0x80070570 Corrupted Files: Safe Cleanup and Retry

If you’re seeing the 0x80070570 error, you’re not alone. This Windows message—often phrased as “The file or directory is corrupted and unreadable”—can appear during a Windows install/upgrade, while copying or extracting files, when running Windows Update, or even as part of error details in a system crash. Left unresolved, it can lead to repeated failures, potential data loss, and blocked updates. This guide goes beyond generic advice with a clear, step-by-step process to diagnose the root cause, perform a safe cleanup, and retry the operation with confidence.

Use the quick reference below to get oriented, then work through the preventive checks and detailed troubleshooting. You’ll also learn how to analyze crashes via minidumps, use advanced tools like Driver Verifier and WinDbg, and validate the fix before moving on.

Understanding the Error

The Windows error 0x80070570 indicates that Windows encountered a corrupted file, directory entry, or unreadable data block while attempting to access content. In plain language: Windows tried to read or write a file, but the data on disk or in memory didn’t check out.

Typical scenarios where 0x80070570 appears:

• Windows installation or upgrade: The installer reads large amounts of data; even minor corruption in the installation media, disk surface, or RAM can trigger this error.
• File copy/move/extract: Copying big files, extracting archives, or moving folders between drives can fail if the source or destination has bad sectors or if RAM intermittently corrupts data.
• Windows Update: Corruption in the update cache (SoftwareDistribution), component store (WinSxS), or the package payload can cause update failure with 0x80070570.
• Deleting or scanning files: You might see this error when Windows or an antivirus scanner tries to access a corrupted file or directory.

Important note about BSODs and 0x80070570:

• 0x80070570 is not itself a bugcheck (BSOD) stop code. However, the underlying issues that cause it—like disk corruption or bad RAM—can also cause BSODs. If you are seeing blue screens alongside 0x80070570 errors, analyze minidumps to find drivers or modules misbehaving. This guide includes a minidump analysis section for that reason.

Quick Reference Table

Cause	Symptom	Recommended Fix
Corrupted installation media (USB/ISO)	Windows setup fails with 0x80070570	Recreate bootable USB using official ISO/Media Creation Tool; verify ISO checksum; try different USB port/cable
Bad sectors or failing disk/SSD	File copy/update fails; Event Viewer logs disk/NTFS errors	Backup immediately; run CHKDSK; check SMART; replace drive if SMART or CHKDSK shows problems
RAM instability or overclock	Random copy/install failures; occasional BSODs	Disable XMP/overclocks; run Windows Memory Diagnostic or MemTest86; replace faulty RAM
Corrupted Windows Update cache	Updates fail repeatedly with 0x80070570	Reset SoftwareDistribution and Catroot2; run SFC and DISM; retry updates
File system corruption	Access/scan/delete triggers error; slow folder reads	Run CHKDSK /f (or /r for surface scan); check Event Viewer; ensure clean shutdowns
Outdated storage controller/NVMe firmware	Install/update fails; poor disk behavior	Update SATA/AHCI/IRST and NVMe drivers; update SSD firmware; update BIOS/UEFI
Third-party security software interference	Update/install fails or files locked	Temporarily disable/uninstall third-party AV; retry; rely on Microsoft Defender temporarily
Permissions or locked files	Cannot delete/copy specific files	Use takeown/icacls; delete from Safe Mode; use CHKDSK to fix indices; retry
Power interruptions or unsafe removals (USB/external)	Corruption on removable drives	Always eject safely; run CHKDSK on removable media; replace unreliable cables/hubs

