Randomly getting "The system cannot find the path specified" error

[geok]

Hi all! I'm in the middle of installing Windows 8 Pro x64, and I'm suddenly having the "The system cannot find the path specified." error when trying to install some device drivers.

First off, let me start by saying that I'm actually RE-installing Windows 8. I'd already gotten way past this point with no errors, but had a problem that forced me to reinstall. Before the last installation, NONE of my devices gave me this error, and they are ALL the SAME EXACT devices, using the SAME EXACT drivers as the previous times that succeeded!

My last installation attempt was the first time I'd ever encountered this error. I'd already installed all of my drivers, and everything was working perfectly. Suddenly I noticed that the HDMI Audio device of my AMD Radeon HD7850 was reporting an error, saying that it was an unrecognized device with no driver. I'd already installed the latest AMD Catalyst with no errors! The HDMI Audio was already installed. Then suddenly it wasn't. When I tried to reinstall it, I got the "cannot find the path specified" error.

Having never encountered this error before, and not knowing what else to do, I decided to reinstall Windows 8, as much because I wanted to see if I got the same error as anything else. This time, the Catalyst installed perfectly (Again!), and the HDMI Audio is presently installed and happy.

HOWEVER, this time I can't install the driver for my APC UPS (HID battery device)! Last time it installed perfectly (as it always has in the past.) This time, using the SAME DRIVER, I get the "cannot find the path specified" error.

I've checked the Event Viewer, and this error doesn't seem to register.

Now, since the UPS is plugged into my system via a USB connector, I tried all of the obvious options. First I reinstalled the USB driver for the Renesas USB 3.0 controller. It installed fine.

Then I tried moving the connector to another controller, this time one of the Asmedia USB 3.0 controllers. It's still recognized as a HID USB Battery, and the APC driver still fails with the same error!

I'm stumped!

I've searched through about a dozen posts concerning this error, both here and elsewhere. For most of the posts here, the solutions are device specific. Given that this has happened to two completely different devices so far, and given the number of people who have had this problem, and the number of different devices on which the problem has occurred, this is obviously NOT a device specific problem! I've yet to find any solutions that discuss the root cause of this problem.

I want to reiterate that all of the drivers I'm using have been used before, without any problems whatsoever.

Also, I've tried moving the driver directories to a number of different disks, just to rule out a hard drive error. (Different disks on different controllers.)

I don't know where to go with this. The files are obviously there! I can see them! And, not wanting to beat a dead horse, these drivers have ALL worked before!!! The error message is just nonsensical!

I'd appreciate any help anyone might have! Thanks!!!

 

[Scott_D_Bowen]

Try plugging it into a USB 2.0 port instead of one of your various 3rd party USB 3.0 ports.

Click browser and point it to the *.inf file for the device.

 

[geok]

Try plugging it into a USB 2.0 port instead of one of your various 3rd party USB 3.0 ports.

Click browser and point it to the *.inf file for the device.

I don't have any more USB 2.0 ports. I only have two, vs. twelve USB 3.0 ports.

Also, I should have mentioned that I AM installing the driver by pointing directly to the INF file. That's how this device driver gets installed, as there' no driver install. It's also been installed in the USB 3.0 even in my old system build. That's not the problem.

The previous device, the AMD HDMI audio, obviously got installed via the AMD Catalyst, so this problem has happened using various driver installation methods.

Furthermore, as the HDMI has nothing to do with USB, the generic issue causing this error message isn't device specific.

 

[ravage123]

I'm having the same error. Did you ever fix it?

 

[ravage123]

Hi all! I'm in the middle of installing Windows 8 Pro x64, and I'm suddenly having the "The system cannot find the path specified." error when trying to install some device drivers.

First off, let me start by saying that I'm actually RE-installing Windows 8. I'd already gotten way past this point with no errors, but had a problem that forced me to reinstall. Before the last installation, NONE of my devices gave me this error, and they are ALL the SAME EXACT devices, using the SAME EXACT drivers as the previous times that succeeded!

My last installation attempt was the first time I'd ever encountered this error. I'd already installed all of my drivers, and everything was working perfectly. Suddenly I noticed that the HDMI Audio device of my AMD Radeon HD7850 was reporting an error, saying that it was an unrecognized device with no driver. I'd already installed the latest AMD Catalyst with no errors! The HDMI Audio was already installed. Then suddenly it wasn't. When I tried to reinstall it, I got the "cannot find the path specified" error.

Having never encountered this error before, and not knowing what else to do, I decided to reinstall Windows 8, as much because I wanted to see if I got the same error as anything else. This time, the Catalyst installed perfectly (Again!), and the HDMI Audio is presently installed and happy.

HOWEVER, this time I can't install the driver for my APC UPS (HID battery device)! Last time it installed perfectly (as it always has in the past.) This time, using the SAME DRIVER, I get the "cannot find the path specified" error.

I've checked the Event Viewer, and this error doesn't seem to register.

Now, since the UPS is plugged into my system via a USB connector, I tried all of the obvious options. First I reinstalled the USB driver for the Renesas USB 3.0 controller. It installed fine.

