Windows 7 Backup error "The system cannot find the file specified. (0x80070002)"

Question

** Note that I was never able to resolve this issue. In the long run, I ended up reinstalling the operating system (for different reasons) but this particular issue remained unresolved. Thanks to those who tried to help. (January 30, 2011)

I suddenly seem to have a problem with Windows 7 Backup. I'm receiving the message "The system cannot find the file specified. (0x80070002)" at the point in the process when the backup is supposed to begin. This has disabled my ability to make a backup, obviously, except to directly copy files on to another hard drive. I've been able to use the same USB hard drive in the past, so I'm not sure what happened.  

I thought it might be a corrupt user profile causing the problem, but I am still receiving the same message on the new profile. I thought it might be the drive, but I get the same message when attempting to use the DVD writer.

I believe my Windows software is up to date, and I've searched in various places to find an answer to no avail. Any help you could give me would be appreciated. Thanks. I'd be happy to provide any further info you might need.

Answer 1

Hi Cuzzlor,

I finally solved the problem last week; I'd been getting the same error message for 4 months.

Even though the error message, when opened on notepad kept naming a "missing" pdf file that I had long deleted from my desktop, and the computer.  I could never find the file back.

I noticed that the Pictures Library tends to scan and add locations; it had made a location out of the folder, because it was a file created with a scanner.

I deleted the "empty" location, I don't know how I hadn't noticed it,  from the Pictures Library and my backups are error free since.

Hope this helps.

Answer 2

I think I've finally solved the problem once and for all.

After my reply from 31 May, the shadow deletion solution only worked intermittently.

It never occurred to me that having the external USB HD plugged into an unpowered USB hub would cause the problem. Why should it; absolutely nothing in the KB or anything I've seen discussed anywhere made any mention of this being a possible cause.

But simply freeing up a USB port on my computer so I could directly connect the HD solved it for me. I've been able to continue my weekly backups with no problem whatsoever and with no need to delete shadows.

Don't know if this applies to you. Maybe it does and it'll be a quick fix for you, or it'll help someone else.

Answer 3

I too am having a similar problem, I am storing my backups on an external eSata drive an I believe the problem is related to power saving.  The drive is set to spin down after 30min of inactivity and for some reason when the backup runs, it is not waiting long enough for the drive to spin back up and saying it is inaccessible.  If I manually run the backup, everything works just fine.  I'm going to disable the spin down power saving feature and see if my scheduled backup runs successfully tonight.

Answer 4

Thank you for your help. I followed your instructions and now the error has changed to 0x81000037.

Answer 5

I had the same problem. For me, the used shadow copy space was approaching the max allocated...probably from a failed backup.

here was the solution for me.

Type 'vssadmin delete shadows /all' from an elevated command prompt.