How to fix error code 0x800704b3 in Windows?

Error code 0x800704b3 is Windows system error 1203: the path you opened was typed incorrectly, does not exist, or no network provider on your PC accepted it. Check the path and the computer name first. Stopped network services, a disabled SMB 2 client and leftover VPN or security add-ons cause most of the rest.

Facts checked on 15 October 2026. Steps written for Windows 11 (25H2 and 26H2) and Windows 10 22H2.

What error code 0x800704b3 means

The window is titled Network Error and starts with "Windows cannot access" and the path you typed. Under it you read: "Check the spelling of the name. Otherwise, there might be a problem with your network. To try to identify and resolve network problems, click Diagnose." Select See details to read the code.

The code decodes in two parts. 0x8007 marks a plain Windows error, and 0x4B3 is 1203 in decimal. Microsoft's list of system error codes gives 1203 exactly the text above. Its name in the Windows headers is ERROR_NO_NET_OR_BAD_PATH: no network provider on your PC accepted the path. A network provider is the client part of Windows, or of an add-on such as a VPN, that knows how to open a path like \\server\share.

That is why 0x800704b3 points at your own PC more often than the other codes do. With 0x80070043 the other side answered, and our 0x80070043 guide covers that case. With 1203 the request often never left your PC.

Why 0x800704b3 appears: causes in order

Most often the path itself is wrong, or the computer name does not resolve. Less often the Windows file sharing client is stopped: the Workstation service, the TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper service, or the SMB 2 driver that a forum tweak turned off. Rarely, a VPN, firewall or file system add-on leaves a broken network provider behind, and then even local drives or apps can show the code.

How to fix error code 0x800704b3 in Windows

Fix 1 takes two minutes and solves the most common case. Fixes 2 and 3 repair the Windows file sharing client. Fix 4 is for PCs where local drives and apps fail too. Fixes 5 to 8 go from a disk check to a repair install that keeps your files.

Fix 1. Check the path, the computer name and old mapped drives

2 minutesNo riskEveryone with this error, before changing any setting.

Error 1203 literally says the path may be typed incorrectly or may not exist. A typo, a computer that was renamed, or a mapped drive that still points to an old server are the quickest things to rule out.

1. Press Win + R, type only the computer part, for example \\NAS or \\192.168.1.20, and press Enter.
2. If the name fails but the IP address opens, the name does not resolve. Use the IP address for now, or fix the name on the router or NAS.
3. If the computer opens, compare its list of shares with your path, letter by letter. Hidden shares ending with $ never show in the list.
4. Open Command Prompt and run net use. Look for drives with the status Unavailable or Disconnected.
5. Remove a stale drive with net use Z: /delete (use your letter) and map it again with the correct path.

Check the computer and your mapped drives (Command Prompt)

ping NAS
net view \\NAS
net use

• A path needs two backslashes and no spaces at the start: \\server\share, not \server\share or //server/share.
• A share name with spaces needs quotes in Command Prompt: "\\NAS\Team Files".
• If a shortcut or an app setting stores the path, correct it there too.

Fix 2. Start the Workstation and TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper services

10 minutesLow riskNo network share opens at all, while the internet works.

The Workstation service (LanmanWorkstation) is the Windows file sharing client. When it or the TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper (lmhosts) is stopped or disabled, no provider can take a \\server path, which is exactly error 1203.

1. Press Win + R, type services.msc and press Enter.
2. Open Workstation. Set Startup type to Automatic and select Start if it is stopped.
3. Do the same for TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper. Automatic or Manual (Trigger Start) are both normal; Disabled is not.
4. Restart the PC and open the share again.

Check and start the services from Command Prompt (as administrator)

sc query lanmanworkstation
sc query lmhosts
net start lanmanworkstation
net start lmhosts

In one reported case the NetBIOS Helper could not be started from Services at all and showed "The system could not find the specified path". The user compared the registry with a working PC and set the Start value under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\lmhosts from 4 (disabled) to 2 (automatic). Back up the registry first: Back up the registry before editing it

Fix 3. Restore the SMB 2 client after an SMB tweak

10 minutesRead the warningWorkstation will not start, or the error began after you ran sc.exe config commands or an SMB 1 tip from a forum.

