Error 0x80070043

Question

Error 0x80070043

F.G. Kraese 0

Staff,

The mentioned error shown above is present when I display the Network on my W11 Dell Desktop 7875 computer. I have spent hours researching fixes and all have failed to resolve the error (the fix is reason is the PC name or the network). My research also concludes fixes like a clean installation, in-place installation and other solutions are extreme and not recommended for the error is localized and can be correct through a series of commands. Please provide guidance.

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2 answers

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Answer 1

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A!

Thank you for providing a detailed description of the issue and for sharing the troubleshooting you've already performed.

Based on the symptoms you've described, Error 0x80070043 ("The network name cannot be found") typically indicates that Windows is unable to resolve or access a network resource. In most cases, this points to a network discovery, name resolution, SMB connectivity, or share accessibility issue rather than a problem that requires a clean installation or an in-place upgrade.

I would recommend the following troubleshooting steps:

1. Determine whether the issue is related to name resolution or network browsing

Open File Explorer and test access using both the computer name and IP address:

\\ComputerName

And

\\IP_Address

If access works by IP address but not by computer name, the issue is likely related to DNS or NetBIOS name resolution rather than the Windows installation itself.

2. Verify that Network Discovery and File Sharing are enabled

Navigate to: Settings > Network & Internet > Advanced sharing settings

Ensure the following options are enabled:

Network Discovery
File and Printer Sharing

These settings are required for proper network browsing and device discovery.

3. Confirm the required discovery services are running

Open Services (services.msc) and verify that the following services are running:

Function Discovery Provider Host
Function Discovery Resource Publication
SSDP Discovery
UPnP Device Host

Set each service to Automatic startup and restart the computer after making any changes.

4. Test SMB access directly

Run the following command from an elevated Command Prompt:

net use * \\ServerName\ShareName

This can help determine whether the issue is limited to the Network view in File Explorer or if there is an underlying SMB connectivity problem.

5. Run system integrity checks

Open an elevated Command Prompt and run:

sfc /scannow

followed by:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

These commands can repair corrupted system files that may affect networking components.

6. Review SMB-related configuration

Recent versions of Windows 11 include stricter SMB security requirements. If you're connecting to an older NAS device, printer, or other network appliance, verify that it supports current SMB security standards and authentication requirements

If direct UNC paths (for example, \\ServerName\Share) work successfully but the Network folder continues to display the error, the issue is often related to Windows Network Discovery enumeration rather than actual network connectivity. In that scenario, using direct UNC paths or mapped network drives can serve as a practical workaround while further investigating the discovery component.

Based on the information you've provided, I would not recommend a clean installation at this stage. Error 0x80070043 is commonly resolved by addressing network discovery, name resolution, or SMB-related configuration issues, and a rebuild of Windows is rarely necessary as an initial troubleshooting step.

References: Advanced Troubleshooting Server Message Block (SMB) | Microsoft Learn

Guidance for troubleshooting SMB - Windows Server | Microsoft Learn

Access Denied when you access Server Message Block (SMB) file share - Windows Client | Microsoft Learn

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Answer 2

For 0x80070043 in Windows 11 network access, use this troubleshooting path first before considering reinstall scenarios:

Test the share from Command Prompt instead of File Explorer:
```
   net use <DeviceName>: \\<ServerName>\<ShareName>
```
This helps confirm whether the issue is File Explorer-specific or a broader SMB/network path problem.
Turn on SMB 1.0 client support if the target device or share requires it:
- Open Control Panel.
- Go to Programs > Programs and Features > Turn Windows features on or off.
- Expand SMB 1.0/CIFS File Sharing Support.
- Check SMB 1.0/CIFS Client.
Note: SMB 1.0 is an older protocol and should only be enabled if the target device depends on it.
Verify sharing discovery settings:
- Open Control Panel.
- Go to Network and Internet > Network and Sharing Center > Advanced sharing settings.
- Turn on Network discovery.
- Turn on File and printer sharing under Private.
- Select Save changes.
Make sure these services are set to Automatic and then restart the PC:
- Function Discovery Provider Host
- Function Discovery Resource Publication
- SSDP Discovery
- UPnP Device Host
Path:
- Open Start.
- Search for Services.
- Open Services.
- Open each service and set Startup type to Automatic.
If the problem occurs only when using the fully qualified domain name of the remote computer, test using the server name or IP address instead. A documented cause is FQDN name resolution timing out in NetBT, which can produce network-name-not-found behavior.
Update the network adapter driver on the client computer. Out-of-date network drivers are a documented cause of network connectivity and RPC-related failures.
If access works by IP address but not by name, focus on name resolution rather than reinstalling Windows.

If the failure is specifically tied to FQDN access and all other access methods work, there is a registry-based workaround to increase LmhostsTimeout. This is higher risk because it modifies the registry, so back up the registry first and use it only for that exact FQDN timeout scenario.