Windows Fax and Scan issue with migrated data on new PC

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Hi Lounge, hopefully someone here can help me with a minor annoyance.

A while back I built a new PC and restored my user data such as the Documents folder from my File History on the NAS. I’m using the same account as previously, and all my data is owned by me when I look at the properties.

However, Windows Fax and Scan refuses to work and throws the following error:

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Windows Fax and Scan
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Windows Fax and Scan cannot run as it cannot access your documents folder. 
Please ensure that Windows Fax and Scan can access that folder
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I have been unable to solve this. I cannot find any reason why it believes my documents folder is inaccessible.

My scanner still works, I can scan fine from LibreOffice or other programs, but I was used to WFaS and would prefer to use it again.

I’m on Win10 version 2004, clean install of that version with security updates.

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Have you tried the method posted by Kelsosmith on microsoft answers?

Windows - commercial by definition and now function...

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erbkaiser

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Maybe have a look here under windows security/ virus and threat protection/ransomware protection

You may have access blocked to that folder and need to check out “Allow an App through Controlled Folder Access” to allow.

Just because you don't know where you are going doesn't mean any road will get you there.

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erbkaiser

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Thanks for the link Microfix. I came across that thread a while ago. Unfortunately, it isn’t helpful to me as I am using the same account as I was using on my old PC. It’s how I was able to get my data back through file history. Both the classic username and Microsoft Account match, and I’m already the full owner of C:\Users\<me>\Documents and all child folders.

WFS is trying to access C:\Users\<me>\Documents\Scanned Documents which also has the correct rights set. When I rename that folder to make sure it does not exist and launch WFS I get the same error message and a new folder is not created.

@wavy I did not have Controlled folder access enabled under Ransomware protection. Just to be sure, I enabled it and launched WFS again. This time it was blocked by security so I added an exclusion. but it doesn’t make a difference, on the next launch I get the same error.

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Other things I tried and did not mention before are:

• running WFS as an admin, which also makes no difference.
• Verifying my Windows install with SFC
• using runas to launch WFS specifically from my Microsoft account
• using runas to launch WFS specifically from my local PC account

No other programs are having problems reading or writing my documents folder.

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It sounds like permissions.
Right click on the folder in Explorer, Properties > Security.
Make sure Authenticate Users, System and Administrators have write permission.

cheers, Paul

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[erbkaiser]

That’s not it, I’m the owner of my documents folder and all folders below it and have full permissions.

My account is Administrator and I’m the only user on my PC as well.

• This reply was modified 4 years, 7 months ago by erbkaiser.
• This reply was modified 4 years, 7 months ago by erbkaiser.

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@erbkaiser have you have tried this registry tweak?
Backup your current registry first just in case

1. Open Windows Registry editor (Winkey and r) then in the popup runbox type: regedit
2. navigate to this key from the left hand pane within:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER \Software \Microsoft \Windows \CurrentVersion \Explorer \User Shell Folders

3. On right hand side pane, double click Personal and change value data to:

%USERPROFILE%\My Documents

(or wherever your imported My Documents reside, adjust accordingly for your path)

then press [ok]

4. Close the registry editor
5. Now open Windows Fax and Scan and check to see if it works as intended.

Could it possibly be a patch? I’m assuming you are completely up-to-date with v2004.
Do you have the September ‘preview’ patch installed? If not, might be worth waiting for today’s patch Tuesday documentation prior to installing..

Windows - commercial by definition and now function...

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Try this:

Right click on the Documents folder, Properties > Sharing > Share, add Everyone.

cheers, Paul

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