Such a system error is not encountered so often, but its occurrence is rather unpleasant, since this system failure can cause difficulties in displaying desktop elements, which often interferes with its elimination.
And in this article we will talk about how to eliminate the error "Windows script host cannot find the specified file", as well as what are the reasons for its occurrence.
Why does this Error occur and How to Fix It
“Windows script host” is an essential component of the operating system that is required to run various executable scripts.
The considered system failure informs the user that the file specified in the error text with the extension “.vbs” and “.js” (for example, “WindowsUpdateDrivers.vbs”) no longer exists or is damaged, but some program or process continues to access it .
This is mainly due to the work of antivirus software, which either really deleted the virus, but did not finish the process, and the residual elements of the virus software remained, or mistook the system component for the virus and deleted it.
In rare cases, the culprit of the error "Windows script host cannot find the specified file" is the user himself, who upgraded/optimized the operating system by editing the registry or system files / components or using third-party specialized software to improve computer performance.
Thus, two main varieties of this error should be distinguished:
- Virus;
- System component.
On the basis of which it is possible to search for solutions to the problem.
What to do if a Virus ccur Error: 80070002
This is the most problematic kind of system failure, as it can manifest itself in the absence of displaying desktop elements.
Usually such a failure occurs - the user turns on the computer and instead of the desktop sees a black screen with an error in the middle, which indicates something like the following:
Script: C: \ Windows \ run.vbs
Line: 43
Char: 1
Error: The system cannot find the file specified.
Code: 80070002
Source: (null)
It is important to remember that the system is working and, accordingly, you can use system tools to fix the failure.
Therefore, to combat the error, you will need to do the following:
- Call up the “Task Manager” by pressing the key combination “CTRL + ALT + DELETE”.
- Then click “File” - “New Task (Run)” and enter “explorer.exe”.
- When the desktop starts, press “WIN + R” and execute “regedit”.
- In the registry editor window, open the "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE" branch and follow the path "\ SOFTWARE \ Microsoft \ Windows NT \ CurrentVersion \ Winlogon".
- This will open an extensive list of keys, in which you need to pay attention to two keys - “Shell” should be set to “explorer.exe”, and “Userinit” should be set to “C: \ Windows \ system32 \ userinit.exe”.
- Next, you need to find the very "cause of the problem" - these are the residual elements from the file "run.vbs". To do this, in the registry editor, click on the top line “Computer”, press “CTRL + F” or “Edit” - “Find” and in the search bar enter “run.vbs”.
If any files are found, they can be deleted, and for greater reliability, double-check the results by repeating the search again. After cleaning the registry, restart the computer.
It will also not be superfluous to conduct a comprehensive scan of the operating system for virus activity.
The reason for the "Windows script host" failure was system components
In the framework of the considered problem with system components, two most particular situations should be considered:
- an error with the file "WindowsUpdateDrivers.vbs";
- file "SystemService.vbs".
Solution 1
An error with a similar scenario indicates that the system is unable to correctly launch / download operating system updates.
To solve the problem, you will need to do the following:
- Press “WIN + R” and enter “services.msc”.
- In the opened “Services” window, find the line “Windows Update” and click “Stop”.
- Open Computer, go to the Windows \ SoftwareDistribution \ DataStore directory and delete all the files and folders there.
- Open "Windows \ SoftwareDistribution \ Download" and also delete everything that will be in this folder.
- Return to the Services window and turn on Windows Update.
- Restart your computer and check the system is working.
Solution 2
The error with the “SystemService.vbs” file is also quite common, but it has a slightly more complicated solution:
- Open the "Task Scheduler" by pressing "WIN + R" and executing "taskschd.msc".
- In the window that opens, go to the "Task Scheduler Library" directory.
- In the "Actions" section, click the "Enable all tasks log" button.
- Browse through all the items in the list and pay attention to the “Actions” section.
- If the line “C: \ ProgramData \ SystemService.vbs” is present in any task, you must delete it and restart the computer.
Conclusion
Otherwise, all the considered error options are of the same type and have similar causes, therefore, all methods proposed in this article can be used to eliminate them. We also recommend that you familiarize yourself with the causes and methods of dealing with the 0xc0000142 error.