‘The System Cannot Find the File Specified’ – Real Fix

Jason

By Jason

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The System Cannot Find the File Specified

Understand the problem of ‘the system cannot find the file specified’

This message – ‘the system cannot find the file specified’ that you get is a bug that comes up in Windows 10, signaling an error code 0x80070002.

A lot of circumstances can lead up to this error, but in most cases, people come across it when they try to get open a file on the system or get access to some backup files. The reason for this error might be:

  • Any missing or corrupted system files
  • The essential files for a particular software are corrupted or missing

Since different people have different causes of this ‘the system cannot find the file specified’ error, you can have a trial and error method to see which solution fits your purpose the best. Here are the various methods to approach the problem.

PS: Here are the best solutions for other issues that usually occurred on your computer for you: the requested resource is in use, your computer is low on memory.

Let us look at all the methods one by one, beginning with the first one:

Method #1: Try out Antivirus Software to Scan Your System

The ‘the system cannot find the file specified’ can also happen because of some virus that has entered your system. If you own antivirus software, run that and clean your computer of any viruses, if there are any.

Also, here is the full Vulkan Run Time Libraries review for your reference and also the best fix for SSD not showing up error.

Method #2: Run a Check on the System Log Files

If the scan method does not work out, the next step is to take up the next solution for this error – ‘the system cannot find the file specified.’ Here are some easy steps:

  • Find your way to the C:/Windows/inf manual and open the folder that reads Inf.
  • Try to find out the file that reads setupapi.dev or setupapi.dev.log and open that file.
  • Click on Ctrl + F hotkey and type the text “cannot find the file” in the search log box.
  • Then click on Enter to run a search for the missing file. The chances are that you will find it.
  • Copy and Paste the file into the earlier folder of Windows/inf.
  • Reinstall the file and do not forget to reboot your system.

Method #3: Uninstall your driver and then reinstall it

This method is about reinstalling the driver after downloading it from the original website to fix ‘the system cannot find the file specified.’ Here is how to do it:

  • Move to Device Manager.
  • You can then amplify the category and try looking for the device that you want to uninstall. For instance, we can take the example of the installation of a video driver.
  • When you find the device, right-click on it and choose Uninstall from the context menu
  • You will be asked to confirm the uninstallation process. There will be a box beside “Delete the driver software for this device” which you need to check and then press the OK button.
  • The driver will be uninstalled after which, you have to install it again.

Method #4: Install New Updates to Your Windows

In this method, we will see how to fix the ‘the system cannot find the file specified’ problem if you have not updated your Windows.

‘The system cannot find the file specified’ error will keep getting displayed on your screen if you have not updated your Windows OS for a considerably long time. This means you have to install updates that are long due.

To do this, you have to follow these quick steps:

  • Click on the keys Windows + I and choose Update & Security.
  • Select the option Check for Updates and wait.
  • When you can see the Updates list, install all the pending ones.
  • You have to keep repeating this process until you have got all the pending updates installed.
  • After the installation, restart your computer to finish the whole procedure.

Another Pro-tip is to use EaseUs data recovery freeware. After the Windows updates, if there are still missing files, then they can be restored with the assistance of EaseUS’s data recovery freeware.

This device will let you recover missing files owing to the crashing of the system, upgrades, attacks of viruses, deleted files, etc., in Windows 7, 8, or 10.

Here is how to use EaseUS Data Recovery:

1. You will be asked to choose a location. After you are done with this, you will have to open the device for file recovery. Then you have to choose the location where your data was lost after an update.

EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard

2. You then have to choose the Scan option so that the tool can start the scanning procedure.

Find Lost Data via EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard

3. There will be an option that reads Filter, which you have to click to recover the lost data. Once your files are selected, press the ‘Recover‘ button to get back all your lost files.

Recover Lost Data

Method #5: Restore any missing files or fix them

Method five will teach you to bring back lost files or fix corrupted files if you are facing a ‘the system cannot find the file specified’ issue. Here are the simple steps:

1. Right-click on the Start button and choose the ‘Command Prompt (Admin)‘ option. Type the text ‘sfc/scannow‘ in the Command Prompt window. Then click Enter to initiate a scan of your entire system.

