This app can't open.

azzman 0 Reputation points
2026-08-01T17:56:38.0566667+00:00

I have just moved my hard drive from a usb to a sata port and when i turn on my pc the 'This app can't open' message. I have made sure non of my apps open on start up but it still pops up. It reads the hard drive, like the hard drive is popping up on my files with everything on it still. But i can not find what app is trying to open because that is the only message i get. When i try to hover over the app that is open i just says 'This app can't open'.

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Files, folders, and storage
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  1. Alex-L 10,350 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-08-02T14:35:17.9466667+00:00

    Hi azzman

    Since the issue started immediately after moving the drive from USB to SATA, a startup item, scheduled task, or background application may be trying to launch from an invalid path. In Windows 10, check Task Manager > Startup, Task Scheduler, and the Startup folder for any entries related to that drive.

    You can also run Microsoft Sysinternals Autoruns to identify startup items that point to missing or broken locations. If possible, post a screenshot of the error message or check Event Viewer > Windows Logs > Application for an error logged when the popup appears, as that may reveal which application is failing to open.

    Feel free to update here if anything comes up!

    Was this answer helpful?

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