ERRORNetwork access
Error 0x80070035The network path was not found
Error 0x80070035, "The network path was not found", means Windows could not reach a shared folder. Common causes are SMB or network discovery turned off, a firewall blocking file sharing, the SMB 1.0 protocol being removed while a device still needs it, or a wrong share name or credentials. The fix works through each of those.
What it means
0x80070035, "The network path was not found", means Windows tried to reach a shared resource (\\server\share) over SMB and could not. The server may be unreachable, sharing may be off, a firewall may be blocking it, or the name or credentials may be wrong. The same condition appears from net use as system error 53.
Work through the checklist
1. Confirm the target is reachable. ping the server by name and by IP. If the name fails but the IP works, it is a name-resolution problem (DNS or NetBIOS on 137); try \\<ip-address>\share.
2. Check sharing on the host. On the machine that hosts the share:
- Server service (LanmanServer) is running (sc query lanmanserver).
- The folder is actually shared, with a share name you are using.
- File and Printer Sharing is enabled for the active network profile.
3. Enable Network Discovery and sharing on both machines. Settings → Network → Advanced network settings → Advanced sharing settings: turn on Network discovery and File and printer sharing for the Private profile.
4. Allow it through the firewall. The File and Printer Sharing (SMB-In) rule must be enabled on the correct profile; by default it is off on Public. Set the network to Private if appropriate.
5. Check credentials. Use net use \\server\share /user:SERVER\username and supply the right password. A credentials mismatch shows as access denied (0x80070005 / system error 5) rather than "path not found", but stale cached credentials can confuse the connection; clear them in Credential Manager.
6. SMB version. If the device is an older NAS or printer that only supports SMB 1, modern Windows will not connect because SMB 1 is removed for security. The right fix is to update the device's firmware to support SMB 2/3. Re-enabling SMB 1 on Windows works but is insecure and should be a last resort.
7. Reset networking if all else is consistent but it still fails:
netsh winsock reset
netsh int ip resetReboot afterward. See netsh.
Frequently asked questions
How do I fix "The network path was not found"?
Confirm the server is reachable (ping it), that File and Printer Sharing and Network Discovery are enabled on both machines, that the firewall allows SMB, and that the share name and your credentials are correct. On the machine hosting the share, ensure the Server (LanmanServer) service is running and SMB is enabled.
Does removing SMB 1.0 cause 0x80070035?
It can, when an old NAS, printer or device only speaks SMB 1. Modern Windows removes SMB 1 for security. Prefer updating the device to support SMB 2/3; only re-enable SMB 1 as a last resort, since it is insecure.