How to fix Error 424 on Windows 11

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Why This Error Happens

This error occurs when NTFS case-sensitivity is enabled on a specific folder (a feature primarily used for WSL/Linux compatibility) but the directory contains files or subfolders with names that differ only in letter casing (e.g., “Data” and “data”). Windows Explorer, along with many native Win32 applications, are inherently case-insensitive and cannot properly enumerate, open, or write to a folder containing these duplicate-looking entries. This typically happens after using WSL, Git, Docker, or a manual fsutil command to set the case-sensitive flag on a directory that was later populated or synced with mixed-case files.

Step-by-Step Resolution Guide

  1. Identify the affected directory
    Open Command Prompt as Administrator and run:
   fsutil file queryCaseSensitiveInfo <full path to folder>

This confirms whether case-sensitivity is enabled on that specific path.

  1. Locate the conflicting files via WSL or PowerShell
    Since Windows Explorer can’t display the duplicates properly, open a WSL terminal (if installed) and run:
   ls -la "/mnt/c/path/to/folder"

This will reveal both case-variant entries (e.g., Report.docx and report.docx).

  1. Rename or delete the duplicate-case files using WSL
    From the WSL terminal, rename one of the conflicting files so the names are no longer identical when case is ignored:
   mv Report.docx Report_backup.docx

Repeat for all conflicting entries until no two names collide case-insensitively.

  1. Disable case-sensitivity on the folder (if WSL/Linux compatibility isn’t required)
    Back in Windows Command Prompt (Admin), run:
   fsutil file setCaseSensitiveInfo <full path to folder> disable

Note: The folder must be empty of case-conflicting names before this command will succeed.

  1. Restart Explorer or the affected application
    Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc, find Windows Explorer in the Processes tab, right-click and select Restart to refresh folder views and clear cached directory listings.

Alternative or Verification Steps

  • After completing the steps, navigate to the folder in File Explorer and confirm all files display correctly and Error 424 no longer appears when opening or scanning the directory.
  • If the issue persists or the folder must remain case-sensitive, move the conflicting files out via WSL entirely and manage that folder exclusively through Linux tools (WSL/Git Bash) instead of Windows Explorer to avoid future case-collision errors.