STATUS_FILE_NOT_AVAILABLE (0XC0000467) Fix

Quick answer

Run sfc /scannow and chkdsk C: /f from an admin command prompt, then reboot. If that doesn't fix it, roll back the latest driver update from Device Manager.

What's going on here

The 0xC0000467 error (STATUS_FILE_NOT_AVAILABLE) pops up when Windows tries to access a file that's temporarily locked or missing. It usually means a driver update got interrupted, a system file got damaged, or a program is holding a file open when it shouldn't be. You might see it when launching a game, opening a video editor, or even just booting up. The real culprit is often a bad driver install—especially for graphics cards or storage controllers. I've seen it happen after a Windows Update pushed a broken driver, or when an SSD starts throwing read errors. Don't panic—it's almost always fixable without reinstalling Windows.

Step-by-step fix

1. Run System File Checker. Open Command Prompt as admin (right-click Start, choose "Command Prompt (Admin)" or "Windows Terminal (Admin)"). Type sfc /scannow and hit Enter. This checks every protected system file and replaces anything corrupted. Let it finish—it might take 15-20 minutes. You'll see either "Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations" or it'll fix files automatically.
2. Run DISM to fix the system image. Still in the admin command prompt, type DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth and press Enter. This repairs the component store that SFC relies on. It downloads fresh copies from Windows Update, so make sure you're online. Takes about 10 minutes. After it completes, reboot and run sfc /scannow again.
3. Check your disk for errors. Type chkdsk C: /f and hit Enter. You'll get a message that the drive is in use and ask to schedule it for next reboot. Type Y and press Enter, then restart your PC. Chkdsk scans and fixes file system errors and bad sectors. Watch the boot screen for a percentage count—it runs before Windows loads.
4. Roll back the latest driver update. If SFC and chkdsk didn't fix it, the problem is likely a driver. Press Win + X, choose Device Manager. Look for any device with a yellow exclamation mark. If everything looks clean, focus on graphics drivers (under Display adapters) and storage drivers (under Storage controllers). Right-click the device, choose Properties, go to the Driver tab, and click "Roll Back Driver." If that button is grayed out, you can't roll back—skip to the next step. Otherwise, follow the prompts and reboot.
5. Uninstall the problematic driver. Still in Device Manager, right-click the suspect device, choose "Uninstall device." On the confirmation dialog, check "Delete the driver software for this device" if it's available. Reboot. Windows will reinstall a generic driver automatically. Test if the error still appears.
6. Clean boot to isolate software conflicts. Press Win + R, type msconfig, hit Enter. Go to the Services tab, check "Hide all Microsoft services," then click "Disable all." Next, go to the Startup tab and click "Open Task Manager." Disable every startup item. Restart. If the error goes away, enable services and startups one by one until you find the offender.

Alternative fixes if the main steps don't work

• Check the Event Viewer log. Press Win + X, choose Event Viewer. Expand Windows Logs > System. Look for errors with event ID 0xC0000467 or source "NTFS" around the time the error occurred. The details often show which file or driver caused the block. Right-click the error, choose "Event Properties," and copy the path shown under "File" or "Device." That tells you exactly what to investigate.
• Run a hardware diagnostic. Download and run the manufacturer's tool for your SSD or HDD (like Samsung Magician or Western Digital Dashboard). A bad disk can cause this error even if chkdsk reports no issues. Pay attention to reallocated sectors or pending errors—those are signs the drive is failing.
• System Restore. Press Win + R, type rstrui, hit Enter. Pick a restore point from before the error started. This reverts system files and drivers without touching your personal files. It's a good last resort before resetting Windows.

Prevention tip

Stop Windows from updating drivers automatically. Open Control Panel, go to System and Security > System > Advanced system settings. Under the Hardware tab, click "Device Installation Settings." Choose "No (your device might not work as expected)" and save. From now on, only install drivers directly from the manufacturer's site—not through Windows Update. Also, keep a backup of your system image (like with Macrium Reflect Free) so you can roll back in 10 minutes instead of spending hours troubleshooting.