5 Fixes for the ‘The Local Device Name is Already in Use’ Error on Windows

Did you encounter the local device name already in use error on your Windows PC? The error usually appears when you are using a network drive that is foreign to your PC.

While the error is usually encountered for a specific reason, it can interfere with your PC’s overall efficiency.

In this post, you will find out what causes this issue 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?

The fact that this error occurs for a particular reason does not mean identifying the root cause is easy. Multiple factors affect your PC’s network drive usage. 

Some of the most prominent causes of the local device name already in use errors are –

1. Unassigned Drive Letters on Your Storage

Understanding the sources is crucial while dealing with data transfers over the network. When drives are available, but a driver letter is not assigned, 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 is improper file and printer-sharing configuration. Using these features over a network means you must ensure the settings are correct and, more importantly, 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 leave no 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 given by Microsoft. Remap your network drive to fix the local device name that is already used on Windows. Assigning letters can become confusing when mapping the network drive since it automatically takes the values. 

Hence, remapping the network drive is always better 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 

Replace the driver letter D with the letter of the drive you want to remap. We have taken D as an example. 

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

The username and password in the screenshot above are just examples. You must replace them with your username and password to use your chosen alphabet. 

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 already in use, 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 OK.

Step 7 – Once you click OK, you will receive a UAC prompt to confirm your move. Click Yes.

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 –  Look for the System & Security option in the Control Panel.

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, as these keys have saved data for the 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. Hence, this can be a solid reason for 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 the command is successfully executed, use the command net start “Computer Browser” to initiate the service again.

Remember that this process will work better than simply closing and restarting the browser window. Hence, it is always worth a try when the local device name is already in use, and errors continuously bother the experience. 

#Additional Way – Check for Space Availability on the Server

If none of the above fixes can resolve the issue, you must try to check the space availability on the Network Drive. The error is often perceived as having something to do with connectivity or drive selection. However, sometimes, the lack of memory also impacts your drive usage.

Clearing space and memory on your network drive can help you completely remove the Local Device Name is Already in Use error from your PC. 

The Local Device Name is Already in Use Error is Easily Fixable!

The above fixes help you understand how simple it is to resolve the error. In addition to these methods, you should always remember that panicking and giving up on errors only worsen situations.

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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