Fix Location Is Not Available Access Is Denied

This guide walks you through the causes and fixes for the Windows error “Location is not available” combined with “Access is denied.” This usually appears when you try to open a folder, external drive, or network location. The fixes below restore access to your files without losing data.

What You’ll Need

• Administrator account on the Windows PC
• The exact path of the affected folder or drive (e.g., D:\ or C:\Users\Name\Documents)
• A backup location (optional but recommended)

Step-by-Step

1. Identify the source. Right-click the problematic folder or drive, select Properties, and go to the Security tab. Note the path shown under “Object name.” If you cannot open Properties, try from an elevated Command Prompt: press Win, type cmd, right-click Command Prompt, and choose Run as administrator. Then run icacls "C:\path\to\folder" to see current permissions.
2. Take ownership. In the same Command Prompt, run: takeown /f "C:\path\to\folder" /r /d y. This gives your account ownership of the folder and all subfolders. Wait for the process to finish (it may take a while on large folders).
3. Reset permissions. After taking ownership, run: icacls "C:\path\to\folder" /grant "%USERNAME%":(OI)(CI)F /T /C. This grants your user full control to the folder, subfolders, and files. Replace %USERNAME% with your actual Windows username if needed.
4. Check the drive letter. If the error appears on an external drive, open Disk Management (right-click Start → Disk Management). Verify the drive has a letter and is healthy. If the letter is missing, right-click the partition and choose Change Drive Letter and Paths to assign a new one.
5. Scan for disk errors. Run chkdsk /f /r on the affected drive (e.g., chkdsk D: /f /r). You may need to restart the PC to let the scan run before Windows loads.
6. Disable fast startup (if the drive is internal). Go to Control Panel → Power Options → Choose what the power buttons do → Change settings that are currently unavailable. Uncheck “Turn on fast startup” and save changes. This prevents Windows from locking drives during shutdown.
7. If the folder is on a network or cloud drive, check that the network share permissions are correct. Right-click the folder on the host PC, go to Sharing → Advanced Sharing → Permissions, and ensure your user has “Read” or “Change” access.
8. Use the built-in troubleshooter. Go to Settings → Update & Security → Troubleshoot → Additional troubleshooters → Shared Folders and run it. This can fix some network-related access issues.

Common Mistakes

• Skipping the ownership step: Running only icacls without takeown often fails because you don’t have permission to change permissions. Always do takeown first.
• Using the wrong username: If you type your username incorrectly in the icacls command, you’ll get an error. Use %USERNAME% or check your username with whoami.
• Ignoring the path: If the path contains spaces, you must enclose it in quotes. Forgetting quotes causes the command to fail.
• Running commands on a system drive without admin: The commands require an elevated Command Prompt. Running them normally will produce “Access denied” again.
• Assuming it’s a permission issue when it’s a hardware issue: If the drive is failing, permission fixes won’t help. Check the drive’s health in Disk Management or with a SMART tool first.

Tips

• Back up first: Before running chkdsk or changing permissions, copy any accessible files to another drive. This protects you if something goes wrong.
• Use a live Linux USB to recover data: If Windows cannot access the drive at all, boot from a Linux live USB (like Ubuntu) and copy files from the affected drive to an external drive. Linux often bypasses Windows ACLs.
• Keep your system updated: Some Windows updates fix known permission bugs. Ensure Windows Update is current.
• Use the “Previous Versions” tab: If the folder was part of File History or System Protection, right-click the folder → Properties → Previous Versions to restore an older copy.

Troubleshooting

If the error persists after taking ownership and resetting permissions:

• Check if the folder is encrypted or compressed. Right-click the folder → Properties → Advanced. If “Encrypt contents to secure data” is checked, uncheck it and apply to all subfolders. You may need to back up the encryption certificate first.
• Look for hidden system files. Open File Explorer → View → Options → View → Show hidden files. If the folder is hidden, uncheck “Hidden” in its properties.
• Try a different user account. Create a new local admin account and see if you can access the folder. If yes, the issue is with your user profile. Copy the folder to the new profile.
• Use the “Effective Access” tool. In the Security tab of the folder’s Properties, click Advanced → Effective Access → Select a user → View effective access. This shows exactly what permissions your user has.
• If the drive is external and the error occurs on a specific computer, test the drive on another PC. If it works there, the issue is with the first PC’s permissions or drivers. Update the chipset and USB drivers.
• If nothing works, the folder may be corrupted. Run sfc /scannow and DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth to repair system files, then try again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does “Location is not available” appear even though I’m the administrator?

Administrator accounts do not automatically have full control over every folder. Some folders are owned by SYSTEM or TrustedInstaller, and you must explicitly take ownership.

Will taking ownership damage my files?

No. Taking ownership only changes the security metadata, not the file contents. However, it can affect permissions for other users, so it’s best to do it only on folders you need to access.

Can I fix this without a command prompt?

Yes, you can right-click the folder → Properties → Security → Advanced → Change owner, and then grant yourself full control. But the command prompt method is faster and more reliable for many files.

What if the error occurs on a network drive?

Check both the share permissions and the NTFS permissions on the host computer. The most restrictive permission wins. Also ensure the network path is correct and the server is online.

Is this error a sign of a virus?

Sometimes malware can change permissions to lock you out. If you suspect an infection, run a full antivirus scan before attempting fixes.

Can I recover data if the folder is completely inaccessible?

Yes. Boot from a Linux live USB or use a data recovery tool that bypasses Windows ACLs. Copy the files to a new location before attempting any repair.

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