tab, you possibly can see your complete record of usernames related to the folder’s permissions.
3. Click on “Superior” to vary the permissions.

4. Underneath the “Superior” choices, you possibly can see the folder’s present “Proprietor.” Click on “Change” to change the Proprietor.

5. If you happen to’ve logged in because the administrator, seek for the thing identify administrator below “Examine names.”

6. The proper person or group identify must be highlighted with an underscore beneath the thing. Click on “OK” to verify.

7. When the folder’s present proprietor has been modified to the logged-in person (or administrator), you shouldn’t see the error once more.

Good to know: File Explorer not functioning the way in which it’s speculated to? Strive these fixes for frequent issues.

4. Guarantee File/Folder Path Location Is Accessible

A file or folder path location could also be inaccessible for a lot of causes. Discover out by going to the designated folder and right-clicking the file to view its Properties. If the folder might be opened straight from its folder path (which might be seen in “Location” below the “Normal” tab), it means there aren’t any issues enabling folder entry.

There are various different methods to view inaccessible folders, as lined on this instance for opening the WindowsApps folder in Home windows.

5. Examine If the File/Folder Wasn’t Deleted

Generally it’s possible you’ll simply discover one of many information or folders lacking as a result of they obtained deleted with out your data. Consequently, the system can’t discover the required path in Command Immediate and different modes. To test the present standing of deleted information and folders, use the search icon in its File Explorer window, which can show an inventory of at the moment accessible gadgets. Additionally, test the Recycle Bin to see if these deleted information are nonetheless there.

6. Recreate Shortcuts for the Involved File/Folder

The trail specified error could happen spontaneously if there have been corruptions in shortcuts for a folder. In such circumstances, you must delete these shortcuts and recreate them once more within the File Explorer window.

1. It is rather straightforward to create a brand new shortcut for the given folders: right-click and go to “Present extra choices” as displayed right here.

2. Click on “Ship to” and choose “Desktop” within the record of shortcuts for the file or folder.

7. Flip On Managed Folder Entry

There are some third-party apps that may make adjustments to your folder’s permissions with out your data, together with making their paths inaccessible. To forestall this, Home windows provides a safety characteristic known as Managed Folder Entry, which may undo any adjustments which might be dangerous to your system.

1. Utilizing the Run command Win + R, kind windowsdefender: to launch a Home windows Safety window.
2. Look below “Virus & risk safety -> Ransomware safety” for a menu choice known as “Managed folder entry.” If it’s turned off, flip it again on.

3. Click on on the “Protected folders” linkk which can take you to a brand new web page the place you possibly can “Add a protected folder.”
4. Browse your laptop’s folders so as to add it to the “Protected folders” record. You may add a complete drive, corresponding to C: drive, as proven under. This may cowl every little thing below your PC’s settings.

8. Examine Machine Efficiency and Well being

In case your Home windows system isn’t wholesome, you’ll have bother with malware that may deliver undesirable adjustments to your system. To undo the harm, it’s useful to test system efficiency and well being and take corrective actions the place required.

1. Open “Home windows Safety” adopted by the house web page. It will provide you with your complete “Safety at a look.”
2. Make certain there’s a inexperienced checkmark subsequent to every of the system safety choices. If not, take the beneficial motion.
3. Open the “Machine efficiency and well being” menu merchandise.

4. Examine the well being report for every of the choices: storage capability, battery life, apps and software program, and Home windows time service.
5. If any of those show points, they have to be mounted on the person finish. For instance, if sure apps are conflicting along with your system’s safety, they need to be uninstalled instantly.

Tip: should you’re not a fan of Home windows’s built-in safety suite, you possibly can completely disable the Home windows Defender.

9. Allow Virus & Menace Safety Settings

If a chunk of malware was snuck into your laptop, you possibly can take away it simply utilizing Home windows Defender’s Virus & Menace Safety settings.

1. The “Virus & Menace Safety” settings choice might be opened from a Home windows search in System settings or the Home windows Safety window as lined in earlier steps.

2. Activate all of the safety settings, together with “Actual-time safety,” “Cloud-delivered safety,” “Tamper safety,” and “Computerized pattern submission.”

3. Carry out a fast scan in Home windows Defender for viruses and different threats to assist establish and quarantine the malware in your system.

10. Replace Safety Intelligence

Chances are high a brand new malware variant could have arrived, inflicting issues with file and folder entry. This may be rectified by utilizing Home windows Defender’s Safety Intelligence characteristic, which fights zero-hour threats.

1. Open Home windows Safety and navigate to “Virus & risk safety.”
2. Go to “Safety updates” and test whether or not the “Safety Intelligence” in your system requires an replace.
3. If the updates haven’t arrived, your system is susceptible to virus and adware adjustments. Click on “Examine for updates” to rectify the problem.

4. It takes a couple of minutes for the Safety Intelligence to replace itself. After that, a inexperienced checkmark is displayed, which can handle new threats.

11. Obtain & Set up All Pending Home windows Updates

If you happen to haven’t up to date a Home windows system, it will possibly introduce errors in system folders, rendering them inaccessible. Due to this fact, ending a pending replace is one of the best ways to handle this.

1. Go to “Settings -> Home windows Replace” and click on “Examine for updates.”
2. Obtain all essential and cumulative updates on your Home windows system as proven.

12. Use Troubleshooting in Superior Startup Mode

If all else fails, you possibly can repair the required path entry errors utilizing troubleshooting steps in Superior Startup mode.

1. It may be seen from “Settings -> System -> Restoration -> Restoration choices -> Superior startup.”
2. Click on the “Restart now” button to proceed with a complicated troubleshooting step.

3. A blue troubleshooting display screen will flash after a restart. There are various good options on this window. You may uninstall any latest updates that could be inflicting the system errors. An alternative choice is to open Command Immediate and sort sfc/scannow or DISM.exe, that are confirmed methods to restore corrupt registry information.

Tip: you can provide Home windows 11 a go, with out absolutely eradicating Home windows 10 out of your system.

Continuously Requested Questions

What does it imply when the system can’t discover the trail specified, but it surely exists?

If you happen to see a system can’t discover the trail specified error, but it surely exists (test options 4 and 5), it means one thing in your PC is stopping you from accessing a community location or drive with the file or folder.

How do I repair damaged file paths?

One strategy to repair damaged file paths in Home windows is to delete particular characters in file names, as they will intrude with the trail variables in Home windows. It’s also possible to test for any shortcut information associated to your damaged file paths and delete them. These shortcuts might be recreated later.

repair the system can’t discover the trail laid out in Job Scheduler?

Picture supply: Pexels. All screenshots by Sayak Boral.