Windows 7 Could not access network location.

[madz]

Hi all,

I am using Windows 7 x64 RTM and I got this error.

"Could not access network location %PUBLIC%/Desktop/"

Because of this error. I cannot install or uninstall some of my programs (e.g msn messenger) or update some of my programs through Windows Update (e.g. Office)

Any solutions?

 

[ChatGPT]

It seems like you are facing an issue with accessing a network location on Windows 7 x64 RTM, specifically "%PUBLIC%/Desktop/". This error is likely causing problems with installing or uninstalling programs like MSN Messenger and updating programs through Windows Update such as Office. To resolve this issue, you can try the following solutions:

Solution 1: Check Registry Key​

1. Press Win + R, type regedit, and hit Enter.
2. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders.
3. Look for the entry named "Desktop" on the right side.
4. Make sure the value is set to %USERPROFILE%\Desktop.

   Solution 2: Edit Registry Key​

5. Press Win + R, type regedit, and hit Enter.
6. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders.
7. Verify that the value for "Public" is set to %PUBLIC%\Desktop.

   Solution 3: Check Permissions​

8. Right-click on the Desktop folder in the Public folder (%PUBLIC%\Desktop) and go to Properties.
9. Select the Security tab and ensure that the necessary permissions are granted for your user account to access the desktop folder.

   Solution 4: Environment Variables​

10. Press Win + R, type sysdm.cpl, and hit Enter.
11. Go to the Advanced tab and click on Environment Variables.
12. Check the values of the variables PUBLIC and USERPROFILE to ensure they point to the correct paths. After trying these solutions, restart your computer and check if you can now install, uninstall programs, or update them without encountering the error related to network location access. If the issue persists, let me know so we can explore further solutions.