Network Error: Unable to access Network drive, Error 0x80004005

Some Windows 11/10 users might encounter the error message Unable to access Network drive, accompanied by the error code 0x80004005 during a failed attempt to use a shared resource over the network such as a shared network hard drive. This post offers the most suitable solutions to this issue, which doesn’t include enabling SMB1; since SMBv1 is a very insecure protocol and should not be used, given that Microsoft has deprecated this feature.

When you encounter this issue, you’ll receive a similar error prompt as shown above with the following full error message;

Network Error

Windows cannot access \\Computerl
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.

Error code: 0x80004005
Unspecified error

Quite a number of factors can lead to the error. For instance, insufficient or no network permissions, improper installed network drivers or corrupted Windows registry.

What does the error code 0x80004005 mean?

The error code 0x80004005 is an unspecified error that can occur in different scenarios, like while extracting files from a Zip file, accessing a Network drive, etc. In some cases, a third-party backup utility or an antivirus is responsible for this error code.

Unable to access Network drive error 0x80004005

If you’re faced with this issue, you can try our recommended solutions below in no particular order and see if that helps to resolve the issue.

1. Disable IPV6
2. Allow Full Permissions for the shared drive/folder
3. Ensure NetBIOS is enabled
4. Make sure Network Discovery is enabled
5. Disable SMB 1.0 Protocol
6. Change Network and Sharing Center settings
7. Check if required services are running
8. Disable/Uninstall 3rd party security software (if applicable)

Let’s take a look at the descriptions of the processes involved for each of the listed solutions.

1] Disable IPV6

This solution requires you to disable IPv6 and see if the Unable to access Network drive error 0x80004005 issue is resolved.

2] Allow Full Permissions for the shared drive/folder

You might be unable to access a computer on a network in Windows 11/10 due to the improper networking sharing permissions for the shared folder or drive. In this case, you can allow/grant full permissions on the shared drive/folder.

3] Ensure NetBIOS is enabled

NetBIOS allows networked computers to share resources. If this isn’t working or isn’t enabled, it could be causing the error. So, ensure that NetBIOS is enabled on your Windows computer.

4] Make sure Network Discovery is enabled

This solution requires you to make sure that Network Discovery is turned on for Private Network and make sure that the automatic setup checkbox is enabled. Also, make sure Turn on file and printer sharing is also enabled – and make sure the Turn off password-protected network sharing is enabled for All Networks.

5] Disable SMB 1.0 Protocol

The SMB 1.0 protocol is now obsolete. Microsoft deprecated it in 2014. It is insecure and should not be used. Check if it is enabled. If yes, disable it. You can disable it via Windows Optional Features. The following instructions will guide you on this:

1. Click on Windows Search and type Turn Windows features on or off.
2. Select the desired option from the search results.
3. In the Windows Features, expand the SMB 1.0/CIFS File Sharing Support.
4. Now, uncheck the following options:
   • SMB 1.0/CIFS Automatic Removal
   • SMB 1.0/CIFS Server
5. Restart your computer.

Turning off these two optional features resolved the issue for many users. Hence, this should also work for you.

6] Change Network and Sharing Center Settings

Turn off the password-protected sharing and see if it helps. The steps to disable password-protected sharing on Windows 11/10 are as follows:

1. Open the Control Panel.
2. Click on the Control Panel search bar and type network and sharing center.
3. Select the Network and Sharing Center from the search results.
4. Click Change advanced sharing settings link on the left side.
5. Expand the All Networks section.
6. Select the Turn off password-protected sharing option.
7. Click Save Changes.

7] Check if required services are running

Check whether the required services are running. Follow the instructions provided below:

1. Open the Run command box and type services.msc. Click OK.
2. When the Service Manager app appears, check the status of the following services:
   • Function Discovery Provider Host
   • Function Discovery Resource Publication
   • SSDP Discovery
   • UPnP Device Host
   • DHCP Client
   • DCP Client
3. If the status of any of the above-mentioned services shows Stopped, right-click on it and select Properties.
4. Set its Startup type to Automatic and click Start.
5. Click Apply and then click OK.

8] Disable/Uninstall 3rd party security software (if applicable)

You may encounter this error if you have any third-party security software installed on your Windows 11/10 computer, because File sharing is managed by that software and uses the Windows Firewall. In this case, you can temporarily disable any third-party security software or allow file sharing via the security software firewall – this largely depends on the security software you have installed. Refer to the instruction manual.

However, if the issue persists despite the two aforementioned actions, you’ll have to remove all third-party security software from your PC using the dedicated removal tool, which will also delete all associated files.

If uninstalling the security software fixes this error, you can now install the same antivirus again, or you can switch to an alternative AV software or better still stick to Windows 10 native AV program – Windows Defender.

Any of these solutions should work for you!

How do I fix error 0x80004005 in Outlook?

The error 0x80004005 in Outlook may occur due to the size limit. Apart from that, your antivirus software may also be the culprit for this error code. If you see this error in Microsoft Outlook, check for the Office Updates manually. If the updates are available, install them.

Read next: Can’t connect to this network WiFi error in Windows 11.