Error 0x80070002
The system cannot find the file specified
Something referenced a file that is not where it was expected. During an install that usually means an incomplete download; during Windows Update it usually means damaged update files.
What it actually means
This is the Win32 file-not-found code. The file in question is often not one you can see: installers reference temporary and cached files by path, and a missing cache entry produces the same message as a missing package.
How to fix it, in order
Ordered by how often each one is the answer, not by how clever it sounds.
- 01If it happened installing downloaded software, re-download the package and verify the hash. An interrupted download is the most common cause.
- 02If it happened during Windows Update, reset the update cache: stop the wuauserv and bits services, rename C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution to SoftwareDistribution.old, then start the services again.
- 03Check the date and time are correct. A wrong system clock breaks certificate validation and produces file access failures that look like this.
- 04Run "sfc /scannow" if it recurs across different installers.
Common questions
- How do I fix error 0x80070002 in Windows Update?
- Reset the update cache: stop the wuauserv and bits services, rename C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution to SoftwareDistribution.old, then restart the services. Windows rebuilds the folder automatically.
Before you retry the installer
If the package came from anywhere other than the publisher, confirm it is the file they actually shipped. Check its SHA-256 against our index, which settles in seconds whether you are debugging an installer or a damaged download.