What causes fix error 0x80070035 — network path not found on Windows?

Common causes of fix error 0x80070035 — network path not found include: SMB (Server Message Block) protocol version mismatch, Network discovery or file sharing disabled, Windows Firewall blocking SMB traffic, DNS or NetBIOS name resolution failure, SMBv1 disabled (required for older devices), Credential Manager not storing share credentials.

How do I know if I have fix error 0x80070035 — network path not found issues?

Common symptoms of fix error 0x80070035 — network path not found include: "The network path was not found" when accessing \\computername\share, Can't access shared folders on other computers, Network drives show red X with error 0x80070035, Can ping the computer but can't access its shares, File sharing worked before but stopped after Windows Update, Can access shares by IP but not by computer name.

Fix Fix Error 0x80070035: Network Path Not Found

Symptoms

You might be experiencing this problem if you notice:

•"The network path was not found" when accessing \\computername\share
•Can't access shared folders on other computers
•Network drives show red X with error 0x80070035
•Can ping the computer but can't access its shares
•File sharing worked before but stopped after Windows Update
•Can access shares by IP but not by computer name

Common Causes

⚠SMB (Server Message Block) protocol version mismatch
⚠Network discovery or file sharing disabled
⚠Windows Firewall blocking SMB traffic
⚠DNS or NetBIOS name resolution failure
⚠SMBv1 disabled (required for older devices)
⚠Credential Manager not storing share credentials

Solutions

Solution 1: Enable Network Discovery and Sharing

1Control Panel → Network and Sharing Center → Advanced sharing settings
2Under current profile (Private or Public):
3Turn ON "Network discovery"
4Turn ON "File and printer sharing"
5Under "All Networks": Turn OFF "Password protected sharing" (for easy access)
6Or keep it ON and ensure credentials are correct
7Click "Save changes"
8Also check: the target computer has the same settings enabled

Solution 2: Fix SMB Protocol

1If accessing older NAS or Windows 7/XP machines:
2You may need SMBv1 (disabled by default in Win10/11 for security):
3Control Panel → Programs → Turn Windows features on or off
4Check "SMB 1.0/CIFS File Sharing Support" → OK → restart
5WARNING: SMBv1 has known security vulnerabilities
6Better option: update the target device to support SMBv2/v3
7To check SMB version used: PowerShell: Get-SmbConnection

Solution 3: Fix Name Resolution and Firewall

1If you can access by IP (\\192.168.1.10\share) but not by name:
2DNS/NetBIOS issue — try: nbtstat -R (flush NetBIOS cache)
3Add the computer to hosts file: C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts
4Add line: 192.168.1.10 computername
5Firewall fix: Windows Defender Firewall → Allow an app through
6Ensure "File and Printer Sharing" is allowed for Private networks
7CMD as Admin: netsh advfirewall firewall set rule group="File and Printer Sharing" new enable=Yes

FIXES THIS IN 5 MINUTES