After experiencing good results with my old Windows 7 installation, I decided to upgrade it to Windows 8.1 Pro. However, when I tried to install it, my laptop unexpectedly shut down and restarted me with the following error: “The directory or file cannot be created.”
One of the most common problems Windows users face is the dreaded 0x80070052 error. This is a Windows error code that means “The directory or file cannot be created.” This error usually happens when the system is trying to access a file, but there is a problem with the file system on the PC. In order to fix this error, you can try restarting the computer (pressing F8 during the startup sequence) and Windows will automatically repair the file system then.
This is a very common error message in Metro apps, and one that is not well explained. You may have seen this error in Windows Explorer, or when trying to open certain settings, or when trying to update certain applications.
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When copying or moving files to portable media such as flash drives or external hard drives, some Windows users receive error 0x80070052 with the detailed message “Directory or file cannot be established.” The following is the full error message:
The operation has been halted due to an unexpected error. Take note of the following error code, which may be useful if you require extra assistance in resolving the issue:
Error 0x80070052: No such directory or file exists.
What causes the 0x80070052 error?
A directory or file cannot be created, as everyone knows. When you try to copy files to portable media such a USB drive, TF card, external hard drive, or memory card, an error notice appears. This is most common with photos and videos, particularly those with longer names over 20 characters.
The error message 0x80070052 can be caused by a number of things. The following conditions, for example, can result in error 0x80070052.
- On your USB device, a directory or filename already exists.
- On the HDD, the directory path could not be discovered.
- On the USB drive, there isn’t enough room.
- Invalid characters appear in the file or directory name.
- It’s possible that the USB flash drive hasn’t been formatted correctly.
- The system files in Windows have been corrupted.
How can I fix the “Directory or file cannot be created” problem 0x80070052?
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Copying files that are encrypted
If you get the Windows error 0x80070052 when copying encrypted files, take extra precautions to ensure that the encryption key is copied as well.
If you’re going to use the built-in encryption method, ensure sure the Credential Manager service is set to Automatic and running when you copy the file.
- Use encryption software from a third party.
- By pressing Win and R, you may open the Run window and type services. To continue, type MSC and hit Enter.
- Scroll down the list of services on the Services tab to find Credential Manager.
- Select Properties from the context menu by right-clicking on it.
- Set the startup type of Credential Manager to Automatic, and then click Start on the Service Status tab.
- Finally, press the Apply button.
- To see if the error is resolved, copy the encrypted files that generated the “Directory or file cannot be created” error.
In the USB drive, make a new folder.
If the directory or file name you want to copy already exists on your USB drive, you will see error 0x80070052. In this case, you can create a new folder on the USB drive. Right-click on an empty area of the mobile device and select New -> Folder in the menu that appears. Then copy the directory or files into the newly created folder.
Changing the directory or file’s name
If the files or folder you are copying contain special characters, such as “&”, your USB drive will generate error 0x80070052 in Windows. In this case, you need to change the name of the file or directory on your computer and then copy it to an external device.
Recovering data from a corrupted hard disk
A faulty portable storage device causes Error 0x80070052 to appear. The error frequently arises after an unexpected interruption of the machine, according to the user report.
When copying files from a camera’s SD card to your computer’s hard drive, the error 0x80070052 frequently occurs.
- Right-click on the detachable drive that produced the problem in File Explorer and select Properties from the menu.
- Select Tools in the Properties window at the top of the window. Then, in the Error Checking section, click Check.
- To acquire administrator access, simply click Yes when requested to open the User Account Control (UAC) window.
- Click Scan and Repair Disk in the next window. After that, you’ll have to wait for the procedure to finish.
- Disconnect and reconnect the detachable drive once the operation is finished to determine if the error has been fixed.
Reconnect the USB drive or try a different USB port.
The system will not identify the USB device if the connection between the USB and the motherboard is slack. Error 0x80070052 will occur in various situations. Simply reconnect the USB device or utilize other USB ports on the computer in this situation.
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Most Commonly Asked Questions
- On the USB drive, make a new folder.
- Use a different USB port or reconnect the USB drive.
- Make room on the USB drive.
- FAT32 or NTFS are the two file systems that can be used to format a USB drive.
- Change the name of the file or directory.
- Copy files that have been encrypted.
- Repair a removable disk that has been damaged.
The most common cause of error 0x80070052 (Directory or file cannot be created) is that the file system you’re trying to copy files to is formatted using an old file system that can’t handle files this size – FAT16 is the most common file system format that causes this issue.
- My Computer can be accessed by double-clicking it.
- Select Format with a right-click on your PC.
- Select exFat from the File System drop-down menu.
- To begin, press the Start button.
- To begin formatting, click OK.
- When the formatting is finished, click OK once more.
When you open a Word document, you may receive an error notice that says “file cannot be located.” It means the file you’re trying to open or access doesn’t exist or can’t be located on your computer.
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0x80070052 is a Windows error message, which is generated when there is an error inside an NTFS partition. The message says it’s the file system’s fault, but the file system is just fine, it’s your application. The cause of this error is usually a simple enough fix, but can sometimes be a bit more complex.. Read more about error 0x0070052 and let us know what you think.
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If you are trying to create a directory or file, but it cannot be created, this is likely due to the permissions of the directory or file. You can check the permissions for your directories and files by opening up a terminal window in Linux and typing ls -l (without quotes) into it.”}},{“@type”:”Question”,”name”:”How do I fix error 0x80070052?”,”acceptedAnswer”:{“@type”:”Answer”,”text”:”
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I fix the directory or file Cannot be created?
If you are trying to create a directory or file, but it cannot be created, this is likely due to the permissions of the directory or file. You can check the permissions for your directories and files by opening up a terminal window in Linux and typing ls -l (without quotes) into it.
How do I fix error 0x80070052?
This error is usually caused by a corrupt installation. To fix this, you will need to reinstall the game.
What does error code 0x80070052 mean?
Error code 0x80070052 is a Windows error that indicates the system cannot find the file specified.
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