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How to Fix Failed to Enumerate Objects in the Container Error On Windows?

December 27, 2023
By Payal Mantri

When it comes to file management in the storage space, the Windows operating system offers a versatile performance. It offers various levels of authorization to share a file or folder with other users or shared networks. Surely, this type of data management looks good until errors plague the sharing feature. One such error called the “failed to enumerate objects in the container” is experienced by the users while sharing a file or folder.

The “failed to enumerate objects in the container” error occurs when the user with lower authorization tries to access a file or folder of a higher authorization level. Such errors can be quite frustrating when you want to access a certain file or folder. Since administrator rights are limited to the admin profile, it becomes difficult to change the permission levels. With this article, we will understand the error, and its root cause, and explore solutions for the same.

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Outline

The “Failed To Enumerate Objects In The Container” Error

The Windows operating system applies access permission over the stored files and folders. This is done to make it easy for users to share them without worrying about privacy. The “failed to enumerate objects in the container” error occurs when other users are working with these folders or files. It pops up to the screen when the system does not give the required permission to open the specific folder or file.

The set level of authorization denies unauthorized access and hence this error ends with the “Access is denied” message. For the majority of the time, this error occurs when shared files are accessed by multiple users on a shared network. Since the ownership of the file or folder belongs to the owner, the access permission cannot be easily modified. Various other factors also contribute to this error which are discussed in the next section.

Factors Causing The “Failed To Enumerate Objects In The Container” Error On Windows

We are aware of the access permissions allotted to certain files and folders by the admin. These permissions are the major factors that create the “failed to enumerate objects in the container” error. Other factors are also responsible for creating this error Windows operating system. All these factors are mentioned below:

Permissions For Files And Folders

This is the most common reason why access-related error occurs on Windows operating systems. The permissions are set by the admin or owner of the system which controls access for other users. The access ranges from viewing, modifying, and deleting the stored files or folders. When someone without these permissions accesses the file or folder, the system will not fetch the objects (file or folder) within the container (storage).

Incorrect Settings For Folders

Folder settings are crucial for data sharing, within the system or outside of it. If the system has multiple user profiles, the folder settings are used. It gives access or restricts all the users from opening the file/folder stored on the Admin’s profile. So when a user tries to modify the data, the error will occur. Similarly, if the admin has accidentally set all rights to their profile, other profiles will get errors while accessing these files or folders.

Corruption Of System Files

Sometimes, the problems do not lie with the permissions or authorization level. When system files are corrupted, access will be accidentally restricted. Locating the corrupt files or folders becomes hard for the system as the directory information becomes unavailable. As a result, errors are returned with “access is denied” messages. Various factors like software bugs, viruses, malware, etc cause the corruption of system files.

Interference By Other Programs

If your system has third-party software or programs installed, interference with the files or folders can cause errors. This error is caused due to modified settings for files and folders during the insulation of these programs. Programs like antivirus, games, etc can create interference with the system files like drivers or other files. The settings for some programs also have full access to add or remove access permissions which causes errors even at the admin level.

Fixing “Failed To Enumerate Objects In The Container” Error On Windows

1. Restarting the System

The most common solution for almost every error of Windows? Yes, restarting your system might solve the problem.

You have to press the Windows key to access the Start Menu
Click the Power icon on the bottom-left corner of the Start Menu
Select the Restart option and click it
Alternatively, you can also press ALT and F4 keys and select Restart from the drop-down menu
After the system reboots, click on the file or folder to check if the error reappears or not.

2. Changing the Ownership and Preferences for the Folder

Locate the error-causing folder and right-click on it
Select the Properties option from the options menu
Under the Security tab, select the Advanced option
Right next to the owner’s name, click on the Change option
A new window named “Select User or Group” will open
In this window, write the account name that is experiencing the error in the “enter the object name to select” section. Right next to this section, click on the Check Names option
If the name of the entered account name has an underline, you can click on the OK option and skip to the Advanced Security Settings Window
If the name is not found, you have to click on the Advanced option
Another window will pop up where you have to click on the Find Now option
A list of all the users will appear in the search results.
You have to select the user account you want to give access to the file or folder to
Click on the OK option and you will be redirected to the “Select User or Group” window
Again click on the OK options and you will be directed to the Advanced Security Settings Window
Under the Owner section, tick the box in front of the “replace owner on subcontainers and objects”
At the bottom of the window, tick on the “replace all child object permissions …….” option
By clicking on the Apply and then OK option, the changes will be confirmed

Now that we have added the required user account, we can allot the necessary rights or access permissions to it.

