Solved How to run "net share Documents /delete" to delete the share

[Dragonchaser]

I used Box but then switched to another cloud service.

I uninstalled the Box desktop app but in my Event Viewer I'm getting this:

The server service was unable to recreate the share Documents because the directory E:\backups\My Box Files\Documents no longer exists. Please run "net share Documents /delete" to delete the share, or recreate the directory E:\backups\My Box Files\Documents.

I tried searching Google for Please run "net share Documents /delete" to delete the share but there isn't much.

Could someone tell me how I can do that? Is it simply clicking Start and typing that text in the search field?

 

[Tookeri]

No, you should type cmd and press Enter. That will open a command prompt window. In there is where you should type this.

You can then type net share /? if you want more information about that specific command and its parameters.

 

[Alejandro85]

Note that for net share to work, you need administrator access, so you must start an elevated cmd.

 

[Dragonchaser]

Is there a command to see existing net shares?

I tried net share /? but couldn't find it:

C:\Windows\system32>net share /?
The syntax of this command is:

NET SHARE
sharename
          sharename=drive:path [/GRANT:user,[READ | CHANGE | FULL]]
                               [/USERS:number | /UNLIMITED]
                               [/REMARK:"text"]
                               [/CACHE:Manual | Documents| Programs | BranchCache | None]
          sharename [/USERS:number | /UNLIMITED]
                    [/REMARK:"text"]
                    [/CACHE:Manual | Documents | Programs | BranchCache | None]
          {sharename | devicename | drive:path} /DELETE
          sharename \\computername /DELETE

If I run net share Documents /delete is there any danger I could delete something I don't want to delete?

 

[Dude]

just type

net share

in the command prompt

 

[Alejandro85]

net share on its own lists all the current shares, the very same that you can find and manage in computer management.

The /delete thing will just delete the share, that is, making it unavailable to other computers over network. The data itself that the share pointed to is unaffected at all.

 

[Dragonchaser]

Interesting... I learned a few things today. Thanks!

1. I did net share to get a list of shares and the share I'm supposed to delete isn't even there:

C:\Windows\system32>net share

Share name   Resource                        Remark
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ADMIN$    C:\Windows                Remote Admin
C$           C:\                             Default share
print$       C:\Windows\system32\spool\drivers       Printer Drivers
IPC$                                         Remote IPC
E$           E:\                             Default share
E            E:\
Pictures     E:\Pictures
Users        C:\Users
Videos       E:\Videos
Dell Laser Printer 1100    USB001       Spooled  Dell Laser Printer 1100
Kyocera Mita KM-1650     USB002       Spooled  Kyocera Mita KM-1650
The command completed successfully.

2. So logically typing net share Documents /delete resulted in the following:

C:\Windows\system32>net share Documents /delete
System error 3 has occurred.

The system cannot find the path specified.

3. Makes me wonder why I'm getting this in my Event Viewer:

The server service was unable to recreate the share Documents because the directory E:\backups\My Box Files\Documents no longer exists. Please run "net share Documents /delete" to delete the share, or recreate the directory E:\backups\My Box Files\Documents.

Any suggestions?

Perhaps I should recreate the directory E:\backups\My Box Files\Documents and see what happens?

 

[Alejandro85]

Maybe the folder that the share was referring to was deleted? Then the service may fail to list it (seems pretty much like a bug).

What if you try to create the real path on Windows explorer? Does the share begins to list? And can you delete it afterwards?

 

[Dragonchaser]

The problem is solved! Me happy!

Here is what I did:
1. create the folder manually (no more Warning from here on)
2. delete the share manually (net share Documents /delete)
3. delete the folder manually
4. reboot

Thanks to Tookeri, Alejandro85 and Dude!