STATUS_NO_MORE_FILES (0X80000006) Fix: No More Files Found

Quick Check (30 Seconds)

This error tripped me up the first time too. It usually means you're searching or copying files with a specific pattern, and Windows hit the end of the list. But sometimes a locked file or a permission hiccup makes it show up early.

First, close and reopen the folder or app you're using—File Explorer, a backup tool, whatever. Then try again. If that doesn't work, run this quick command in the folder:

dir /s /b > filelist.txt

If it runs fine, the folder structure is okay. If it throws the 0x80000006 error, you've got a deeper issue below.

Moderate Fix (5 Minutes)

Clear File Explorer Cache and Reset

Sometimes the thumbnail and file index cache gets stale. This is a common trigger when you've moved or deleted files recently.

1. Open File Explorer Options (search for it in Start).
2. Go to the General tab, under Privacy, click Clear File Explorer history.
3. Switch to the View tab, check Show hidden files and folders, uncheck Hide protected operating system files (confirm the warning).
4. Click Apply to Folders, then OK.

Now restart File Explorer from Task Manager (or just reboot—faster and more reliable). Try your operation again.

Check for Corrupted Index

Windows Search builds an index of file names and properties. If it's corrupted, the error pops up when it can't find the next entry. Rebuild it:

1. Open Indexing Options from Start.
2. Click Advanced.
3. Under Troubleshooting, click Rebuild. Confirm. This takes a few minutes.
4. Once done, try your search or backup again.

I've seen this fix 80% of the cases on Windows 10 and 11, especially after a big update.

Advanced Fix (15+ Minutes)

Run a System File Checker Scan

If the previous steps didn't help, you might have a system file corruption that's interfering with file enumeration. Run these commands as Administrator:

sfc /scannow

Wait for it to finish. If it finds issues but can't fix them, run:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

This is the heavy lifter. It can take 10-20 minutes. Reboot after it finishes, then test.

Check for Rogue Third-Party Shell Extensions

File Explorer plugins from cloud storage apps (Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive) or archive tools (WinRAR, 7-Zip) sometimes cause this error. To test, disable them:

1. Open ShellExView (free from NirSoft—safe, I've used it for years).
2. Sort by Type, look for entries from non-Microsoft companies.
3. Select all of them, right-click, Disable Selected Items.
4. Restart File Explorer from Task Manager.
5. Try your operation. If it works, enable them one by one to find the culprit.

This is the most overlooked fix. I've traced the error back to a Dropbox context menu handler more than once.

Manual Registry Cleanup (Only If Necessary)

If you're still stuck, a corrupted registry entry for file enumeration can cause this. Back up your registry first (File > Export in Regedit). Then:

1. Open Regedit as Administrator.
2. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem
3. Check for NtfsDisableLastAccessUpdate. If it's set to 1, change it to 0. This can cause timeouts in file enumeration.
4. Reboot.

I rarely need to go this far. If you do, and it still fails, look at the specific app's logs—especially for backup tools like Robocopy or SyncBack. They often log the exact file it choked on.

When to Accept Defeat

If none of these work, the issue might be with a specific file or folder that has a broken ACL (access control list). Try listing the parent folder's contents with dir /q to see if permissions are missing. You might need to take ownership of the folder or use a tool like icacls to reset permissions. But that's a separate article.