Windows Error 0x80070570: The File or Directory Is Corrupted and Unreadable

Error 0x80070570 means Windows tried to read a file, a folder or a block of install data and what came back was damaged. The cause is usually a failing drive, a bad USB stick, an interrupted download or, less often, faulty memory. Rescue the data you care about first, then test the storage, then repair or re-download.

What this error actually tells you

The hexadecimal value 0x80070570 is the Win32 error ERROR_FILE_CORRUPT wrapped in an HRESULT. The text that goes with it is "The file or directory is corrupted and unreadable". Windows is not saying the file is missing. It found the file entry, tried to read the data, and the data failed an integrity check or could not be read at all.

That makes the error a symptom with several possible sources. The file system structure might be inconsistent after a power cut. A few sectors on a hard drive might be unreadable. A flash drive may be wearing out. The ISO you downloaded may be incomplete. Memory errors can also corrupt data on its way to the disk, which is why the same file can look fine on one PC and broken on another.

Where people usually meet it

• Copying files: a folder copy to or from a USB drive or external disk stops at one file with a "file is corrupted" box and an option to retry or skip.
• Installing Windows: setup says "Windows cannot install required files" and lists 0x80070570 along with a file name ending in .cab or .wim.
• Opening a folder: File Explorer shows "The file or directory is corrupted and unreadable" when you double-click a drive or a folder.
• Extracting archives: a ZIP or RAR from a downloaded source fails partway through.
• Restoring from a backup or cloning: an image restore halts on a specific block.

Cause table: what is probably wrong with your setup

Cause	How to recognise it	Fix section
Damaged file system after a sudden shutdown or unsafe removal	Drive opens in some places but errors on a folder; Event Viewer lists NTFS warnings	Run chkdsk
Failing hard drive or SSD	Slow reads, freezes during copy, drive vanishes briefly, SMART status not OK	Check SMART, back up, replace
Worn or fake USB stick	Error always appears on the same stick, whatever PC you use	Try another stick, write the media again
Incomplete or altered ISO	Setup fails at a similar percentage every time, hash does not match	Re-download and verify
Faulty RAM	Different files fail each attempt, random crashes elsewhere	Run Windows Memory Diagnostic
Damaged system files in a running Windows	Error only touches Windows components or update files	sfc and DISM

First move: protect your data

Before any repair, decide what you cannot afford to lose. Repairs such as chkdsk can mark sectors as bad and remove file entries it cannot fix, and that is permanent. If the drive is healthy enough to browse, copy your documents, photos and mail to a different physical drive. Use plain File Explorer copy for that and skip the unreadable files for now.

If the drive is an external disk or USB stick, plug it into another computer port directly, not through a hub, and try again. A weak port or cable can produce this error by itself.

Fixes in order of likelihood

1. Test with a different port, cable or PC

It takes two minutes and removes a surprising number of cases. Move the USB device to a rear port on a desktop, swap the cable on an external disk, and if possible open the same drive on another computer. If the error follows the drive, the drive or its content is the problem. If it disappears, the original port or cable was the weak link.

2. Run chkdsk on the affected drive

Open Command Prompt as administrator. Replace E: with the letter of the drive in question. Start with a read-only pass so you can see what chkdsk would change.

chkdsk E:

If it reports errors and you have copied everything you can, let it repair the file system:

chkdsk E: /f

Repair mode can discard file entries it cannot fix. Copy what you can first.

For a suspected bad-sector problem, add the surface scan. On a large drive this can take hours, so only do it once your data is safe:

chkdsk E: /f /r

For the system drive, Windows will ask to schedule the check at the next restart. Accept and reboot.

3. Check the drive health report

Open PowerShell and ask Windows for its basic view of the disk.

Get-PhysicalDisk | Select-Object FriendlyName,HealthStatus,OperationalStatus

A HealthStatus of Healthy does not guarantee a healthy drive, but anything else is a clear warning. In our experience, a drive that passes this check can still have growing unreadable areas, so watch for repeated errors after chkdsk. Manufacturer tools can show reallocated and pending sectors in more detail, and a rising count there means replacement, not repair.

4. Repair system files if Windows itself is the target

When the error touches update files, Windows components or an app install, repair the component store and the protected files. Run these in order from an elevated prompt:

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

If DISM itself fails, the related guides on error 0x800f081f and error 0x80073712 explain what to try next. Restart when both finish.

5. Re-download the ISO and rebuild the install media

If the error shows up during Windows setup, do not keep retrying with the same USB stick. Download a fresh ISO from Microsoft, preferably on a computer with a stable connection, and check that the file size matches what the download page expects. Rewrite the installer onto the stick with the Media Creation Tool or a trusted tool that formats the stick completely. If you can, use a different USB stick or a different brand. Cheap or worn sticks often write without complaint and fail on read.