A widely copied tip makes Workstation depend on SMB 1 and turns off the SMB 2 driver mrxsmb20. SMB 1 is not installed by default on current Windows, so the PC is left with no working SMB client and every share fails with 0x800704b3.

1. Open Command Prompt as administrator.
2. Run sc.exe qc mrxsmb20. If START_TYPE says DISABLED, the SMB 2 client is off.
3. Run sc.exe qc lanmanworkstation and read the DEPENDENCIES lines. You need MRxSmb20 among them.
4. Press Win + R, type optionalfeatures and check whether SMB 1.0/CIFS File Sharing Support is ticked. This decides which command you use next.
5. Run the commands below that match your PC, then restart.

SMB 1.0 is NOT installed (the default on Windows 11 and current Windows 10)

sc.exe config mrxsmb20 start= auto
sc.exe config lanmanworkstation depend= bowser/mrxsmb20/nsi

SMB 1.0 IS installed

sc.exe config mrxsmb20 start= auto
sc.exe config lanmanworkstation depend= bowser/mrxsmb10/mrxsmb20/nsi

Do not install SMB 1.0 to make an old device work unless there is no other way. It is an old protocol without modern protection. Updating the NAS or router firmware so it speaks SMB 2 or 3 is the better fix.

Fix 4. Remove a VPN, firewall or file system add-on that breaks paths

15 minutesLow riskLocal drives, msconfig or apps such as Discord show 0x800704b3, or it began after you installed or removed a VPN, a third-party security suite or a drive tool.

Error 1203 means no network provider accepted the path. VPN clients, third-party firewalls and tools that read Mac drives (HFS+ or APFS) hook into the same layer. A damaged or half-removed one can make Windows reject even ordinary paths.

1. Write down every VPN, third-party antivirus or firewall, cloud drive and Mac drive tool you installed around the time the error began.
2. Uninstall them one at a time and restart after each: Uninstall a program or app in Windows
3. If the maker offers a removal or cleanup tool, run it after the uninstall, because some leave their network part behind.
4. Test the share, the local drive or the app after every restart.
5. When the error is gone, install the latest version of the tool you need again, or switch to another one.

Mac drive tools

Paragon Software lists error 0x800704b3 in its knowledge base for apps started from an HFS+ drive. If an app fails only on such a drive, copy it to an NTFS drive or update the driver.

Your antivirus

Microsoft Defender stays on when you remove a third-party suite, so the PC is not left unprotected.

If you cannot tell what changed

Go back to a restore point from before the error: Undo recent changes with System Restore

Fix 5. Check the disk after a power cut or a skipped scan

10 minutes to start, longer on a large hard diskLow riskThe error started after a power cut, a crash or a drive scan at startup that you skipped.

On Microsoft Q&A, a Windows 10 user got 0x800704b3 on a work folder right after a power cut and a drive repair that was skipped at boot. File system damage can make a folder path fail, and chkdsk is the tool that finishes that repair.

1. Open Command Prompt as administrator. Type cmd in the search box on the taskbar, right-click Command Prompt and select Run as administrator. Select Yes when Windows asks for permission.
2. Scan the drive without changing anything. Type the command below and press Enter. Replace C: with another drive letter to check that drive. This scan only reports; it does not fix anything.

   chkdsk C:

   

3. If errors were found, run the repair. Run chkdsk with /f to fix file system errors. On the Windows drive (C:) chkdsk cannot lock the drive while Windows is running, so it offers to check it at the next restart.

   chkdsk C: /f

   

4. Schedule the check and restart. Type Y and press Enter, then restart the PC. chkdsk runs before Windows starts. Do not turn the PC off while it runs.
5. Read the result after the restart. The report of a check made at startup is not shown on the desktop. Open PowerShell and run the command below to see it, or open Event Viewer (eventvwr.msc) > Windows Logs > Application and filter by the sources Chkdsk and Wininit.