Run SFC to fix The System Cannot Find the File Specified

2. The second step is to wait for the scan to complete patiently. This might take a few minutes. If things go well, then you will receive a text that reads, ‘Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.’

Then if you further get a message that reads ‘Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and repaired them,’ it means that your corrupted or missing files have been fixed with SFC in Windows 10.

Features of EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard

We will now tell you more about the tool that helps you recover your data so easily when you have a problem with ‘the system cannot find the file specified,’ namely, the EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard.

Listed below are the features of EaseUS Data Recovery:

1. It is a compact and useful tool for users of Windows who want to recover their lost data.

2. It is very quick and 100% safe.

3. EaseUS Wizard also allows one to recover corrupted files, damaged data from hard drives, and files that you may have deleted by accident.

4. If you lost your data because of some virus attack or crashing of your hard drive, this device would let you recover that data as well.

5. Be it photos, emails, important documents, videos, etc., the EaseUS tool lets you retrieve all of them.

6. You might have stored your data on your hard drive, memory card, mobile, USB, other kinds of storage, etc. The good part is that EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard will let you get back all your lost files from the following devices:

  • USB drive
  • PC or Laptop
  • Pen Drive
  • Camcorder
  • Music Player
  • Other Devices of Storage
  • Video Player
  • External Disk
  • CF/SD Card
  • SSD
  • Digital Camera
  • Micro Card
  • RAID

7. The scanning results can be filtered according to the type of file. You can then retrieve any deleted files one by one after you have emptied the recycle bin.

8. In case you have faced the problem of missing partitions, then you can regain your files from there as well.

9. Your Windows OS can crash in various circumstances. The WinPE media that can be booted is provided by EaseUS and helps in getting your lost files back.

10. Images of the type JPG/JPEG, WMF, RAF, BMP, PNG, GIF, DCR, SVG, etc., are all supported by the file recovery system of EaseUS.

11. You need to have a Windows Vista/10/7/8.1/8/XP, Windows Server 2012/2003/2016/2008 to use EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard.

Besides, also click here to find out what makes the system volume information large and how to fix It effortlessly.

Now that you have all the features of the EaseUS data recovery Wizard at your fingertips solving the issue of ‘the system cannot find the file specified‘ should only be a matter of a few minutes.

Generally, the initial methods should work for you. But, if your file has undergone a lot of mishandling, then you will have to take the help of this tool. Even then, this should not be difficult for you, judging by the way we have equipped you with the information.

We have also walked you through the process of using the EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard to recover your data.

Following the steps religiously will give you back your precious data and that too very quickly. We hope that you found this article useful.

FAQs

  1. Q: Is this error specific to a particular operating system? A: No, this error can occur on various operating systems, including Windows, Linux, and macOS.
  2. Q: I haven’t made any changes, and suddenly I’m getting this error. What should I do? A: Try restarting your computer first. If the error persists, follow the troubleshooting steps mentioned in the article.
  3. Q: Can a faulty hard drive cause this error? A: Yes, a failing or faulty hard drive can result in file accessibility issues and trigger the error message.
  4. Q: Are there any data recovery options available if my files are corrupted? A: Yes, there are data recovery software options available that can help retrieve data from corrupted files. However, success may vary depending on the extent of the corruption.
  5. Q: Is it possible to prevent this error from occurring? A: While it’s challenging to prevent the error entirely, regularly backing up your files, keeping your system updated, and practicing safe computing habits can minimize the chances of encountering this error.

Conclusion

Encountering the “The system cannot find the file specified” error can be frustrating, but with a systematic approach, it can be resolved effectively. By understanding the causes of the error and following the recommended solutions, you can overcome this obstacle and regain access to your files.

Jason
Jason

Skilled software testing specialist with expertise in comparisons and research, passionate about blogging, reviews, and creating video tutorials.

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