If you are using any network on your PC to connect multiple devices, you might have encountered the local device name that is already in use error on your Windows PC. The error is common and fortunately fixable.
However, the error can cause hindrance in the overall efficiency of your PC. This is why we have brought this list of 5 fixes you can try to resolve the issue once and for all. If you are bothered by the sudden occurrence of the local device name being already in use, read this post until the end, as today might be the last day you experience inconvenience.
In this post, you will find what exactly causes this issue on your PC and how to resolve it. Let’s begin by understanding why the “the local device name is already in use error appears on Windows.
What Causes Local Device Name Exists Network Error on Your PC?
Multiple factors affect your PC’s network usage. This is also why it is impossible to point out a single reason behind the issue you have faced. Some of the most prominent causes of the local device name is already in use errors are –
1. Unassigned Drive Letters on Your Storage
While dealing with data transfers over the network, it is crucial to understand the sources. When drives are available to you, but they are not assigned a letter, or you start using a letter that has not been assigned yet to a drive, the local device name already in use may occur.
2. Discrepancies in File & Printer Sharing Configuration
Another interesting issue that can cause such an error on your PC is the improper file and printer sharing configuration. Using these features over a network means you must ensure the settings are correct. More importantly, take care that the service is enabled.
3. Low Network Server Storage
Though this is not an issue for common users, sometimes power users may encounter low network server storage. And you already know what happens when you do not have enough storage, errors appear!
4. Registry Issues
When establishing a network drive, ensure you do not leave any stone unturned. Registries are an integral part of any process on a Windows PC, and thus, keeping them optimized should always be a priority.
All these issues create a confusing pattern for any user to understand the reason behind their experience. One must check the system for all these to ensure the error can be resolved.
But how?
Well, that is exactly what we have answered for you in the next section.
How to Fix “The Local Device Name is Already in Use”? 5 Ways that Work!
Way #1 – Remap Your Network Drive
Coming in as an official solution by Microsoft, remapping your network drive is a highly recommended method to fix the local device name already used on Windows. That is because assigning letters can become confusing when mapping the network drive since it automatically takes the values.
Hence remapping the network drive is always a better option than getting entangled in the confusion of letters.
To try this method on your PC, simply follow the given steps.
Step 1 – Go to the start menu and search for Command Prompt or type CMD.
Step 2 – When you have the result, simply click on Run as Administrator.
Step 3 – This will bring up the command prompt windows for you. In CMD, use the command –
net use D /delete
to remove the drive you want. Keep in mind that we have taken D as an example you may require to mention the name of the disk you want to be remapped.
Step 4 – The above command will delete the wrongly mapped drive. Now, use the following command to configure the same drive letter.
net use D: \\server\share /user:username password
Do not confuse the username and password mentioned above, you have to use your credentials for the drive alphabet you choose.
Step 5 – The error should be resolved once both commands are executed successfully.
Read Also: Easiest Ways to Resolve ERR_INTERNET_DISCONNECTED Error
Way #2 – Assign the Letter to Existing Drive
If you have encountered the local device name that is already in use, chances are that the one you want to use for a network drive already exists. In this case, you can change the drive alphabets for existing drives.
Here’s how you do it –
Step 1 – Press Windows + X to open the quick access menu.
Step 2 – From the quick access menu, choose Disk Management.
Step 3 – In Disk Management, click and select the drive you want to reassign the letter.
Step 4 – Right-click on the selected drive and click Change Drive Letter and Paths…
Step 5 – When the Window pops up, click on the change button.
Step 6 – Select the alphabet you want to use instead of the existing one and click on OK.
Step 7 – You will get a UAC prompt to confirm your move once you click OK. Click on Yes on the same as well.
That is how you change the drive letter or path on Windows.
Way# 3 – Enable File & Printer Sharing Through Firewall
Enabling file and printer sharing is not a problem; PC security is. You see, all the drives on a network can be vulnerable. This is why many firewalls make the process forbidden. If you find the local device name is already in use error on your system while trying to access the drive, you can try the following steps –
Step 1 – Press Windows + R on Your keyboard to bring up the run search.
Step 2 – In the Run, type the control command and hit enter to open the Control Panel.
Step 3 – In Control Panel, look for System & Security option.
Step 4 – Open the Windows Defender Firewall option to find the ‘allow other applications’ option in the left panel.
Step 5 – In the option you chose in the previous step, you find a dialogue box with all the information about what permissions are available for which program.
Step 6 – In the above-opened dialogue box. Search for File & Printer Sharing and ensure you click on the box against the public.
Step 7 – Save the changes and exit the control panel. Try the access process again to find that the local device name is already in use and the error has been resolved.
Read Also : Fixed: Local Security Authority Protection Off – Your Device May Be Vulnerable
Way #4 – Manage Registries
The biggest step can be to remove Mount Points registry keys. That is the last resort one can take, as these keys have saved data for the entire past year.
Mounting MountPoint registries so that you have minimum things to hide or explain. Here’s how you remove MountPoint registries –
Step 1 – Go to the start menu and search for the registry editor
Step 2 – Choose the outcome that matches your search. This will open the registry editor on your PC.
Step 3 – After opening the registry editor, look for the following path –
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer
Step 4 – Seeing how easily a user could get hands-on MountPoint keys available for registry editing was shocking.
Step 5 – Select the keys from the opened window. Right-click on the keys and then click delete.
The exact key regenerates as soon as you have restarted the PC. You can now use the same methods to identify whether or not the MountPoint 2 keys have regenerated. This will also help you understand the fate of the local device name already used on your PC.
Once the registries are edited, it is important to understand that only a limited number of users know what these registry keys are and the impact that these edits may have. This is why your Registry files may require optimization after such a step.
If you agree with the vision, check out Registry Optimization, a dedicated tool section from Advanced System Optimizer.
You can run a registry scan, and the rest will be handled. This way, you get an idea of making a certain choice while managing registries related to the MountPoint keys.
Way #5 – Restart Computer Browser
The computer browser is another program that impacts the performance of your network drive and hence can be a solid reason behind the local device name error. To restart the process, simply –
Step 1 – Go to Start Menu and open Command Prompt as Admin.
Step 2 – In the Command Menu, use the command net stop “Computer Browser” to stop the process.
Step 3 – After successful execution of the command, use the command net start “Computer Browser” to initiate the service again.
Remember that this process will work better than simply closing the browser window and restarting it. Hence it is always worth a try in times of local device name is already in use and errors continuously bother the experience.
The Local Device Name is Already in Use Error is Easily Fixable!
With the help of the above fixes, you can clearly understand how simple it is to resolve the error. Besides these ways, you should always remember that panicking and giving up on errors only make situations worse.
Choose the appropriate fix from the available options and do the job independently. If you wish to manage your registry usage, ensure that you use Advanced System Optimizer so that other minor errors do not appear.
That’ll be all for this post. Thanks for reading it. Let us know if you need any other assistance via the comments section. Good Luck!
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