How to Fix “Location is Not Available” Error in Windows

“Location is not available” is an error that usually occurs after the Windows 10 version software. An “available access is denied” message is displayed preventing you from copying, modifying, or deleting the file or folder.

When accessing a hard drive or an external hard drive in Windows 10/8/7, you could get an error message that says “the location is not available,” which means your hard drive is unavailable. A file or folder in it cannot be read or changed. 

As a consequence, you won’t be able to use the Start button, Windows scan, or the taskbar, among other things. They are therefore unable to change, import, copy, or do something else with their files stored on the PC as a result of this. Naturally, the issue is extreme, which is why many users are searching for quick solutions to the Location is not available error.

  1. The volume does not contain a recognized file system

While attempting to access a drive or any external device, a popup of location is not available, stating “the volume does not contain any recognized file system.”

A possible reason for this error message could be that Windows does not recognize the RAW file system, and thus the users are denied access.

Solution: The “location is not available” can be easily fixed using a professional RAW data recovery program. You can try formatting and repairing the partition table to fix this bug.

  1. The Parameter Is Incorrect

“Drive X is not accessible. The parameter is incorrect” is also an unavailable location bug that usually occurs when we unplug the removable drive directly without doing it correctly.

There are two solutions to this problem:

Method 1. Format the inaccessible hard drive

Location is not available - Format the inaccessible hard drive

If your drive is empty or the files are backed up safely, then you can try this process.

Double click on My Computer in File Explorer and go to Manage and then to disk management. Right-click on the corrupted drive and click format, and then OK. All data from the drive will be lost.

Method 2. Disk check from command prompt

Disk check from command prompt

If you think that the error message is caused by bad sectors, cross-linked files, directory errors, lost clusters, or file system errors, you can follow this fix. Make sure you have the safe mode on.

Run the cmd as administrator by right-clicking on the cmd tab in the start button. Type chkdsk X: /f /r, where X is the drive letter and then click enter.

  1. C:\\Windows\system32\config\systemprofile\Desktop folder blank and apps deleted

“C:\\Windows\system32\config\systemprofile\Desktop for a location that is unavailable” is a bug that is most common if the Windows 10 update isn’t correctly installed or is corrupted and causes your computer to crash. 

There are two solutions to this “C:\\Windows\system32\config\systemprofile\Desktop is unavailable” error.

Method 1. Advanced Boot Options

Reboot your computer, and press F8. This will open a BOOT menu. Go to Advanced Boot Options and then select “Last Known Good Configuration (Advanced).” Windows will then boot normally, and hopefully, your bug will be fixed.

Method 2. Command Prompt

“Windows\system32\config\systemprofile\Desktop is unavailable at a location” error can also be fixed using cmd.

You have to execute two commands:

1. net user /add “usernamehere” “passwordhere” – enter your user name and password in place of the “”.

2. net localgroup administrators “usernamehere” “passwordhere”/add – enter your username and password in place of the “”.

3. Now copy the data from the corrupt profile. This process works for desktop folder blank errors only for local accounts. If you still can’t find it, it’s possible that the knowledge might have been moved to a new site.

  1. The file or directory is corrupted and unreadable

Windows 10 operating system might prompt a message “the file or directory is corrupted and unreadable” when we insert a USB drive into the computer.

This error occurs when the FAT (File Allocation Table), MFT (Master File Table), USB drive, files, or folders get damaged.

Solution: You can resolve this error using the cmd chkdsk command explained in method 2 of error 2 in this article. You can also follow method 1 of error 2 to format the corrupted USB drive.

  1. CRC error

CRC or Cyclic Redundancy Check error usually occurs while copying data from an external hard drive to a PC.

The issue “location is not available” could occur due to a corrupted registry, misconfigured files, unsuccessful program uninstallation, cluttered hard drive, etc.

Solution: You can use a data recovery software to recover lost data from the corrupted drive.

Data on an inaccessible hard drive must be recovered.

Location is not available Windows 10 fixes

Let us focus on some of the possible fixes that will resolve the “location is not available” error.

  1. Access Safe Mode with Networking

Before performing any fix, you must enter in safe mode. This is extremely useful if you are unable to access Windows or File Explorer.

