(SOLVED) How To Fix “Location Not Available” Error In Windows 10/8/7
Last Updated on December 1, 2022 by Rhea CabalidaHelp! My Windows computer denies me access to my folders and files, and the error message “location not available” pops out. What should I do?
The “location not available” error is not new to Windows users. But what does location not available mean? Well, it's an annoying error that forbids you to open and use folders and files on your computer.
It causes inconvenience to users as it disrupts their work and other tasks. If you are having the same issues with your Windows computer, continue reading this article as we provided the solutions to fix it.
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- Reasons: Why does the “Location Not Available” Error Occur
- Method 1: Restart PC
- Method 2: Remove Antivirus Program
- Method 3: Restore Default Desktop Settings
- Method 4: Reset User Permissions
- Method 5: Use PassFab Computer Management
Why does the “Location Not Available” Error Occur?
There can be several reasons why the “location not available” error occurs on your Windows 10/8/7. Knowing these reasons is pretty important, this will help you understand the error and the best method to fix it.
Here are some reasons why the “location not available” error happens.
- Unsafe removal of removable drive - Indestructible as it may seem, the storage devices we use require care and proper handling. Now if you can't access your location on Windows, this may be because it's not properly ejected from the computer. This causes its system to fail and may harm the files inside it.
- Virus attack - Bugs and viruses can attack your PC and cause certain errors like this one. The virus might be from the files you downloaded or from the storage device you used.
- The Anti-virus program blocks the file/folder - The job of an anti-virus program is to protect your PC from viruses and other entities that may harm your computer. So if it thinks that a certain drive/folder has some bugs or viruses, it will block your access and you will be able to open them.
- Faulty user account - Our computers set certain permissions to protect our data from invaders. To do so, a user's account should be set so that the owner is the only one who can access all the data. Now, if the user profile is faulty or some of the configurations are changed, your access to certain functions and locations can be denied.
Now that we know the possible reasons behind the “location not available” error on Windows, it's now time to discuss the solutions to fix it.
Method 1: Restart PC to Fix “Location not Available” Error
Sometimes our PC gets worked out because of overusing and overheating. It then results in errors like this one. The easiest way to deal with it is by restarting your computer. It will rule out minor bugs and errors and refreshes your system.
Method 2: Remove Antivirus Program to Fix “Location not Available” Error
As I've said above if you have installed an antivirus program on your PC this might be the reason why your access is denied on the PC’s location. You can try to uninstall the antivirus program and try to open the locations again. If it still won’t work, try out the next solution.
Method 3: Restore Default Desktop Settings to Fix “Location not Available” Error
Now some settings on your PC might accidentally have been changed and resulted in the “location not available” error. So here is how you can restore your default settings.
Step 1On your computer, go to My PC and select the C drive.
Step 2Right click then hit Properties.
Choose the Location tab, left-click, and select the Restore Default option.
Step 4After that restart your PC and check if the error still occurs.
Method 4: Reset User Permissions to Fix “Location not Available” Error
The next thing you can do to fix the “location not available” error is resetting the user permission. In this method, we will reset it via the Command Prompt. Here’s how to do it.
Step 1Search for Command Prompt on the Windows search bar, right click then select Open as Administrator.
Step 2Then type the following commands and hit Enter.
- cd/user
- cd/user profile name
- icacls Documents/reset/t/q
After that, the user permission should be reset and the error should be fixed.
Method 5: Use PassFab Computer Management to Fix “Location not Available” Error
If none of the methods above worked, don't worry, there’s still one more that will surely fix this annoying issue.
When it comes to Windows errors, there’s no other tool that can work effectively as PassFab Computer Management. It has functions that will carefully penetrate into your PC system and get rid of all the bugs and errors to make your PC efficient again.
This tool can effortlessly repair any Windows error like the “location not available” error, black and blue screen, errors on the dowload folder, PDF files not opening, and more! Plus, to make things convenient for the users, this tool has a user-friendly interface. Yes! You can easily navigate all its features and functions without hassle!
This tool supports Windows 11/10/8.1 and more! Aside from repairing Windows errors, it can also recover lost data, backup files, reset Windows passwords, and more! Yes, all those features are intact in just one tool. How amazing is that?
Get this tool now!
Steps to Fix the “Location not Available” Error
Here are some things you need to prepare before using PassFab.
- Storage device
- An extra working computer
After preparing these, follow the steps below.
Part 1: Create Boot Disc
Step 1Hit this link to download PassFab on the extra PC.
Step 2Plug in your storage device and launch PassFab. Next, hit “Create Boot Disk Now”.
Answer the prompted questions and after that choose the storage device to download the boot disk.
Step 4Wait for it to finish then remove the storage device.
Fix the “Location not Available” Error
Step 1Grab the damaged PC and insert the storage device.
Step 2Turn on the PC and hit F12.
Step 3Once the PC is on, you will see the boot menu, then select your storage device to boot the system.
Step 4Select Automated Repair, then click on your storage. Finally hit Start Repair.
Wait for the repair to finish and when it’s done hit the Restart option. After that, check your PC for errors.
Conclusion
Thanks to PassFab, all sorts of Windows errors can be repaired without hassle! Get PassFab now and experience convenience like no other.
FAQs
Broken USB flash drives can be fixed and recovered if the memory chips have not been cracked. Cracked memory chips are not recoverable. Check out this easy way how to recover files from a flash drive.
If you have a damaged hard drive, you will most likely see an error message like "Please Insert Disk into Removable Disk" or "USB Device Not Recognized or Malfunctioned". You may need to format your flash drive to repair it.