How to fix file system error (-805305975) in Windows 11

What is file system error (-805305975)

File system error (-805305975) is a recently discovered issue encountered by users while trying to open media files. Photos, music, or videos open through the default Microsoft Photos trigger an error window stating the corresponding issue. While this problem may seem complicated to some users, its resolution is more than doable when proper methods are used. Usually, there are several reasons why it occurs – some of them are incorrect file format, missing/corrupted system elements, hard disk errors, or even direct malfunction of the Microsoft Photos app. Below, you will find a list of all possible solutions. Try each of them until the issue ends up finally resolved. It is also worth noting that the same issue may appear not only in Windows 11, but in Windows 10 as well. Although the instructions below have been made based on Windows 11, the majority of steps are similar, if not identical, on Windows 10 as well.

1. Install new Windows updates

The first and foremost you should take care of is making sure your Windows is up-to-date. Considering that Windows 11 is new, it is prone to contain various software problems outflowing in errors. Maybe there is a new Windows update pending that contains a fix to restore the error-related problem. Do the following to check:

1. Click on the Start button at the bottom of your desktop and choose Settings.
2. Then, navigate to Windows Update and click Check for Updates.
3. If updates have already been found, simply Download and install them.

After this, restart your PC and check if the error continues to pop. If there are no new updates found just yet, simply move on to other solutions below.

2. Run file-repair commands

SFC (System File Checker) and DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) are both instrumental utilities designed to check the integrity of system file directories. They help detect and restore absent or corrupted components, which might lead to various glitches. We advise you to try them using the instruction below, as they may be able to fix problems with files that summon the error.

Using SFC

1. Open Command Prompt by typing cmd into the searching loop next to the Start Menu button.
2. Right-click on Command Prompt and choose Run as administrator.
3. Once the console is opened, type the sfc /scannow command and click Enter.
4. When the fixing process is done, restart your computer.

Using DISM

1. Open Command Prompt as we did in the previous step.
2. Copy and paste this command DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth.
3. Click Enter and wait until Windows ends the scanning and fixing.
4. Once done, restart your PC and try to open the problematic program again.

After performing both of these scans, attempt to open the media file you could not before. Still no results? – Then move further down below.

3. Check your hard drive for errors

Another useful command which many users can find helpful is CHKDSK. The command allows you to check the hard drive for potential errors or corruption symptoms and fix them eventually.

1. Navigate to the same Command Prompt we used above.
2. Type in this command chkdsk C: /f /r and press Enter.
3. If necessary, replace C: with your actual hard drive letter.
4. In case Windows tells you that this volume is already being used, then type Y and press Enter.
5. Then, close the console and restart your computer. The scan process will start during restart, so wait until it finally ends.

4. Run a Clean Bootup

There is a chance that your system is affected by some third-party application, which causes the file system error (-805305975). The best you can make sure no third-party software has a negative impact on native Windows processes is to enter Clean Boot mode. This mode allows users to load their system only with in-built services and applications in order to prevent incompatibility issues. As a result, this will let you know whether the issue actually related to third-party software or not. If you already suspect some third-party application, maybe the one you recently installed, to be part of the issue, try to disable or remove it completely. Otherwise, follow the steps to enter Clean Boot mode:

1. Press Windows key + R combination and paste msconfig.
2. Then in the opened window, go to the Services tab located on top.
3. Check the box next to Hide All Microsoft Services and click on the Disable all button.
4. Now choose the General tab and select the Selective startup option. Make sure that Load System Services and Load startup items are two only options selected.
5. Click Apply and OK. Then reboot your PC.

Now you can try to update your system whilst being in Clean Boot mode. No matter whether you managed or failed to succeed in what you wanted, you should turn Windows back to Normal Startup settings. To do this, simply redo all the steps you implemented above by enabling the disabled services and changing your startup option from Selective to Normal.

5. Reset/Reinstall the Microsoft Photos app

The concluding solution measure on our list is to reset or reinstall the Photos app in case resetting does not work out. Yes, even default applications like Microsoft Photos can end up malfunctioned due to undefinable reasons. In this case, it is worth resetting or, if so does not help, reinstalling the application to remove its pretension to photos or other media files. Instructions for both resetting and reinstalling procedures can be found below. We recommend you first try performing a reset and then reinstalling the app if the former does not resolve the error. In addition, it is also worth making a backup of media files, since manipulations with Microsoft Photos may erase them.

To reset the Photos app:

1. Left-click onto the Start Menu button and go to Settings.
2. From there, navigate to Apps > Apps & Features.
3. Type in the search Microsoft Photos, then click on three vertical dots next to it and choose Advanced options.
4. Find and click on the Reset button and confirm the action if prompted.
5. Finally, restart your system and try to open problematic photos/videos/music again.

To reinstall the Photos app:

1. Click on the search loop as we did above and type in Windows PowerShell.
2. Right-click on it, choose Run as administrator. Agree with the action.
3. Once the console is opened, copy-paste this command and press Enter after that.

Get-AppxPackage *photo* | Remove-AppxPackage

This command has removed your Microsoft Photos app from the system. You will therefore have to install it again through Microsoft Store.

4. Go to Microsoft Store and find Microsoft Photo using the search bar.
5. Click on the Get button and follow the on-screen instructions to finish its installation.

With Microsoft Photos successfully reinstalled, you can now try to open your media files again. We hope it finally works.

Summary

When being unable to open your photos unexpectedly comes into your day, it may indeed leave a portion of dismay. Even so, we hope our solutions helped you turn your bad mood into a smile on finally being able to open the photos.