  • Go to your login screen.
  • Hit the power button while holding the shift key.
  • Keep holding the shift key and choose Restart from power options.
  • When the PC restarts, go to Advanced Settings -> Startup settings and choose Restart.
  • Press F5 to access the Safe mode with Networking.
  1.  Reset User Permissions
Reset User Permissions
  • Type “cmd” in the Windows Search bar.
  • Right-click on the Cmd tab and choose “Run as administrator.”
  • In the cmd, type the following command to reset users permission:
    • c:/users – click enter, after c:/users 
    • c:/username – enter your user name and then click enter

icacls Documents/reset/t/q – click enter

  1.  Run The Disk Check On Command Prompt

You can run a drive check function to solve the location is not available error.

  • Type “cmd” in the Windows Search bar.
  • Right-click on the Cmd tab and choose “Run as administrator.”
  • In the cmd, type the following command:

Chkdsk c: /f /r/x – type the drive’s name in place of C that you want to repair and hit enter.

  • The system will ask, “Would you like to schedule this volume to be checked the next time the system restarts?” Press Y.
The system will ask, "Would you like to schedule this volume to be checked the next time the system restarts?" Press Y.
  • Press Enter and then restart your PC from power options. Please wait patiently while the disk check is completed.
  1.  Give The Problematic Folder Complete Control

If you think the error is because the folders do not have enough permissions, then one solution could be to provide full access to the problematic folder.

  • Go to the repository where you are getting this error. For example, C:\\Windows\System32\config\systemprofile. Go to this repository.
  • Right-click on the folder name and select the Properties option.
  • Navigate to the Security tab of the Properties window.
  • Search for your user name from the list. If you can’t find your user name, go ahead and press Edit and then Add button. Type your username in the text box and press Check Names. Now, find your user name and click OK.
Type your username in the text box and press Check Names. Now, find your user name and click OK.
  • After selecting your username or adding your user name to the list, press Edit.
  • Navigate to the Permissions section and make sure that the repository has complete control. If not, then press on the full control check box and tick it.
  • Click OK.
  1.  Take Ownership Of The Problematic Folder
  • Go to the repository where you are getting this error. For example, C:\\Windows\System32\config\systemprofile folder. Go to this folder.
  • Double click on the folder name and select the Properties option.
  • Navigate to the Security tab of the Properties window.
  • Navigate to the Advanced button in the bottom right corner of the dialog box.
Navigate to the Advanced button in the bottom right corner of the dialog box.
  • Go to the Owner label and click on the Change option. You must have administrator permission to perform this step.
  • Type your user name in the “Enter the object name to select” text box and press Check Names.
  • Click your username from the list and press OK.
  • In the dialog box, tick the checkbox for “Replace all child object permission entries with inheritance permission entries from the object.”
  • Click on Apply and then hit OK.
  1.  Use System Restore

This is the final solution that you can use if none of the above resolutions have worked so far. 

Microsoft Windows 10 comes with a System Restore/Recovery function that allows you to restore the system to the point when it was working correctly.

  • First, you would have to create a recovery point. Find “create a restore point” in the Windows Search bar and click enter.
  • Navigate to the System protection tab.
Navigate to the System protection tab.
  • Under the System Restore section, press the System Restore button. In the System Restore dialog box, press Next.
Under the System Restore section, press the System Restore button. In the System Restore dialog box, press Next.
  • Click the checkbox to Show more restore points.
  • Choose the recovery point and click next.

How To Prevent The “Location Is Not Available” Error?

We hope that the above solutions would have helped you in fixing the error. We are listing some suggestions that can help you prevent facing this error again:

  1. Before shutting down, close all the system files and folders properly and then shut down the PC before unplugging it.
  2. Do not remove the USB drive while the PC is operating on it.
  3. Install anti-virus to protect against anti-virus and malware.
  4. Run drive repair for the external hard drive if you suspect any damage.
  5. Do not play with registry settings or file systems if you are not equipped with the required skills. 

Conclusion 

You may have found a solution to your problem after attempting all of the solutions mentioned above. If you know of a better way to resolve the position is not open, access is denied error, please let us know. Remember to recover your data with any of the recovery tools to restore data in advance to prevent data loss.

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