You may be struggling with the annoying error code 0x800704b3 in Windows 10/11. What causes this error? How can you get rid of the trouble? Take it easy and MiniTool helps analyze the reasons behind it, as well as several effective solutions to help you out.
0x800704b3 Windows 11/10
Network error code 0x800704b3 often crops up on Windows 10 or Windows 11 PCs, making you very frustrated. This common error indicates a network connection failure, which blocks you from connecting to the Internet or accessing network resources including shared files, printers, etc.
On the screen, the popped-up error message states “The network path was either typed incorrectly, does not exist, or the network provider is not currently available”. Why does the error happen on your computer? Corrupted system files, enabled SMB 1.0 protocol, not running network-related services, a conflict from an antivirus tool, etc. may give rise to the network error 0x800704b3.
Thankfully, a bunch of solutions below can easily help you out, and let’s walk them through.
Fix 1. Run Network Troubleshooter
When confronted with network error code 0x800704b3, first of all, running the network troubleshooter will be wise. With this handy tool built into Windows 11/10, you can detect some common issues and fix them.
Step 1: Open Settings using Win + I on your keyboard.
Step 2: Go to Troubleshoot > Update & Security > Additional troubleshooters in Windows 10. Or go to System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters on Windows 11.
Step 3: Locate Network Adapter and click the Run or Run the troubleshooter button to begin the troubleshooting process.
Fix 2. Disable SMB Protocol 1.0
SMB, short for Server Message Block, refers to a protocol that allows you to share files, printers, and other resources on a network. If the old version, SMB 1.0, is enabled on your PC, some network issues like error code 0x800704b3 may arise. Just go to check and disable this protocol.
Step 1: Type Windows features into the search box and hit Turn Windows features on or off.
Step 2: In the subsequent window, find SMB 1.0/CIFS File Sharing Support, untick this option and the boxes associated with it.
Step 3: Hit OK to save the change and restart your PC.
Fix 3. Enable Network Services
On Windows 11/10, there are many services responsible for proper network connectivity but incorrect settings of these services may result in network error code 0x800704b.
Step 1: Type services into the search box and hit Enter to open Services.
Step 2: Find the DHCP Client service, double-click on it, and hit Start if it isn’t running. Or tap Stop and then Start. Also, set the Startup type to Automatic.
Step 3: Do the same thing for the following services:
- DNS Client
- Network Connections
- Network Location Awareness
- Network List Service
- TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper
- WLAN AutoConfig (when using Wi-Fi)
Later, check if Windows 11/10 0x800704b3 has been solved. If not, continue troubleshooting it.
Fix 4. Fix Windows System Files
Corruption in Windows system files sometimes may be the culprit behind your network error. When confronted with error code 0x800704b3, run SFC or DISM.
Step 1: Open Command Prompt with admin rights by typing cmd into the search box and clicking Run as administrator on the right side.
Step 2: Execute this command – sfc /scannow. Don’t forget to hit Enter.
Step 3: Run DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth.
Fix 5: Uninstall Antivirus Software
Recall your mind if Windows 10/11 network error code 0x800704b3 appears after installing a third-party program like antivirus software, VPN app, firewall, etc. Then, remove it from your PC.
Step 1: Open Control Panel via the search box.
Step 2: Tap on Uninstall a program under Programs.
Step 3: Locate the one that may cause the network error and uninstall it.
Fix 6. Create a New User Account
A corrupt user profile may be responsible for Windows 11/10 network error 0x800704b3 and we suggest creating a new user account to see if it solves the issue. For details, refer to this guide – How to Add or Remove a User/Microsoft Account on Windows 11.
Bottom Line
Network issues can be annoying, especially when you urgently need it for browsing. Hopefully, multiple fixes are mentioned in this post to get you rid of the network error code 0x800704b3.
In case you fail to address it, the last one you can resort to will be reinstalling the Windows 11/10 system. Before the reinstallation, make sure you back up your important files using MiniTool ShadowMaker, brilliant PC backup software.
