I'm having trouble creating a new folder with a custom name or renaming an existing folder in Windows 11 Pro 64. This issue started a couple of days ago, and I've tried the following steps:
- Click New > Folder
- Type in the desired folder name and press Enter
- A dialog box appears, saying "Can't find the specified file. Make sure you specify the correct path and file name."
- Clicking "Try Again" results in another dialog box, saying "The file or folder does not exist."
- The newly created folder is named "New Folder" instead of the desired name.
- Renaming the folder from "New Folder" to the desired name also fails with the same error.
I've tried the following troubleshooting steps:
- Ensured the system is up to date
- Rebooted the system
- Verified administrator privileges and full control/read-write permissions
- Tried creating folders in different locations (e.g., "C:\" and "D:\Documents")
- Successfully deleted the folder
- Renamed the folder successfully using the command prompt
- Encountered the same issue when trying to rename a folder from within an application
- Renamed a file successfully
Any suggestions to resolve this issue?
Hey there!
Thanks for providing a detailed description of the issue and the troubleshooting steps you’ve taken so far. I’ll try to help you resolve this annoying problem.
Firstly, it’s great that you’ve verified administrator privileges and full control/read-write permissions. That rules out a common issue.
Here are a few more things you can try:
-
Disable any third-party folder management software: If you have any third-party folder management or organization software installed, try disabling it or uninstalling it temporarily to see if it’s interfering with Windows’ folder creation and renaming functionality.
-
Check for corrupted system files: Run the built-in System File Checker (SFC) tool to scan and repair corrupted system files. This might resolve any underlying issues causing the problem. To do this:
a. Open Command Prompt as an administrator.
b. Type sfc /scannow and press Enter.
c. Let the tool run its course.
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Reset folder options: Sometimes, folder options can get corrupted, leading to issues like this. Try resetting folder options to their default state:
a. Open File Explorer.
b. Click on View in the top menu.
c. Click on Options on the right side of the ribbon.
d. In the Folder Options window, click on Reset Folders.
e. Click Apply and then OK.
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Check for Windows Explorer add-ons: Malfunctioning Windows Explorer add-ons can cause issues like this. Try disabling all add-ons and then re-enabling them one by one to identify the problematic one:
a. Open File Explorer.
b. Click on View in the top menu.
c. Click on Options on the right side of the ribbon.
d. In the Folder Options window, click on the View tab.
e. Click on Add-ons in the top menu.
f. Disable all add-ons and restart File Explorer.
g. Re-enable add-ons one by one and test folder creation and renaming after each addition.
If none of these steps resolve the issue, you might want to consider seeking further assistance from Microsoft Support or performing a System Restore to a point when the issue didn’t exist.
Let me know if any of these steps help resolve the problem