Also look at the machine you are installing to. If setup stops while copying files to the internal drive, the target SSD or hard drive may be the weak part. Disconnect other drives during installation to reduce confusion about which disk is faulting.

6. Test the memory

If different files fail on each attempt and the PC also freezes or restarts randomly, check the RAM. Press Start, type Windows Memory Diagnostic, run it and choose to restart now. The test takes a few minutes and reports back after sign-in. For a more thorough check, a bootable memory test run overnight is better. If you have two memory sticks, remove one, test, then swap, to isolate the bad stick.

7. Copy files in a different way

If one file will not copy, try copying everything else around it. For a large folder you can use robocopy, which logs failures and carries on instead of stopping:

Create the destination folder first, otherwise the log file cannot be opened:

mkdir D:\Rescue
robocopy E:\Source D:\Rescue /E /R:1 /W:1 /LOG:D:\Rescue\log.txt

The log lists exactly which files failed. Those are the ones to try recovering from backup, an older copy, cloud sync or a professional recovery tool.

Scenario notes

SD card from a camera or phone

Do not format it yet. Stop using the card, plug it into a card reader, and copy what opens. Then run chkdsk without /r first. Cameras often write over the file table when interrupted, so there is a decent chance the photos exist but the directory entry is wrong.

External drive that worked yesterday

Check whether it was removed without ejecting, or whether the PC went to sleep during a copy. Those are common triggers. A chkdsk pass usually fixes the structure. If it does not, assume the drive is ageing.

Windows setup stops at "Copying Windows files"

This is the classic sign of damaged install media or an unreadable target. Rebuild the media first. If it fails at the same point with a fresh stick, test the internal drive and memory. See also our guide for a PC that will not start properly if the machine has stopped booting.

What not to do

• Do not run chkdsk /r on a drive you have not backed up. It is a repair that can discard unreadable data.
• Do not format the drive just to make the message go away. A quick format erases the pointers to your files and a failing drive may not tolerate the writes.
• Do not defragment or run disk cleaners on a drive with read errors. They add load without fixing the cause.
• Do not trust an ISO from a random mirror. Always download from the official page.
• Do not keep pulling the plug to restart a stuck copy. Each power cut can add more file system damage.
• Do not ignore SMART warnings because the PC still boots. Failing drives often work until they suddenly do not.

When to call a professional

Get help quickly if any of these apply:

• The drive clicks, beeps, grinds, or shows up and disappears in File Explorer.
• chkdsk crashes, runs for days, or reports a very large number of bad sectors.
• The data you need is the only copy: tax records, business files, family photos.
• The disk shows as RAW or asks you to format it before use.
• Windows cannot start at all and the error appears on the recovery screen.

A remote technician can handle the software side for you, such as file system repair, update component repair and verifying install media, while you stay at the machine. Where the hardware itself is failing, the right move is to clone the drive early and decide about replacement. Our remote repair service and Windows support pages explain how a session works.

How to avoid the error next time

• Use Safely Remove Hardware before unplugging a USB or external drive.
• Keep at least one backup on a separate device and one off-site or in the cloud.
• Replace USB sticks that you use for installers every couple of years, and avoid unbranded sticks for important work.
• Keep a laptop plugged in during large copies and Windows feature updates.
• Look at the drive health occasionally, especially on machines older than four or five years.
• Verify the size of large downloads before using them, and keep the original ISO so you can compare.
• If your PC freezes or restarts at random, test RAM early, before data damage accumulates. The blue screen guide covers related symptoms.

FAQ

Is error 0x80070570 a virus?

Almost never. It is a read or integrity failure on a drive, a flash stick or a file. Malware can damage files, but hardware wear and interrupted writes are far more common causes.

Will chkdsk delete my files?

The read-only run does not change anything. The /f and /r repairs can remove entries or sectors they cannot fix, so copy what you can before using them.

Why does setup fail only with one USB stick?

That stick is probably worn, counterfeit or was written incorrectly. Rebuild the installer on another stick and re-download the ISO to rule out a bad download.

Can bad RAM cause 0x80070570?

Yes. Memory errors can corrupt data in transit, so files appear damaged even though the drive is fine. If different files fail each time, run a memory test.

The drive shows as RAW. What now?

Do not format it. A RAW label means Windows cannot read the file system. Stop writing to it and consider a clone or professional recovery if the data matters.

Does reinstalling Windows fix it?

Only if the damage is in system files. If the drive or memory is faulty, a reinstall will hit the same error or produce a fragile system.

Can I fix it remotely?

Often yes, for file system repair, system file repair and install media checks. Physical drive faults need the hardware replaced or imaged.

How do I know the drive is dying?

Typical signs are slow transfers, freezes, repeated chkdsk findings, a drive that disconnects, and non-OK status in the health report. Back up first, then replace it.