Common Causes

• File system corruption:
  • Unsafe shutdowns, power loss, forced restarts, or USB removal can corrupt NTFS metadata.
• Bad sectors or failing drives:
  • Magnetic HDDs and SSDs can develop bad blocks. Repeated retries, slow reads, and Event Viewer disk errors are red flags.
• RAM errors or unstable overclocks:
  • Even a single-bit RAM error can turn good data into “corrupted files.” Overclocked CPU/RAM/GPU can exacerbate this.
• Corrupted installation media:
  • A bad USB stick, bad ISO, or USB port issues can corrupt setup files in transit.
• Outdated or buggy storage drivers and firmware:
  • Old Intel RST (IRST), AMD chipset drivers, or outdated NVMe firmware can cause abnormal I/O errors.
• Corrupted Windows Update cache or component store:
  • Damaged files in SoftwareDistribution or WinSxS cause update failures with 0x80070570.
• Third-party software interference:
  • Antivirus/endpoint security or disk utilities can lock files or mis-handle quarantines.
• Permissions/ACL issues or locked files:
  • Ownership and ACL corruption can make files effectively unreadable/unremovable.
• Malware:
  • Some malware modifies or encrypts files; removal tools may report corruption when cleaning up.
• BIOS/UEFI configuration:
  • Unstable XMP, outdated BIOS, or incompatible storage modes (AHCI/RAID) can increase I/O instability.

Preliminary Checks

1. Boot to Safe Mode

• Windows 10/11:
  • Press Shift while selecting Restart (Start menu > Power > Restart).
  • Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart.
  • Press 4 for Safe Mode or 5 for Safe Mode with Networking.
• If Windows doesn’t boot, power cycle the machine 3 times during startup to force recovery, then follow the same path.

2. Back up important data

• Before deeper repairs, copy critical files to an external drive or cloud storage.
• If files won’t copy normally, try:
  • Safe Mode copies
  • Using robocopy with retry and backup mode (see steps below)
  • Copying from WinRE/Windows PE or a Linux live USB if Windows won’t boot

3. Run basic health checks

• Quick file system scan (online):

  chkdsk C: /scan

• System File Checker:

  sfc /scannow

• Deployment Imaging and Servicing Management (DISM) scan:

  DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
  DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
  DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

• If DISM cannot repair online, use a local install.wim as a source (replace D: with your media drive):

  dism /Get-WimInfo /WimFile:D:\sources\install.wim
  DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:WIM:D:\sources\install.wim:1 /LimitAccess

Step-by-Step Troubleshooting

Work through these steps in order. After each step, retry the action that failed (copying files, running Windows Update, or running setup).

1. Basic sanity checks

• Reboot the PC and retry; transient I/O errors can clear after a restart.
• Disconnect unnecessary USB devices/hubs.
• If dealing with external drives, use a different USB port or cable (preferably a USB 3.x port on the back panel).

2. Safely clean up corrupted files and retry

• If a specific file/folder won’t delete:

  • In an elevated Command Prompt:

    takeown /f “C:\Path\To\Item” /r /d y
    icacls “C:\Path\To\Item” /grant administrators:F /t
    del /f /a “C:\Path\To\Item”

  • If deletion still fails, boot Safe Mode and repeat, or run CHKDSK (next step).

• Use Storage Sense or Disk Cleanup to clear temporary files:

  • Settings > System > Storage > Temporary files > Remove.
  • Or run: cleanmgr (choose system files) and clear Temporary files, Windows Update Cleanup, and Delivery Optimization Files.

3. Run CHKDSK and fix file system errors

• For the system drive (C:), you may need to schedule a scan for reboot:

  chkdsk C: /f

  Confirm Y and restart. For a full surface scan:

  chkdsk C: /r

  Note: /r can take hours and stresses a failing drive. Back up first and monitor SMART data (see Step 6). Consider running /f first; if errors persist, use /r.

• For non-system drives:

  chkdsk D: /f

  Replace D: with the correct letter.

4. Repair system files with SFC and DISM

• After CHKDSK, rerun:

  sfc /scannow
  DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

  If SFC reports corruption fixed, reboot and test again.

