Error message indicates a missing network route.
Error message indicates a missing network route.
I'm dealing with a frustrating situation that's been keeping me up late. My Windows 7 machine is functioning perfectly as a network storage server for months now. It operates smoothly in the basement and shares are accessible from other devices throughout the house. But tonight everything changed. I tried to connect to the shares on my workshop PC, only to find it wasn't logged in. After restarting, I managed to log in successfully—similar to previous attempts. However, when I accessed the server from my shop PC, I encountered an error: 0x80070035 – “Network path cannot be found.” No changes have been made on either machine or the network setup. Upstairs, the same issue appears on the kitchen PC, while the main PC (Windows 10) works without problems. If I’m connected to the server, other devices connect easily. I’ve tried several fixes: restarting all computers and routers, resetting homegroup, uninstalling and reinstalling the network card, disabling network discovery, re-enabling it, adjusting security settings in the policy editor, using DHCP with static IP, and even restoring from a previous restore point. The server runs Windows 7 Pro and shows a full connection to the internet. Shares are accessible from other PCs, but the login problem persists. I’m desperate for a solution.
Firewall remains enabled by default, though it wasn't turned off. The network profile is configured as Home. Your feedback was appreciated! In reality, the issue was fixed with a Windows update—KB4480970 released in January 2019. I assumed the updates were responsible, so I removed that patch, restarted the system, and restored access to my shares. That took about three hours, which I won't forget. Thanks to Microsoft!