Fixed the System Cannot Find the File Specified

Theo Lucia

Jan 27, 2024 • Filed to: Answer Hard Drive Problems • Proven solutions

While creating backups, sometimes you may see an error message on the screen intimating you about the system cannot find the file specified disk management. The drive can be anything, an internal drive external hard drive or USB storage media. This error occurs due to faulty drives that make the data inaccessible. Hence, when you attempt to create a backup for this faulty drive/disk/partition, your device cannot reach the targeted files/folders. This article is your guide to sort out the virtual disk manager the system cannot find the file specified.

When it is about the system that cannot find the file specified disk management, it is an error associated with disk management drive. Commonly encountered in Windows 10, this error shows up an error code i.e. 0x80070002. In other cases, depending on the failure/crash or damage, the code varies accordingly. As mentioned above, when you attempt to create a backup for a particular drive (disk), the device fails to reach the files and folders. The simplest way to fix the error can be running a command prompt i.e. chkdsk command that is meant to deal with corrupted files and corrupted file systems. Running the diskpart command in CMD can resolve the error i.e. virtual disk manager cannot find the file specified. This article is all about the system cannot find the file specified disk management, the causes, and potential solutions to fix it. Here are the topics that would be discussed in detail.

Part 1: Common Reasons for This Error

As mentioned earlier, the system cannot find the file specified disk management is an error that represents problems related to corrupted hard drive due to which you cannot access the files and folders. In case you are confronting the error i.e. disk management the system cannot find the file specified and you are wondering about the underlying reasons for this error, then here in this section, you would get to know about some potential reasons.

1. Missing driver file:

If your device does not carry the updated version of drivers for the drive or you have mistakenly deleted the drivers' file, you won't be able to access the files or folders saved on the drive.

2. Connection problem:

Sometimes it is the faulty connection causing the error. The loose SATA cable connection between the hard drive and motherboard is the real reason and this in turn results in drive not detected. When the drive is non-detectable, you are unable to access the files/folders saved on it.

3. Abnormal registry keys:

Registry keys are another important factor that accounts for the virtual disk manager cannot find the file specified. Any faulty or outdated key won't let you access the specified files.

4. System files are missing or corrupted:

It is not the drive corruption that results in the system cannot find the file specified disk management rather the corrupted files saved on the drive also plays an important role. The corrupted files are not accessible. Hence, ends up showing the error.

5. Required files for the specific software are missing or corrupted:

At times when you are creating the backup, any missing file or file system for the third party software would also result in file inaccessibility. The same goes for the corrupted files for specific software.

Other reasons for diskpart has encountered an error the system cannot find the file specified may include the disk errors in source volume, incorrect file permissions, snapshot deletion of the source partition while back up and offline state of system reserved partition.

Part 2: How to Fix Error the System Cannot Find The File Specified on Windows 10?

In the above section, all reasons are explained that may end up causing the virtual disk manager cannot find the file specified error. Here in this section, you would get the quick fix methods to resolve the system cannot find the file specified disk management. Let's get started!

1. Install Windows Updates

Sometimes, outdated windows will cause the error to appear. Windows resolve the errors associated with hardware and software. So updating windows may resolve the error. Here are the steps:

Step 1: Start the process with pressing windows key + I simultaneously.

Step 2: In the next window, select the option of update and security followed by selecting windows update.

Step 3: In the windows update window, click the option of a check for updates.

Step 4: install the updates if any and restart your device to complete the action.

Once you are done with the installation of windows updates, it's time for data recovery by a third party software.

Data recovery after windows update:

A data recovery third party application software tool would help to recover all the data that is lost while you were updating your windows. In this regard, Recoverit data recovery is the best option. It is a high-end data recovery software that retrieves all the files and folders. It helps in the recovery of all kinds of data i.e. photos, videos, documents, and archived files. Here are the steps to follow:

Step 1: Start the process with downloading and then running an install on your device. Once installed, launch the software, and in the main interface select the option of deleted file recovery mode.

Step 2: In the next window, select the location from where you lost the data and cluck start scan to continue.

Step 3: Once the scan is completed, all the retrieved files would show up on the screen. In case the files are not restored, then you can go for all-round recovery mode.

Step 4: Preview the files and select the ones you want to recover. Click recovery to continue.

Once the files are recovered, they would be saved on the destination location. Avoid saving the restored files on a location other than from where you lost your files.

2. Open the Libraries Folder

Libraries folder are some hidden folders by default in Windows 10. Accessing these folders would resolve the system cannot find the file specified disk management. Here are the steps:

Step 1: In the windows main menu, select the option of this PC.