MiniTool ShadowMaker TrialClick to Download100%Clean & Safe
Do you find Error 0x800704B3 in Windows 10 or 11 while getting Windows update or connecting to the network? When this issue occurs you become unable to get updates and establish a connection to access internet.
We are providing a few trustworthy ways to fix this Windows update problem or network issue in the following part.
Error 0x800704B3 Windows 11 and 10 Solutions
Solution-1: Uninstall 3rd party antivirus or utility
Recall your mind if the problem started after installation of a 3rd party utility like Antivirus, VPN app, Firewall, or other. After you identify the real culprit remove it from your system. Else uninstall the tools one by one checking the cause of Windows update error code r0x800704B3.
For Windows 10 –
- Open Windows Settings program by pressing Win and I keys.
- Select Apps.
- Go to the right side of the application and locate the software you need to remove.
- Click on its icon and choose Uninstall on the expanded pane. Follow the on-screen instructions until the end.
- You can take help of Revo uninstaller or the remover software offered by the manufacturer. Reboot the computer and start a fresh check for updates.
For Windows 11 –
- Click the Search.
- Type – apps & features.
- Locate the app that causes the error.
- Next, click 3 dots and choose – Uninstall.
- Again click ‘Uninstall.’
Solution-2: Create A new user account
Corrupt user account might cause to display error code 0x800704B3. Most security issues arise in this situation preventing the Windows update file to download and install. So we suggest creating a new user account and test if the problem still occurs. In case, the issue is gone delete the old malfunctioning account and restart the system.
For Windows 10 –
- Launch Windows Settings app and select Accounts.
- Click on Sign in with a Local account instead in the right side and type your password if it already exists.
For Windows 11 –
- Open Settings (Win+I).
- Select – Accounts.
- Click – Your info.
- Choose – Sign in with a local account instead.
- Follow the instructions coming out on the screen.
Solution-3: Check for the Broken Windows System files
Error 0x800704B3 may occur due to the damaged system file. SFC is an important tool in this kind of circumstances that can trace out and fix the mess up.
- Press Win+R, type cmd and hit Ctrl+Shift+Enter.
- Select Yes when User Account control pop up locks the display.
- Type SFC/ SCANNOW on the black window and then gently strike on Enter Key.
- Let the scan complete as it will take few minutes.
- Reboot your PC and check if the error no longer exists.
Solution-4: Change Services Status
The error 0x800704B3 Windows 11 or 10 causes no network access then it is a good idea change the status of the service TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper. Some bugs or tools stop support for the NetBIOS over TCP/IP (NetBT) service and NetBIOS name resolution. As a result, you fail to establish the network connection.
- Right-click on the Start button and select Computer Management from the list of options.
- Once the console appears, double click on Services and applications in the left pane. Now select Services.
- Click on TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper and press Start on the Properties wizard.
- Sometimes TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper may fail to start showing the error – The system could not find the specified path. In this situation,
- Press Windows logo key, type regedit.exe, and then hit Enter.
- Once the Registry editor comes out, copy
- “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\lmhosts”
- paste into the address bar and press the Enter key.
- Go to the right pane, do a right-click on the Value Start and select Modify.
- Enter 2 under the Value data field and choose OK.
- Check if the Error 0x800704B3 Windows 11 or 10 gets fixed after a restart.
Solution-5: Check SMB protocols
Few users tell that when they disable SMB Protocols the error settles down.
- Open Elevated command prompt, copy the below piece of command
- sc.exe config lanmanworkstation depend= bowser/mrxsmb10/nsi
sc.exe config mrxsmb20 start= disabled - paste, and then press Enter.
Solution-6: See if Homegroup is creating the issue
On some user’s system, error 0x800704B3 Windows 11 or 10 occurs due to a problem with Homegroup. However, many of them get success after disabling all built-in security tools like Firewall, Windows Defender, etc. So you can follow this way if you are a homegroup user.
