How to Fix “The system cannot find the file specified” Error in Windows 10

When you purchased a mouse or other peripheral device as of late and you tried connecting it to your computer but got the error message, “The system cannot find the file specified” instead, then this post will help you find the solution to fix this error.
The system throws up this error message when some file in the operating system or some program’s file is either corrupted or missing. Mind you that cleaning up any temporary files isn’t the way to fix the problem because every time you try to do exactly that, you will only be redirected to the manufacturer’s support page and you will be asked to download another software.
The following are the possible causes of the error “The system cannot find the file specified”:

System files are either corrupted or missing.
The required files are either corrupted or missing as well.

To address and fix the issue as soon as possible, you need to go over the entire post and see which of the given options below works for you.
Option #1 – Try to run the System File Checker
If you find that the missing file is one of your Windows OS file, try to run the System File Checker so it can replace the missing file or fix it if it’s corrupted. To do so, follow these steps:

Tap Win + R to launch Run.
Type in cmd in the field and tap Enter.
After opening Command Prompt, type in sfc /scannow

The command will start a system scan which will take a few while before it finishes. Once it’s done, you could get the following results:

Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.
Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them.
Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them.

After running the System File Checker, if you still get the same error message, proceed to the next option below.
Option #2 – Identify and reinstall the software
If the one throwing up the error is some Program and Device Driver, you have to check the System Log. The System Log is a similar application log in Even Viewer that contains errors, warnings and other informational events which are related to the operation of programs or applications. You can use the information you can find there to look for the particular problematic driver file, to do so, refer to these steps:

Navigate to the this address: C:/Windows/inf.

After that look for the INF folder and click it to open it.
Next, look for the file which is named as dev and double click on it so you can open the file.
Then tap the Ctrl + F keys at the same time to open the Find box and then type in cannot find the file in the search box that appears so you can begin your search.
After a couple of seconds, you should see that the missing file message will be highlighted.

And then identify the file and check if you can find and replace that file to its designated location.

Note: the easier way to do this would be to identify the program or driver that triggers the error and simply uninstall and install it back again.
Option #3 – Install the driver using the INF file
If you have already tried downloading the driver from the manufacturer’s site and you have come across this error, check out these steps:

Look for the downloaded driver file and look for the .inf file in the extracted folder and if there are more than one .inf file, you have to select the one which has the description of “Setup Information”.
After that, right click on the .inf file and select Install from the context menu.
Take note that not all the .inf files are self installer so if the .inf file does not support this kind of installation, a prompt will appear. Having said that, go to the Device Manager so you can uninstall the driver and then reinstall the drive again.
Once you’ve opened the Device Manager, expand the category and look for the device you want to uninstall and then right click on it and select Uninstall from the context menu. If a prompt appears, confirm to uninstall the driver by checking the box with the “Delete the driver software for this device” option.
After that, click the OK button.
After you uninstall the driver, install it back again.

Option #4 – Troubleshoot the problem in a Clean Boot State
If this error appears the moment you login to your PC, then this means that one of the programs in startup requires some files it can’t seem to find. You can troubleshoot the problem in a Clean Boot State, to do so, follow these steps:

Type in msconfig in the Start Search to open the System Configuration utility.
From there, go to the General tab and click “Selective startup”.
Clear the “Load Startup items” check box and make sure that the “Load System Services” and “Use Original boot configuration” options are checked.

Next, click the Services tab and select “Hide All Microsoft Services” check box.

Click Disable all.
Click on Apply/OK and restart your PC. (This will put your PC into a Clean Boot State. And to configure Windows to use the usual startup, just simply undo the changes.)

There is also a one-click solution you should check out if nothing really works among the given option above. This program is a useful tool that could repair corrupted registries and optimize your PC’s overall performance. Aside from that, it also cleans out your computer for any junk or corrupted files that help you eliminate any unwanted files from your system. This is basically a solution that’s within your grasp with just a click. It’s easy to use as it is user-friendly. For complete set of instructions in downloading and using it, refer to the steps below.
Perform a full system scan using PC Cleaner Pro. To do so, follow the instructions below.

Turn on your computer. If it’s already on, you have to reboot
After that, the BIOSscreen will be displayed, but if Windows pops up instead, reboot your computer and try again. Once you’re on the BIOS screen, repeat pressing F8, by doing so the Advanced Option shows up.

To navigate the Advanced Optionuse the arrow keys and select Safe Mode with Networking then hit
Windows will now load the SafeMode with Networking.
Press and hold both R key and Windows key.

If done correctly, the Windows Run Boxwill show up.
Type in explorer http://www.fixmypcfree.com/install/pccleanerpro

A single space must be in between explorer and http. Click OK.

A dialog box will be displayed by Internet Explorer. Click Run to begin downloading PC Cleaner Pro. Installation will start automatically once download is done.