Then I tried moving the connector to another controller, this time one of the Asmedia USB 3.0 controllers. It's still recognized as a HID USB Battery, and the APC driver still fails with the same error!

I'm stumped!

I've searched through about a dozen posts concerning this error, both here and elsewhere. For most of the posts here, the solutions are device specific. Given that this has happened to two completely different devices so far, and given the number of people who have had this problem, and the number of different devices on which the problem has occurred, this is obviously NOT a device specific problem! I've yet to find any solutions that discuss the root cause of this problem.

I want to reiterate that all of the drivers I'm using have been used before, without any problems whatsoever.

Also, I've tried moving the driver directories to a number of different disks, just to rule out a hard drive error. (Different disks on different controllers.)

I don't know where to go with this. The files are obviously there! I can see them! And, not wanting to beat a dead horse, these drivers have ALL worked before!!! The error message is just nonsensical!

I'd appreciate any help anyone might have! Thanks!!!

I am having the same problem. Did you ever fix it? How?

 

[geok]

Well, yes and no! Yeah, I know, not much of an answer!

I reinstalled my system, and it hasn't happened again!

I only had one small success when this was happening, but I decided to reinstall anyway, since I was towards the beginning of an install.
So, as I said, I was trying to install a driver for an unrecognized device. I did the standard "Have Disk" => Browse to directory which contains the driver. It would respond with the correct device being identified using the INF file in that directory, but when I told it to actually install, I would get that error.

Here's what I tried that seemed to work...

I went to the directory first, selected the proper INF file, and told it to install itself! (Select INF file => right click => select Install from the context menu.)

It came back and said it successfully installed. THEN I went through the exact same installation process I'd started with, but this time it SUCCEEDED!

Do be aware that not all INFs are self-installable! Some are, some aren't. However, it doesn't hurt at all to try. So, trying installing the INF first, and then install the driver as you normally do.

Please report your results back, so that anyone else having this problem can see if we both succeeded with this method.

I hope this helps!

 

[ravage123]

Well, yes and no! Yeah, I know, not much of an answer!

I reinstalled my system, and it hasn't happened again!

I only had one small success when this was happening, but I decided to reinstall anyway, since I was towards the beginning of an install.
So, as I said, I was trying to install a driver for an unrecognized device. I did the standard "Have Disk" => Browse to directory which contains the driver. It would respond with the correct device being identified using the INF file in that directory, but when I told it to actually install, I would get that error.

Here's what I tried that seemed to work...

I went to the directory first, selected the proper INF file, and told it to install itself! (Select INF file => right click => select Install from the context menu.)

It came back and said it successfully installed. THEN I went through the exact same installation process I'd started with, but this time it SUCCEEDED!

Do be aware that not all INFs are self-installable! Some are, some aren't. However, it doesn't hurt at all to try. So, trying installing the INF first, and then install the driver as you normally do.

Please report your results back, so that anyone else having this problem can see if we both succeeded with this method.

I hope this helps!

IT WORKS! YES! THANK YOU! Also worked with my Usb WiFi adapter! Thanks so much. I installed the inf and ing, then wnet to device manager and installed it.

 

[geok]

IT WORKS! YES! THANK YOU! Also worked with my Usb WiFi adapter! Thanks so much. I installed the inf and ing, then wnet to device manager and installed it.

Fantastic! Thanks for writing back. It seems that this may be a good solution for when this happens.

Now, however, I'd like to know WHY it's happening! It just makes no logical sense! If you can SEE the file, right there in front of you, why can't the system?!?

 

[geok]

Best answer selected by geok.

 

[theleif]

Thank you so much for this solution. I've had this problem with my AMD drivers, and I haven't been able to resolve it until now.

 

[ravage123]

Thank you so much for this solution. I've had this problem with my AMD drivers, and I haven't been able to resolve it until now.

Your welcome.

 

[neenalladeem]

Geok's solution worked for me.

I had trouble installing the Universal Serial Bus USB 3.0 drivers on windows 7 64 bit (ASUS laptop).

This worked like a charm. Don't know why or how though.

 

[geok]

Geok's solution worked for me.

I had trouble installing the Universal Serial Bus USB 3.0 drivers on windows 7 64 bit (ASUS laptop).

This worked like a charm. Don't know why or how though.

I'm glad it helped!

(Note: In case anyone is wondering, I felt sorta weird choosing myself for the best answer, which is why I chose ravage123's response. He cc'd my response, so the full instructions are there. )

I'm not sure why this works either, but here's my theory...

I suspect that there's some bug in the un-patched Windows 8, (and, from your experience, Windows 7), installation such that, when installing a driver, it checks for the .inf in C:\Windows\Inf before it does the copy instead of after. Since it hasn't yet copied the file to C:\Windows\Inf, the check fails, which throws an error to the entire driver installation!

I note that, since finishing the installation, after which I've kept the system patched using Windows Update, I've never once encountered this error. I suspect that the bug was patched, probably shortly after Win 8 was released, which is why this happens during installation.

If anyone has encountered this error after installing the system, how long after was it? Had you already run Windows Update to fully patch your system?