Follow the list and navigate to the solutions –
Solution-1: Uninstall 3rd party antivirus or utility
Solution-2: Create A new user account
Solution-3: Check for the Broken Windows System files
Solution-4: Change Services Status
Solution-5: Check SMB protocols
Solution-6: See if Homegroup is creating the issue
That’s all!!
When the 0x800704b3 error occurs in Windows, you are unable to connect to any network, cannot access the C drive, and some applications won’t open either. It can be very frustrating as more often than not, you’ll need to access the internet on your PC or laptop.
If your network services are disabled in the background, you will be getting this error on your system. It’s obvious that if these services are turned off, the computer won’t connect to the internet, and hence the network error would show up.
So, in order to start the network services again, you can either use the Task Manager or the Command Prompt.
We’ll explain all of the solutions for the Windows 0x800704b3 error below, and you can go through each one of them to try them out.
1. Run Windows Network Adapter Troubleshooter
This is the most basic way to counter a network issue. Since the error we are facing here has to do with the network, running the built-in Network Adapter troubleshooter can help fix it.
Follow the steps below to run the troubleshooter.
- Press Win + R keys together to open run and inside the text field enter this command to run troubleshooter:
msdt.exe /id NetworkDiagnosticsNetworkAdapter
Network Adapter command in Run
- Click on Next to start the scan.
Network Adapter screen
- Wait for the troubleshooter to inspect and fix the issues.
- Once done, see if you can connect to your network now.
2. Run SFC and DISM Scans
The SFC and DISM scans will help in identifying and removing corrupt system files from your computer. Besides, it will also look for integrity violations and try to repair them as well. On top of that, if the problem is with your Windows image, these commands will fix it too. This process needs to be executed in Safe Mode. You can follow our guide about booting into safe mode for both Windows 10 and Windows 11 before performing the steps below.
Once done, then here’s how to run the SFC and DISM scans.
- Press the Windows key now and type cmd.
- Run the command prompt as administrator.
- Type in the following commands in order one by one:
sfc /scannow
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
After the process is done, restart your PC to boot into normal mode and see if the error is gone or not.
3. Change the Status of Network Services to Running
It’s pretty clear that you won’t be able to connect to the internet if some of your network services are stopped in the background. As a result, Windows will display the 0x800704b3 error. Therefore, running the network dependencies in the background through the Task Manager is recommended.
Here’s how to do it:
- Press the Windows key and type cmd in the search bar
- Open the Command Prompt as administrator.
- Now run the following commands one by one and connect to your network again:
net start dhcp
net start dnscache
net start netprofm
net start nlasvc
net start rpcss
net start lanmanserver
net start lmhosts
net start lanmanworkstation
net start fdrespub
net start upnphost
net start dot3svc
net start wlansvc
net start eventsystem
net start browser
net start wzcsvc
4. Start the TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper
This service allows users to print, share files, and log on to their network. In the event that this service is not running or the value data is wrongly entered, the NetBIOS Helper won’t run, and the user won’t be able to connect to the network. First, try to start the TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper service. If that shows an error, then move on to change its value data to 2.
Here’s how to carry out the whole process.
- Select Computer Management after right-clicking on the Start button.
Computer Management option in Windows 10 - Expand the Services and Applications tab and click on Services.
- Now scroll down and right-click on TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper and select Start.
Computer Management Window - You can encounter an error that says “The system could not find the specified path” while starting the service. If so, press the Windows key and open the command prompt as administrator.
- Now run the following command to change the value data in lmhosts to 2:
reg add "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\lmhosts" /v "start" /t REG_DWORD /d 2 /f
Value data changing command
- Check whether Windows is still showing the error or not after restarting your PC.
5. Disable SMB 1.0 Protocol
SMB is a network file-sharing protocol whose main purpose is to share access to different resources (files, printers, communication) over a network. There are three versions (SMB 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0) of the Server Message Block at the moment.
Version 1.0 is disabled by default. Therefore, if you have enabled it by mistake, your system will fail to connect to the network, and hence the 0x800704b3 error will show up in Windows.