   Get-WinEvent -FilterHashtable @{LogName='Application'} | Where-Object { $_.ProviderName -match 'wininit' } | Select-Object -First 1 | Format-List TimeCreated, Message

These steps were written for Windows 11 and Windows 10 (the steps are the same). The full page with the other versions and what each result means: Check a disk for errors (chkdsk)

If the failing folder is on a NAS or another PC, run the check on that machine, or use the NAS disk check in its admin page. Back up important files before a repair if the disk makes noises or files keep disappearing.

Fix 6. Test a new user account

10 minutesLow riskOther people on the same PC can open the path, or you want to know if your profile is the cause.

Mapped drives, saved credentials and some network settings live in your user profile. If a fresh account opens the path, Windows itself is fine and the problem is stored in your profile.

1. Open Other users. Open Settings > Accounts > Other users. You can also press Windows key + R and run the command below.

   ms-settings:otherusers

2. Add an account. Next to Add other user, select Add account.

   

3. Skip the Microsoft account. Select I don't have this person's sign-in information.

   

4. Choose a local account. Select Add a user without a Microsoft account.
5. Name the account. Type a user name and, if you want one, a password. If you set a password, Windows also asks for answers to security questions. Select Next.
6. Make it an administrator (optional). Back in Other users, select the new account, then Change account type next to Account options. Choose Administrator and select OK. For testing a problem, a standard account is usually enough.
7. Sign in to the new account. Open Start, select your account picture and choose the new account. The first sign-in takes a few minutes while Windows sets up the profile.

These steps were written for Windows 11 24H2, 25H2 and 26H2. The full page with the other versions and what each result means: Create a new user account to test a problem

Sign in to the new account and open the same path. If it works there, you can move your files to the new account and keep using it, or remove the old saved credentials in Control Panel > User Accounts > Credential Manager > Windows Credentials and map the drives again.

Fix 7. Clean boot to find a conflicting program

15 minutesLow riskNone of the fixes above found the cause.

A clean boot starts Windows with only Microsoft services. If the error goes away, a third-party service is taking part in the path handling and you can find it by turning services back on in groups.

1. Open System Configuration. Select Search on the taskbar, type msconfig and select System Configuration from the results.
2. Hide Microsoft services. On the Services tab, select the Hide all Microsoft services check box. Only services from other companies stay in the list.

   

3. Disable the remaining services. Select Disable all, then select Apply.
4. Open Task Manager. On the Startup tab of System Configuration, select Open Task Manager.

   

5. Disable the startup apps. On the Startup apps tab in Task Manager, select each item whose status is Enabled and select Disable. Write down or take a screenshot of the items you disable: you need the list to turn them back on.

   

6. Confirm the changes. Close Task Manager. On the Startup tab of System Configuration, select OK.
7. Restart and test. Restart the PC. Windows now starts in a clean boot environment: try again the thing that failed (run the app, install the update, uninstall the program).

These steps were written for Windows 11 25H2 and 26H2. The full page with the other versions and what each result means: How to perform a clean boot in Windows

Fix 8. Repair Windows: system files, then an in-place repair install

15 minutes for SFC and DISM, about an hour for a repair installLow riskLast step, when every fix above checked out and the error stays on every account.

If a Windows network component itself is damaged, SFC and DISM can replace it. A repair install puts back all of Windows and keeps your files and apps.

1. Open Command Prompt as administrator and run the system file check. Step by step: Run DISM and SFC to repair Windows system files
2. Restart the PC and open the path again.
3. If the error stays, download Microsoft's installation media and start setup.exe from inside Windows.
4. Choose to keep personal files and apps, then select Install. Step by step: Reinstall Windows without losing files

Windows 10 left support on 14 October 2025. A repair install keeps a Windows 10 PC working, but security updates now come only through Extended Security Updates.

If error 0x800704b3 is still there

Collect these facts before you ask for help. They show whether the path, the client on your PC or the other device is at fault.

