If Method 1 didn't work, your antivirus is almost certainly the culprit. In late 2024, Microsoft updated Defender's "Controlled Folder Access" and "Real-time Protection" to aggressively scan game zone files.
I navigated to my Steam Library: steamapps\common\Call of Duty Black Ops . call of duty black ops exe cannot find zone fix new
It was technical, vague, and risky—exactly the kind of desperate fix that usually fixes everything or breaks it entirely. If Method 1 didn't work, your antivirus is