But no worries, just follow the steps below and disable SMB Version 1.
- Click on the Start button and type Windows Features in the search bar.
- On the subsequent window, look for SMB 1.0 and uncheck the option.
Uncheck SMB 1.0
- Click OK and restart your PC.
- Now check if you can connect to the network.
6. Create a New User Account
Sometimes the problem can be with the account you are using. It could be due to corrupted system files, viruses, or malware. You can create a new admin user account and see if the issue gets fixed or not.
- Enter the following commands after running the command prompt as administrator:
net user "account name" /add
net localgroup administrators "account name" /add
- Enter the name you prefer in place of “account name“
- Now see if the same error occurs in the new account or not.
If the error is gone, follow our guide to transferring all your data to the new account.
7. Perform an In-Place Windows Repair
This method will reinstall Windows without disturbing any files or applications on your computer. Moreover, if there are any corrupt or damaged system files, they will be repaired.
Make sure you use an admin account for the repair and only keep the mouse, keyboard, and LAN cable plugged in. Unplug the rest of the peripherals. Additionally, uninstall any third-party anti-virus software.
Now here’s how to carry out the process.
- Download the Media Creation Tool from the Microsoft website.
- Click on Run.
- Click Yes on the UAC window.
- Once the Media Creation Tool downloads, you will see the Windows 10 setup.
- Accept the license terms.
License terms screen
- Select Upgrade this PC Now in the proceeding window and click Next.
Upgrade this PC now screen
- Now click Install on the Ready to Install screen.
Ready to install screen
- Your PC will restart multiple times during the installation process.
- Once done, sign in with your admin account.
- Click Accept after selecting the Privacy Settings.
- Decline or Use Cortana on the next screen.
- Now the home screen of your system will show up and you can successfully sign in.
- After signing in, check if the error has been countered or not.
8. Custom Install Windows
If none of the processes above work, try to reinstall Windows via an ISO file to get rid of the 0x800704b3 error. Don’t worry, you won’t lose any of your data. After Windows gets installed, you can recover the files from the Windows.old folder.
Here’s how to custom-install the latest version of Windows.
- Use your Windows Installation Media (USB or Disc) to start the setup.
- Move to the next screen after pressing Enter or any other key.
- Wait until the Windows logo is showing up.
- Afterward, select your preferred language, time, and input method.
Windows setup language, time, and input method screen - Click on Install Now.
Install Now screen - Click Next on the license prompt.
- Now click Custom and then choose the Primary partition.
Primary Partition screen - Click Next and then click OK on the warning prompt.
- Wait for the installation.
- After this, Windows will restart automatically and again reboot into setup.
- After Windows restarts for the last time, you can customize the settings.
- Windows will now look for an active network connection and if the issue has been resolved, it will connect to the network.
If you are struggling with an update error code 0x800704B3 while updating Windows, this guide presents a handful of fixes that might help. We will also look into the reasons for triggering such an error code, what happens when it occurs, and five workarounds that might solve this error code on Windows 11/10.
What causes Update Error 0x800704B3 in Windows?
Windows 11/10 may fail on an update error 0x800704B3 because of one or more of the following reasons –
- Missing or obsolete system files
- Corrupt Windows update components
- Outdated device drivers
Before you go ahead and apply the below fixes, make sure to disable Windows Defender, Windows Firewall, or external antivirus (if you use any). You may now try out these workarounds to resolve the update-related issues on your PC –
1. Run Update Troubleshooter
If you are struggling with an update error, the first thing that you should run is the update troubleshooter. This is basically an in-built tool designed to find and fix the underlying causes behind an update issue. Here’s how you may run this troubleshooter –
- Press
Windows key & Ito launch the Settings app. - Click Update & Security > Troubleshoot.
- On the right pane, you will find a link to “Additional troubleshooters“. Well, click on this link.
- Moving ahead, click to expand Windows update and hit Run the troubleshooter.
- When the troubleshooting window launches, hit Next.