5. Reset Windows Update cache (if updates fail with 0x80070570)

• In an elevated Command Prompt:

  net stop wuauserv
  net stop cryptSvc
  net stop bits
  net stop msiserver
  ren C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
  ren C:\Windows\System32\catroot2 catroot2.old
  net start wuauserv
  net start cryptSvc
  net start bits
  net start msiserver

• Run Windows Update again.

• Optional: Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter (Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters).

6. Check drive health (SMART) and reliability counters

• Quick WMIC check:

  wmic diskdrive get status,model

• PowerShell reliability counters (Windows 10/11):

  Get-PhysicalDisk | Get-StorageReliabilityCounter | Format-List

  Look for reallocated sectors, pending sectors, or media errors. If present, back up and plan to replace the drive.

• Third-party tools like CrystalDiskInfo or vendor utilities (e.g., Samsung Magician, WD Dashboard) can provide detailed SMART status and firmware updates.

7. Eliminate RAM/CPU overclocks; test memory

• Enter BIOS/UEFI and:
  • Disable CPU and GPU overclocks.
  • Disable XMP/EXPO (memory overclock profiles) temporarily.
• Run Windows Memory Diagnostic:
  • Press Win+R, type mdsched.exe, choose Restart now and check for problems.
• For deeper testing use MemTest86 (bootable USB). Any error indicates likely memory or IMC issues; test sticks individually, reseat or replace as needed.

8. Update storage drivers, SSD firmware, and BIOS/UEFI

• Update chipset and storage drivers (Intel RST/IRST, AMD chipset, NVMe drivers) from your motherboard/OEM.
• Update SSD firmware using vendor tools (Samsung Magician, Crucial Storage Executive, etc.).
• Update BIOS/UEFI to a stable release that mentions storage/compatibility fixes.
• After updates, reboot and retry.

9. Recreate installation media (if setup is failing with 0x80070570)

• Use the official Media Creation Tool to create a fresh USB for Windows 10/11.
• If using an ISO + Rufus, verify the ISO’s SHA-256 checksum from the official source. Use a different USB stick/port if previous attempts failed.
• Unplug non-essential drives during installation to avoid miswrites and confusion.

10. Robocopy for stubborn file transfers

• When simple copy fails, try:

  robocopy “X:\Source” “Y:\Dest” /e /mt:16 /r:2 /w:2 /zb /v /np /log:copy.log

  • /zb uses backup mode if normal mode fails
  • /r and /w set retry count and wait times
  • Check copy.log for failed files. If specific files are corrupted, remove them safely (Step 2) after backing up what you can.

11. Scan for malware

• Run a full scan with Microsoft Defender.
• Consider an offline scan (Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options > Microsoft Defender Offline scan).
• If malware was present, re-run SFC/DISM and CHKDSK after cleanup.

12. Event Viewer review for disk/NTFS errors

• Open Event Viewer (eventvwr.msc) > Windows Logs > System.

• Filter or look for:

  • Disk (Event ID 7, 51)
  • Ntfs (Event ID 55, 98)
  • volsnap, storport errors

• Quick command-line query:

  wevtutil qe System /q:”*[System[(EventID=7 or EventID=51 or EventID=55)]]” /f:text /c:20

  Persistent errors point to failing storage or cabling—replace SATA cables, try different power connectors/ports, or replace the drive.

13. Driver clean-up and verification (advanced, proceed carefully)

• Uninstall known-problematic drivers/utilities (old IRST, storage filters, virtual drive software) and reboot.
• Use Driver Verifier (see Advanced Diagnostics) to stress-test drivers if you still get crashes.

14. In-place repair (repair install) of Windows

• If corruption persists and updates or apps misbehave, perform an in-place upgrade/repair:

  • Download the Windows ISO (same version/build) via Media Creation Tool.
  • Run setup.exe from within Windows and choose “Keep personal files and apps.”

• After the repair, run:

  sfc /scannow
  DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

  Then retry your original task.