• The exact path, and the output of ping server, net view \\server and net use.
• The output of sc query lanmanworkstation, sc.exe qc lanmanworkstation and sc.exe qc mrxsmb20.
• Your Windows version: press Win + R and type winver.
• Event Viewer, Windows Logs > System: errors from Service Control Manager about Workstation or TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper.
• A list of VPN, security and drive tools installed now or recently removed.
• When it is hardware: chkdsk reports bad sectors, a NAS that does not answer ping after a restart, or no link light on the network port. No Windows setting fixes those.

How to stop 0x800704b3 from coming back

Frequently asked questions

What does error code 0x800704b3 mean?

It is Windows system error 1203, ERROR_NO_NET_OR_BAD_PATH. The text says the network path was either typed incorrectly, does not exist, or the network provider is not currently available. In practice no network client on your PC accepted the path. The usual reasons are a wrong path, a stopped Workstation or NetBIOS Helper service, a disabled SMB 2 client, or a broken VPN or security add-on. Fix 1 rules out the path in two minutes.

How do I fix 0x800704b3 on Windows 11?

The steps are the same as on Windows 10. Check the path (Fix 1), then make sure the Workstation and TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper services run (Fix 2) and that the SMB 2 client is on (Fix 3). On Windows 11 24H2 and later a NAS that needs guest access or cannot sign its traffic usually fails with 0x80070035 or 0x80070043 instead, so if your code changes after these fixes, see our guide on error 0x80070035.

Why does Discord or another app show error 0x800704b3?

An app on a local drive should not need a network path, so the code means Windows is sending the request through a network provider that fails. A half-removed VPN, a third-party firewall or a Mac drive tool is the most likely cause (Fix 4). A damaged file system after a power cut is the second (Fix 5). Reinstalling Discord alone rarely helps when other apps or drives also show the code.

Why can't I open my C drive with error 0x800704b3?

Users on Reddit and Microsoft's forums report this when local drives, msconfig and most apps fail at once. That pattern points at something that sits between Windows and every path: a broken network or file system add-on, or system file damage. Try Fix 4 first, then Fix 5 and Fix 8. Sign in to another account (Fix 6) to see whether only your profile is affected.

Does the Diagnose button or the network troubleshooter fix 0x800704b3?

Rarely. Diagnose checks your adapter, address and internet connection. With 0x800704b3 the internet usually works and the fault is the file sharing client or the path, which the troubleshooter does not repair. Run it once if nothing on the network works at all. On current Windows 11 the troubleshooters open in the Get Help app. Otherwise go straight to Fix 1 and Fix 2.

Should I turn off SMB 1.0 or the firewall to fix it?

No. Removing SMB 1.0 is good for security, but on its own it does not fix error 1203. What matters is that the SMB 2 client is on and that Workstation depends on it (Fix 3). Turning the firewall off leaves the PC open and does not fix the path. If you suspect it, pause protection for one short test only: Turn off Microsoft Defender protection for a moment

Can 0x800704b3 appear during a Windows Update?

Yes. Reports from Windows 7, 8.1 and 10 describe update installs that stopped with this code, usually on PCs where local drives also failed. The cause is then the same broken provider or damaged system files, not the update. Work through Fix 4, Fix 7 and Fix 8, then run Windows Update again.

Is this page about "erro 0x800704b3" and "código de error 0x800704b3" too?

Yes. Erro and código de error mean "error" and "error code" in Portuguese and Spanish. The code and system error 1203 are the same on every language version of Windows; only the message text is translated. Every fix here applies, but the menu names in the steps are the English ones, so look for the same place in your language.

Is error code 10 or "WinoBit 3.4 software error" the same problem?

No. Error code 10 is a Device Manager message that a device cannot start, which is a driver problem and has nothing to do with network paths. We found no link between WinoBit 3.4 and this Windows code; this page is only about Windows error 0x800704b3. If a program you do not know asks you to pay or install something to fix this error, do not.