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Computer errors can occur due to various reasons such as software bugs, hardware malfunction, or human error. In all cases though, they are extremely annoying as they prevent users from performing intended tasks. Not only that, but you also end up wasting time trying to resolve them.
“The Filename, Directory Name, or Volume Label Syntax Is Incorrect” is a commonly seen Windows error. It shows up with the error code 0x8007007B. In this article, we will cover why it occurs, how to fix it, and everything related to it.
When does the “The Filename, Directory Name, or Volume Label Syntax Is Incorrect” error occur?
“The Filename, Directory Name, or Volume Label Syntax Is Incorrect” is a System Restore error that appears on your screen while trying to manually create a system restore point on Windows 10 or Windows Server. Imagine going through the following scenario:
- You are using Windows 10 or Windows Server (say 2012) on your computer.
- You open the Windows Server Backup utility to use an external drive to store data.
- You try to create a backup using the backup code. Now, if all the compatibilities are met, the backup will be created on the external drive. If not, the error code 0x8007007B with the text “The Filename, Directory Name, or Volume Label Syntax Is Incorrect” will appear.
What causes “The Filename, Directory Name, or Volume Label Syntax Is Incorrect” to appear?
The root cause of “The Filename, Directory Name, or Volume Label Syntax Is Incorrect” is in the error’s text. It says that the filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect which means that the paths set during the backup could not be matched correctly. It could also mean that there is a bottleneck of storage with the external drive.
External drives used for backup must contain over 1 GB of space. Each drive with System Protection enabled must contain 300 MB of space. The system will take up to 20% of the total available space to create the backup. If it finds an old backup of the system, the new backup will override it and delete the old backup automatically to make space if necessary.
How to fix “The Filename, Directory Name, or Volume Label Syntax Is Incorrect”?
There are two known ways to fix the error “The Filename, Directory Name, or Volume Label Syntax Is Incorrect”. Let us discuss both of them.
1. Set the Restore Point to a valid path
If all the hardware compatibilities are met and you still see this error, you should consider setting the Restore Point to a valid path. Here is how to do it:
- Step 1: Open the Run dialog using Win + R or typing Run on the system’s Search Menu.
- Step 2: In the dialog box, type ”sysdm.cpl” to open the System Properties Window.
- Step 3: Go to the System Protection tab of the window.
- Step 4: Uncheck any invalid or duplicate location on this tab. If you use multiple drives, you are likely to see invalid or duplicate locations. To identify invalid entries, it will look like a replica of another location but will not have the Windows logo next to it.
- Step 5: Check the C drive with the Windows logo next to it.
- Step 6: Click on Apply followed by OK to save these changes. You will now be able to create a restore point.
Note: If the error still appears, try unchecking and checking a different location and figure out the valid path through trial and error.
2. Try a Microsoft Hotfix
Hotfixes are a set of code released to fix a bug or an error just by running them. Due to the commonality of the error, there is an official Microsoft Hotfix for “The Filename, Directory Name, or Volume Label Syntax Is Incorrect”. It can be viewed on Microsoft’s website by searching for the error on your browser’s search engine. It comes with a detailed guide and can be executed by people who aren’t tech-savvy.
Conclusion
Errors on Windows can be annoying as they hinder you from performing intended tasks. “The Filename, Directory Name, or Volume Label Syntax Is Incorrect” with the error code 0x8007007B is a commonly seen error on Windows. We discussed why it appears and how to fix it in the article above.