15. Last resort: Reset or clean install

• If the in-place repair doesn’t resolve persistent corruption and hardware checks are clean, consider:
  • Reset this PC (Settings > System > Recovery > Reset this PC).
  • Clean install from known-good media after full backup.

Minidump Analysis (If You’re Also Seeing BSODs)

While 0x80070570 isn’t a BSOD code, the same underlying problems can cause blue screens. Analyzing minidumps can show whether a storage driver, file system filter, or faulty RAM is implicated.

Enable and locate minidumps:

• Ensure the pagefile is on C: and not disabled.
• System Properties > Advanced > Startup and Recovery > Settings:
  • Write debugging information: Small memory dump (256 KB)
  • Small dump directory: C:\Windows\Minidump
• After a crash, minidumps appear in C:\Windows\Minidump.

Use BlueScreenView (simple) or WinDbg (advanced):

• BlueScreenView quickly displays implicated drivers.

• WinDbg (Preview) from Microsoft Store:

  1. Open dump (File > Open dump file…).

  2. Run:

     .symfix
     .reload
     !analyze -v
     lm

  3. If a specific driver is named (e.g., storport.sys, iaStorAC.sys, disk-related filters), update/remove that driver or related software.

  4. Look for memory corruption patterns. If present, test RAM with MemTest86 and remove overclocks.

Correlate with Event Viewer:

• Check for WHEA-Logger events, Disk/Ntfs errors around crash times. Combined evidence often points to storage hardware or RAM.

Advanced Diagnostics

Driver Verifier (use with caution)

• Purpose: Stress-test third-party drivers to expose hidden defects. It can intentionally cause BSODs when a driver misbehaves.

• Steps:

  1. Run as admin:

     verifier

  2. Create custom settings > Select individual settings from a full list.

  3. Check: I/O verification, Force pending I/O requests, IRP logging, Pool tracking, Deadlock detection, Security checks, etc. Avoid Low Resource Simulation initially.

  4. Select only non-Microsoft drivers.

  5. Reboot and use the system normally; if a BSOD occurs, analyze the new minidump to see which driver failed.

• Turn off Driver Verifier:

  verifier /reset

  Reboot.

Event Viewer deep dive

• System and Application logs:
  • Disk, Ntfs, volsnap, storport warnings/errors indicate I/O problems.
  • SideBySide, CBS, and servicing events help diagnose component store corruption.
• WindowsUpdateClient logs help identify failed update packages.
• SetupDiag can analyze upgrade logs if a feature update fails:
  • Download and run SetupDiag.exe after a failed upgrade. Review the generated report.

Post-Fix Checklist

• Stability checks:
  • No new 0x80070570 errors after repeating the original action.
  • Event Viewer shows no new Disk/Ntfs errors.
  • SFC returns “Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.”
  • DISM RestoreHealth completes without errors.
• Storage health:
  • SMART counters are stable (no increasing reallocated/pending sectors).
  • CHKDSK /scan reports no errors.
• Memory and CPU:
  • No BSODs or random app crashes under normal workloads.
  • If you re-enable XMP/overclocks, do so gradually and test stability (e.g., with Prime95/memtest).
• Backups:
  • Create a fresh system image or restore point after confirming stability.

When to Seek Professional Help

• SMART indicates failing media (reallocated/pending sectors) or manufacturer diagnostics fail.
• CHKDSK repeatedly finds and fixes new errors, or fails to complete.
• Memory tests show errors even with defaults (no XMP), or errors persist after swapping slots/sticks.
• Persistent crashes implicate core drivers or the storage controller even after updates.
• You cannot complete an in-place repair or clean install from verified-good media.
• Critical data recovery is needed from a failing disk—contact a data recovery specialist before further writes.

Prevention Tips

• Keep storage firmware, chipset, and NVMe drivers up to date.

• Avoid unsafe shutdowns; use a UPS on desktops in unstable power environments.

