- Download and install the software.
- It will scan your computer for problems.
- The tool will then fix the issues that were found.
As far as we know, the Windows error “Microsoft Windows Network: Local device name is already in use” is a Windows error related to the mapping of network drives and is quite common among people who work with network systems every day. The problem occurs when trying to access a network drive and then encountering this error. In this article, we will present you with several options to get rid of this error and continue working without any problems.
Table of Contents:
What causes the error message “An error occurred while reconnecting”
One of the most important steps in troubleshooting is determining the immediate cause of the problem. This will help you save time and find the right method of solving the problem. So check out our list of causes:
- Some drive letters are not assigned: Some drives may have incorrect or even missing drive letters, causing this error.
- The drive assignment process went wrong: The network drive mapping process can sometimes lead to these drive letter problems.
- File and printer sharing is disabled: If this setting is disabled in the firewall you use, network connectivity becomes difficult and error-prone.
- Lack of disk space on the server: Users report that they need to free up at least a few gigabytes on the root disk of the network server to solve the problem.
How to solve the “An error occurred while reconnecting” problem
Turn on file and printer sharing
Windows 10 offers a feature called File and Printer Sharing that allows you to share your files and printers with other computers on your network. Here’s how to enable it:
1. Open the Control Panel and go to Network and Sharing Center.
2. Under “Network and Internet,” click on “Change advanced sharing settings.”
3. In the Public folder sharing section, select “Turn on file and printer sharing.”
4. In the Password protected sharing section, select “Turn off password-protected sharing.”
5. Click Save changes.
That’s all you need to do! Now any computer on your network should be able to access your files and printers.
Updated: November 2024
This tool is highly recommended to help you fix your error. Plus, this tool offers protection against file loss, malware, and hardware failures, and optimizes your device for maximum performance. If you already have a problem with your computer, this software can help you fix it and prevent other problems from recurring:
- Step 1 : Install the PC Repair and Optimizer Tool. (Windows 10, 8, 7, XP, Vista).
- Step 2 : Click Start Scan to determine what problems you are experiencing with your computer.
- Step 3 : Click Repair Allto resolve all problems.
Reassign the network drive
1. Press the Windows key + E on your keyboard to open File Explorer.
2. In the left navbar, click on This PC.
3. Right-click on the network drive you want to map and select Map network drive… from the context menu.
4. In the Folder field, type in the path of the shared folder you want to map (i.e., \\ServerName\ShareName).
5. To reconnect every time you sign in to your computer, check the Reconnect at the sign-in box.
6. Click Finish. Your network drive will now be mapped!
Launch the SFC tool
In order to run an SFC scan on Windows 10, there are a few steps that need to be followed.
- First, open the Command Prompt by searching for it in the Start menu.
- Once the Command Prompt is open, type in the following command: sfc /scannow. This will initiate the scan. The scan may take a while to complete, and it will automatically repair any found problems.
- If any problems are found that cannot be repaired, you will need to restart your computer and run the scan again.
You can also use the DISM tool to repair problems with your system image. For more information on how to use the DISM tool, please see the Microsoft documentation.
Start DISM scan
Before you run a DISM scan, it’s always a good idea to create a restore point. That way, if there are any problems after the scan, you can always revert back to a previous working state.
1. To create a restore point, head to Start > type ‘restore’ > select ‘Create a restore point’.
2. Once you’ve created a restore point, open up Command Prompt as an administrator. To do this, head to Start > type ‘command prompt’ > right-click on the first result and select ‘Run as administrator’. Alternatively, you can press Windows key + X and select ‘Command Prompt (Admin)’.
3. In the Command Prompt window, type in the following command and press Enter: dism /online /cleanup-image /scanhealth
4. The scan will now start running and will take some time to complete. Once it’s finished, you’ll see a message that says ‘No component store corruption detected’. If you do see errors, you can try running the command again with the /restorehealth switch to fix the problem.
Perform system restore
System restore is a feature in Windows 10 that allows you to roll back your computer to a previous state. This can be useful if you’ve installed an update that’s causing problems, or if you want to go back to a previous version of Windows. Here’s how to perform a system restore in Windows 10:
1. Open the Start Menu and type “Create a restore point.”
2. Click the “System Properties” link.
3. Under the “System Protection” tab, click the “System Restore” button.
4. Click the “Next” button.
5. Select the restore point that you want to use, then click the “Next” button.
6. Follow the prompts to complete the system restore process.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do you fix an error occurred while reconnecting?
The problem might have been caused by a Windows Update, which causes a number of external drive issues and other problems. Go to Settings > Update and Security > Windows Update > Installed Update History to see what updates were installed around the time the problem occurred, and try removing them to see if that helps.
How do I reconnect a network drive?
- Open File Explorer from the taskbar, from the Start menu, or press Windows+E.
- In the left window, select this PC. Then on the Computer tab, select Mapping Network Drive.
- In the Drive list, select the drive letter of the available drive. (It is recommended that you select the drive letter that corresponds to the selected network drive.)
- In the Folder field, enter the path to the folder or computer.
- Select the Connect with other credentials check box.
- Select 'done'.
- If prompted, enter your user name and password.
- Click OK.
What does it mean when it says the local device name is already in use?
If there is not enough disk space on the network server computer, you may receive a "Local device name is already in use" error message. Make sure there is enough space on the network server computer.