- Let the system detect and resolve any issues on your PC. All you require is to follow the on-screen instructions.
Even in case, it doesn’t resolve the error 0x800704B3, this tool will explain ways how to get rid of this issue.
2. Perform SFC Scan
After uninstalling a third-party app, it is required of us to restart our PC. However, very few follow this standard practice. As a result, some leftover files remain on the device and keep interacting with the system files. Over some time, such files become corrupted to such an extent that you can’t update your operating system.
Similarly, when there are some or more missing files, this may also result in updates failing on Windows 11/10 PCs. To solve this issue then, one must use the SFC tool. The System file checker utility will find the underlying causes and try to fix them if possible. Here’s how to run this command-line program.
- Launch CMD having admin rights.
- On the elevated console, type the following, and press Enter.
sfc /scannow
- Wait for this scan to complete 100%.
- Once over, restart your PC and check if this actually resolves error code 0x800704B3.
If not, you may try the next set of solutions discussed below.
3. Reset Update Components
If you haven’t purged SoftwareDistribution and Catroot2 folders for a long time, this may start troubling the Windows update process. Resetting update components is the best way to fix an update error if none of the above solutions work in your case.
4. Use System Restore Point
In case you have created a system restore point sometime back in the past, you may use that right now. If you haven’t generated any system image backup right then, skip this method, and proceed to the next one. Here’s how to use the system restore point –
- To make this solution work, ensure that you log into your device as an administrator.
- Press Win + R to launch the Run dialog box.
- Type “
rstrui” in the text field, and hit OK. - Click Next, pick the latest image version, and then re-click the Next button.
- It would be good if you scan the chosen backup for affected programs and malware.
- Now, follow the on-screen instructions to complete the remaining steps.
- This whole restoring process will take 30-45 minutes, so wait patiently.
5. Manually install cumulative updates
If none of the above solutions work in your case, you are left with only one option i.e. manual installation of cumulative updates. For each update that comes for Windows 11/10 users, Microsoft uploads a standalone package at its official site i.e. Update Catalog. Here’s how you can manually download and install pending cumulative updates on your computer.
I hope this tutorial helps to recover your system back from the update error 0x800704B3. Let us know in the comment section if you face any difficulty applying the above solutions.
What is error code 0x80004005?
The error 0x80004005 is an unspecified error and it occurs when a file that the Windows Product Activation (WPA) requires is either damaged or missing. When this occurs, it prohibits accessing Shared Folders and Disk Drives. Users might even face problems opening their Virtual Machines or making changes to their Microsoft accounts.
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Several users have reported coming across the network error code 0x800704b3 on their Windows 10 and Windows 11 PCs. This error indicates a network connection failure and prevents users from accessing the internet or internet resources.
Well, if you are also getting the same 0x800704b3 network error, then you will be glad to know that this guide will give you a bunch of solutions to fix the issue. You can apply the solutions on both your Windows 10 and 11 PCs. Let us get right into it.
Why am I getting the network error code 0x800704b3?
The two most common error messages containing the error code 0x800704b3 that you will come across are listed below:
Windows cannot access
Check the spelling of the name. Otherwise, there might be a problem with your network. To try to identify and resolve network problems, click Diagnose.
Error code: 0x800704b3
The network path was either typed incorrectly, does not exist, or the network provider is not currently available.Please try retyping the path or contact your network administrator.
Here are a few of the reasons that will trigger the network error code 0x800704b3:
- Your antivirus tool is conflicting: Chances are that the presence of a third-party antivirus tool is causing the network on your PC to not function properly.
- System files are corrupt: Due to corrupt or missing system files, especially network-related ones, you will come across the network error code 0x800704b3.
- You have enabled SMB 1.0 protocol: Either you or a third-party program has accidentally enabled Server Message Block (SMB) protocol 1.0, which is causing the problem.
- Corrupt user profile: Your profile might be corrupt or does not have sufficient rights, because of which the network is having difficulties performing to its full potential.