• Practice driver hygiene:

  • Prefer OEM/motherboard storage/chipset drivers over generic third-party packages.
  • Uninstall obsolete utilities (virtual drives, old antivirus).

• Backups:

  • Maintain regular image backups and file history to external or cloud storage.
  • Test restore paths periodically.

• Monitor health proactively:

  • Use SMART tools (CrystalDiskInfo) and Windows Reliability Monitor.
  • Investigate new Event Viewer Disk/Ntfs warnings early.

• Be cautious with overclocking:

  • Validate stability extensively; understand that marginal OCs can cause silent data corruption.

• Safe media handling:

  • Always eject external drives safely; avoid cheap or worn-out USB sticks for OS installation.

• Update Windows regularly:

  • Apply security updates and feature updates after initial stability reviews.

• Run periodic SFC/DISM checks if you suspect corruption:

  sfc /scannow
  DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Conclusion

The 0x80070570 “corrupted files” error is usually fixable once you identify whether the root cause is file system corruption, a failing drive, unstable RAM, or a damaged update/installation payload. Start with safe cleanup (permissions fix, Storage Sense), then CHKDSK, SFC, and DISM. Validate storage and memory health, update storage drivers and firmware, and recreate installation media if needed. For persistent or crash-related cases, analyze minidumps and use Driver Verifier cautiously. Most systems can be restored without data loss—take your time, back up first, and work methodically.

FAQ

What does the 0x80070570 error mean?

It’s a Windows code indicating “The file or directory is corrupted and unreadable.” Windows encountered data or metadata it couldn’t reliably read—often due to file system corruption, a failing drive, or problematic RAM. It can also appear if installation or update files themselves are corrupted.

How do I fix 0x80070570 during Windows installation?

Recreate your installation media using the official Media Creation Tool or a verified ISO, and try a different USB stick/port. Disconnect other drives, disable overclocks/XMP, and update BIOS/storage firmware. If the target disk is suspect, run CHKDSK or vendor diagnostics; replace the drive if it shows errors.

Is it safe to run CHKDSK /r on a failing drive?

CHKDSK /r is thorough but stressful on failing media. Always back up first. If SMART shows serious problems or you hear unusual drive noises, prioritize data recovery and replacement over heavy scans.

Can I recover files that show 0x80070570?

Often yes—try copying from Safe Mode, using robocopy with retries (/zb), or accessing the drive from WinRE or a Linux live USB. If the drive is failing, minimize use and consult a data recovery professional for critical files.

Why do updates fail with 0x80070570?

The Windows Update cache or component store may be corrupted, or the payload download was damaged. Reset SoftwareDistribution/Catroot2, run SFC and DISM, then retry Windows Update. Also check disk/RAM stability to prevent recurring corruption.

Additional Commands and Shortcuts (Reference)

• Quick scan and repair:

  chkdsk C: /scan
  sfc /scannow
  DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

• Schedule offline CHKDSK:

  chkdsk C: /f

• Windows Update reset (services + cache):

  net stop wuauserv
  net stop cryptSvc
  net stop bits
  net stop msiserver
  ren C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
  ren C:\Windows\System32\catroot2 catroot2.old
  net start wuauserv
  net start cryptSvc
  net start bits
  net start msiserver

• Verify install.wim and use as DISM source:

  dism /Get-WimInfo /WimFile:D:\sources\install.wim
  DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:WIM:D:\sources\install.wim:1 /LimitAccess

• SMART quick check:

  wmic diskdrive get status,model

• Event Viewer quick query (disk/NTFS errors):

  wevtutil qe System /q:”*[System[(EventID=7 or EventID=51 or EventID=55)]]” /f:text /c:20

• Driver Verifier reset:

  verifier /reset

You’ve got this. With careful backups and a methodical approach—starting from safe cleanup and basic health checks up through advanced diagnostics—most 0x80070570 errors can be resolved and prevented from coming back.