Windows 10 CMD Prompt returns "The system cannot find the file specified" in "Documents" but it is there!

  • Thread starter Thread starter ItsRKM
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ItsRKM

I am trying to copy a file in my Documents folder using the CMD Prompt, however it returns an error "The system cannot find the file specified".


This was part of an automated backup batch file which ran under the task scheduler every week, but stopped working after a recent Windows 10 update.


I have tried to isolate the problem with simple steps.

Step 1. I created a small text file called "test.txt" in the F:\Users\MyName\Documents folder (the C:\ drive is a small SSD which only contains Windows 10 and apps. All of my personal files are on this F:\ drive).

Step 2. Using the Command Prompt, in Administrator mode, I navigate to the F:\Users\MyName\Documents folder and type "dir *.txt", which shows test.txt, among the other txt file types in that folder. So the file exists.

Step 3. I type "Copy test.txt testcopy.txt", but this returns the error "The system cannot find the file specified", even though the file is still there and can be confirmed by typing dir *.txt again!

Step 4. I type "Copy test.txt F:\testcopy.txt" and this works without error.


Any idea why the system cannot find the file specified when the destination is the Documents folder, but seems OK with the root folder of the same drive?

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