Step 2: In the next window, left click in space, and in the drop-down menu, select the option of show libraries.

Step 3: In the option of show libraries, you will find the libraries folder.

3. Check the System Log Files

Another built-in utility that can help to fix the virtual disk manager cannot find the file specified is via system log files. Here are the steps:

Step 1: In the main menu of windows, select the option of file explorer, and navigate to C:/Windows/inf directory.

Step 2: In the next window, select the inf folder and open it.

Step 3: In this file option, locate setupapi.dev file and open it.

Step 4: Now press Ctrl and F simultaneously to launch the find box.

Step 5: In the find box type cannot find the file and search to locate the missing file.

Step 6: Once you find the file, copy-paste in Windows/inf folder.

Step 7: Reinstall the driver to complete the action.

4. Change Your Registry

Changing the registry can also help to resolve the error. Here are the steps:

Step 1: Press Windows key + R simultaneously to launch the run box.

Step 2: In the run box, type Regedit, and click enter.

Step 3: Backup the registry. Once completed the action, select HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion.

Step 4: Now expand the key and locate RunOnce. Create the key in case if it does not exist. Now click the current version key followed by selecting a new key.

Step 5: Now name the new key with RunOnce.

Step 6: Again locate HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion. Now locate if the RunOnce key is there.

Step 7: Now exit the registry and restart your device.

5. Install the Driver Using .inf File

Updating the drivers will help to solve the specific file not found an error. Here are the steps:

Step 1: Download the drivers from the manufacturer's website and run a successful install on your device.

Step 2: Now in the extracted folder, locate .inf. in case you cannot locate the inf. You can go for locating setup information.

Step 3: Select the particular file and click install.

6. Uninstall and Reinstall the Drivers

In case if you have downloaded the drivers from the manufacturer's website, and still facing the error i.e. The system cannot find the file specified, then try to resolve the error by uninstalling and then reinstalling the drivers.

Step 1: In the main menu, select the option of this PC, and in the drop-down select the option of manage followed by selecting the device manager.

Step 2: Next step is to expand the category. Here locate the device you want to uninstall.

Step 3: Once the device is selected, click the device, and in the drop-down select the option of uninstalling.

Step 4: as the device is uninstalled, check the status in delete the driver software for this device and click Ok to continue.

Step 5: Reinstall the drivers.

7. Format Your USB Flash Drive

Sometimes, the issue is with the disk management i.e. the drive you are using. If you are using the USB flash drive, then format the flash drive to resolve the error.

Step 1: In the main menu of your device, select the option of this PC. Locate the USB drive and right-click the drive. In the drop-down menu, select the option of format.

Step 2: In the next window, check the quick format.

Step 3: Click start to complete the cation.

If you want to keep the data of a USB flash drive then use a backup tool else all the data would be formatted in this process.

8. Restore or Repair the Missing Files

When you confront this error, the hard drive is not the suspect always. Maybe it is the missing file that is resulting in error. A damaged or corrupted file is the real issue. You can run a chkdsk command to resolve the error. Here are the steps:

Step 1: Run the command prompt and type SFC /scannow. Click enter to continue. This command will repair the missing files.

Step 2: Once the repair process is completed, type exit in the command prompt. Click enter to complete the action.

9. Delete ProfileImagePath Key

If you attempting to create a backup and you are confronting the disk management the system cannot find the file specified, all you can do is, delete files from the registry. Here is how you can do it.

Step 1: Press Windows key + R simultaneously to launch run box.

Step 2: In the run box, type regedit, and click enter to continue.

Step 3: Locate HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList.

Step 4: Now expand the ProfileList key and check if it carries any ProfileImagePath.

Step 5: If the specified key does not carry any ProfileImagePath file, click on it to delete from the menu.

10. Run Antivirus Software to Scan Your Computer

Possibly, it is the virus or malware attack that is either effecting the hard drive or files or leading to file or drive corruption. Run the antivirus scan to check the errors.

Hence, if you happen to create a backup for your data to avoid data loss and in the process, you confronted an error saying diskpart has encountered an error the system cannot find the file specified, then be sure, there is an issue either with the hard drive (internal) or any external drive media. It can also be a result of a corrupted file or file system. Virus or malware attacks may cause drive or file corruption leading to this error. In this, you cannot access the specific files/folders. This article explains all about the error along with its possible reasons. Here you can get 10 of the top quick-fix methods that can help to resolve the error i.e. the system cannot find the file specified disk management.