- Network-related services aren’t running: In order for your network to work perfectly, all the network-related services should be running on your PC. If they aren’t then you will face such issues.
How to fix network error code 0x800704b3?
1. Run the network troubleshooter
- Press the Win + I keys to open the Settings menu.
- Click on Troubleshoot.
- Select Other troubleshooters.
- Hit the Run button next to the Network Adapter option.
- Begin the troubleshooting process.
- Apply the suggested fixes.
- Restart your PC.
Using the network troubleshooter, you will be able to fix all the underlying issues including the error code 0x800704b3. This in-built tool has helped several users fix the problem and could help you as well.
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2. Disable any antivirus on your PC
- Open the Start menu by pressing the Win key.
- Open Windows Defender Firewall.
- Click on Turn Windows Defender Firewall on or off option.
- Check the radio buttons for Turn off Windows Defender Firewall (not recommended) for Private and Public network settings.
If you have installed a third-party antivirus tool on your PC or using the Windows Defender on your PC with aggressive settings, then it could complicate things. It could also result in various network errors including 0x800704b3.
We would suggest you disable any third-party antivirus program from your PC. You can also try disabling the Windows Defender settings to check if this resolves the issue or not.
3. Disable SMB Protocol 1.0
- Open the Start menu by pressing the Win key.
- Open Windows Features.
- Scroll down and locate SMB 1.0.
- Uncheck the box for SMB 1.0.
- Click OK to confirm the changes.
- Restart your PC.
SMB or Server Message Block is a network file-sharing protocol that lets you access the connected printer, files, and other resources on the network.
By default, SMB 1.0 comes disabled on recent PCs, and if it is enabled, then it could throw up network issues. Disable the protocol and check if this resolves the error code 0x800704b3.
4. Create a new user account
- Open the Start menu by pressing the Win key.
- Open the command prompt as an admin.
- Type the below command and press Enter.
net user 'account name' /add
(Replace the account name with the name you would like your account name to be)
- Type the below command and press Enter.
net localgroup administrators 'account name' /add
(Replace the account name with the name you chose for the new account) - Log out of your current account.
- Log in to the newly created account and check if this fixes the error 0x800704b3 or not.
You can check out our guide that explains the different ways to fix corrupt user profile on your Windows PC.
5. Fix corrupt system files
- Press the Win key to open the Start menu.
- Open the command prompt as an admin.
- Type the below command and press Enter.
sfc /scannow
- Wait for the command to complete.
- Type the below commands and press Enter after each one.
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealthDISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealthDISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth - Restart your PC.
The above commands will help you fix the corrupt or missing system files. However, they might not be that effective when solving some complicated problems such as error code 0x800704b3.
In such a scenario, you can make use of third-party software that can fix system crashes, fix DLL errors, fix BSOD errors, remove malware or ransomware from your PC, and much more.
6. Enable network services
- Press the Win key to open the Start menu.
- Open the command prompt as an admin.
- Type the below commands and press Enter after each one.
net start dhcpnet start dnscachenet start netprofmnet start nlasvcnet start rpcssnet start lanmanservernet start lmhostsnet start lanmanworkstationnet start fdrespubnet start upnphostnet start dot3svcnet start wlansvcnet start eventsystemnet start browsernet start wzcsvc - Close command prompt.
- Restart your PC.
That is it from us in this guide. If you are getting a hidden network and can’t connect to this network issue, then you should apply the solutions in our guide to fix the issue.
We also have a guide to changing IP addresses without VPN on Windows 10. Some users have reported facing 0x8007003b network error on Windows. This can be easily fixed by applying the solutions in our guide.
Let us know down in the comments below, which one of the above solutions resolved the error code 0x800704b3 on your PC.
Sagar Naresh
Sagar is a web developer and technology journalist. Currently associated with WindowsReport and SamMobile. When not writing, he is either at the gym sweating it out or playing country music on his guitar.
He is an avid traveler and has been to 15 countries, going to more places soon. TRAVEL and WORK is his mantra for a peaceful life.