You will have to again visit the Security tab
Select the Advanced option and open the “Advanced Security Settings for Test” window
Under the Permissions tab, click on the Add option
Right next to the Principal option, click on the “Select a Principal”
This will open the “Select User or Group” window
Type “Everyone” in the “enter the object name to select” section
Right next to this search box, click on the Check Names option
By clicking on the OK option, the process will be complete
Tyr to access the folder or file and check if the error is gone

If the error persists, you can follow these steps

Access the Security option of the folder or file, from Properties
Click on the Edit option and select the Administrator option from the list
At the bottom section, you have to tick all the boxes under the Deny section
Click on the Apply and OK option.

3. Turn Off Notification Via UAC (User Account Control)

Press the Windows button and search for “change user account control settings”. Click on the matching result in the search section
The UAC window will open with a slider on the left side
Click and drag the slider to the bottom side to select the Never Notify option
Select the OK 0piton and then reboot the system

4. Use Of Command Prompts

You can take the help of the command prompts to solve the folder or file-related errors. You will have to run the following commands one after another:

Type this command: “uncheck/FX:\Folder_Location” and press enter to run it
Now type this command: “takedown/FX\Folder_Location/r/dy” and run it
Run the next command: “icacls X:\Folder_Location/give admins:F”
Run this command: “icacls X:\Folder_Location/give admins:F/t”

In these commands, the “Folder_Location” refers to the path to the concerned folder. If you don’t know the path of the folder, you can find it through these steps:

Right-click on the folder and select Properties
Right next to the Location option, the address or path of the folder will be displayed
Copy this address and paste it into the required fields

5. Boot Windows In Safe Mode

To enter the Safe Mode, you will have to first enter the Windows Recovery Environment
Depending on your system, the WinRE hotkey will differ. F9 and F12 are common hotkeys for most of the systems
Power On your system and keep pressing the WinRE hotkey until the system enters the Recovery Environment
Click on the Troubleshoot option and select Advanced Options
Click on the Startup Settings and choose the Restart option
When the system restarts, a list of options will appear on the screen
Press the key for the “Enable Safe Mode” option (F4 will be the key for the majority of the time)

When the system loads, you can try to access the error-causing folder. If you are bae to access the folder and its function, chances are that third-party programs or viruses are the culprits. You can remove the unfamiliar program from the system or run a virus scan.

6. Check Your Disk With Command Prompt

Press the Windows and R keys to open the Run Dialogue Box
Type “cmd” and press the enter key
The command prompt will open where you have to enter “chkdsk /r” and then “chkdsk /f” command
To limit the disk scan to the C drive, you can also type this command: “chkdsk /r C:\”

Reboot the system to initiate the disk scanning process.

Failed to Enumerate Objects in Container Error On Windows- FAQs

1. What is the meaning of the “failed to enumerate objects in the container” error for Windows OS?

A. If you get this error while opening a folder or file, it means your profile does not have the necessary permission to view it. This usually happens when selective user profiles have access to these folders or files. The system will not fetch details of these folders or files from the storage space, for unauthorized user accounts.

2. How to fix the failed to enumerate objects in the container error?

A. You can try different solutions to fix this error on your Windows system. You can change the permission for the file/folder. You can also take the help of the Command Prompt to enter certain commands to fix the disk and the error. The system will also display unwanted programs if you boot it in safe mode. If the system is infected with a virus, you can scan it via anti-virus software.

3. Why does the system experience this error?

A. There are various reasons why this error appears on your system. The change in access permission is the common reason for this error. Other factors like corruption of the system files can also cause this error. If the system is infected with a virus, access to certain files or folders will be restricted. Even third-party programs can modify the access permission during the initial setup.

4. Can you use the Command Prompt to fix this error?

A. Yes, Command Prompt offers some of the best methods to fix this error. You can enter the “takeown” or “icacls” commands to deal with this error. These commands help in taking ownership of the specified folders. As a result, you gain full control similar to the Administrator. Enter the “takeown /f C:\ Folder_Path” and then “icacls C: Folder_Path /grant administrators:F” commands.

5. Can corrupt files cause this error?

A. Yes, the corrupt files are responsible for this error on Windows. They restrict the system from accessing the folder or files as the directory information becomes unavailable. Users can fix this by running a disk check on the Command Prompt. The “chkdsk” command can be used with various modifications to run disk checks on selective or entire disk sections.

Conclusion

Thanks to the unique permissions feature of Windows OS, sharing a file or folder with selective users has been simplified. It helps in organizing the user’s access to the data and maintaining data privacy. However, some factors can cause the “failed to enumerate object in the container” error, restricting access to certain folders or files. With this article, we have not only identified the error-causing factors but also explored various solutions for the same. If your system ever experiences this error in the future, you will easily deal with it.