"Unspecified Error" when renaming folders in Windows 10

Question

Since the start of the week I can't rename folders anymore. I can create and delete files and folders, and rename files, but renaming folders result in a "unspecified error". This happens regardless if the folder already existed or was recently created, and in both C: (my SSD) and E: (my HDD) drives.

The console command ren still works, but renaming through any Explorer interface (Explorer window, Desktop, Open File dialog,...) fails in the same way.

It's not any antivirus (the only one I'm using is Windows Defender) and the problem persists with all user programs and their associated services stopped. I'm fairly sure I don't have any viruses either.

This is genuine, clean Windows 10 install. I found other people with similar problems, but all of them were drive-specific, which this is not.

Solution

Edit: A few days later and the problem is back. I'm un-accepting this answer, but it may hold some solution.

I think I figured it out. This has fixed the error for me.

Cause

A special folder (e.g. Desktop, Images, Downloads, Videos, etc) has an invalid path as location (because the drive has been renamed or is missing).

Symptoms

• The This PC shortcuts in Explorer contains items that when clicked trigger an error (as expected).
• Changing the location of the bugged items results in a new item, and the bugged one remains (unexpected).
• Renaming folders in Explorer results in 0x80004005 Unspecified Error (very unexpected).

Fix

1. Open regedit, perform a search for the path of the bugged item, and manually replace the value.
2. Restart the computer or kill and restart explorer.exe.

Comments

[BoppreH]

I have since reinstalled Windows twice and changed computers, so I'm afraid I can't reproduce the error again and won't be accepting any answer. Sorry.

[DavidPostill]

I'm voting to close this question as off-topic because it is no longer reproducible and there is insufficient information to answer it.

[Moab]

Answered here....superuser.com/questions/1390293/…

[BoppreH]

This happens to all folders, old and new, in all drives. Still waiting for an answer :/

[BoppreH]

This happens across file system. SSD, HDD, pendrives (FAT and NTFS). And I can still rename through the command line, so Windows knows how to rename the folders, but somehow Explorer fails to do so. Besides, "wiki-errors" looks scammy ("Download (80004005) Repair Tool.").

[BoppreH]

Thanks, but the problem happens with any folder (so no corrupted folders to remove) and chkdsk didn't fix it.

[KeyC0de]

I can't find a path with this directory location.

[Ale]

4 years later, wiki-errors still looks scammy -- and the link above has no info besides the very fishy "automated repair tool" (which you can't even download!)