The Problem

0x80070570 — "The file or directory is corrupted and unreadable" — means Windows read a block of data and got back something that does not match what the file system says should be there. Unlike most error codes, this one is usually literal: something really is damaged.

Where you meet it narrows the cause considerably:

| Where it appears | Most likely cause | |---|---| | Copying or opening files | Failing drive or bad sectors | | Installing Windows from USB | Bad install media, or faulty RAM | | During Windows Update | Damaged update download or component store | | On an external drive or SD card | Unsafe removal, or a failing card |

Getting KERNEL_DATA_INPAGE_ERROR blue screens as well? Those two together are a strong indication the drive is failing — read fix KERNEL_DATA_INPAGE_ERROR and back up immediately.

Symptoms

"The file or directory is corrupted and unreadable" when copying, opening, or deleting.
Windows Setup stops partway through expanding files with 0x80070570.
Windows Update downloads then fails with the same code.
Files on a USB stick or SD card appear with garbled names or zero bytes.
File Explorer hangs for a long time before showing the error.

Step 1: Back Up Before Repairing Anything

Repair tools rewrite the file system. On a drive that is physically failing, that write can be the one that loses the data.

Copy irreplaceable files off the affected drive first — even if some files fail to copy, get the ones that will.
If files will not copy, do not keep retrying. Stop and use recovery software while the drive still responds: how to recover deleted files in Windows.
Set up proper backups afterwards: set up automatic backups.

Step 2: Run CHKDSK on the Affected Drive

Right-click Start → Terminal (Admin).
For the system drive:
```
chkdsk C: /f /r
```
Press Y to schedule it at the next restart, then reboot and let it finish without interruption.
For an external drive or USB stick, substitute its letter — it can run immediately:
```
chkdsk E: /f /r
```
/f repairs file system errors, /r locates bad sectors and recovers what is readable. On a large mechanical drive this takes hours.
Note what it reports. A handful of recovered sectors on an old drive is survivable; a growing count across repeated runs means replace it.

Step 3: Check the Drive's Health

In Terminal (Admin):
```
wmic diskdrive get model,status
```
Anything other than OK is your answer.
Read the full SMART data with CrystalDiskInfo. On a hard drive, watch Reallocated Sectors Count and Current Pending Sector Count; on an SSD, Percentage Used and Available Spare.
Full method: check SSD and hard drive health.
Update the SSD firmware from the maker's toolbox.
If SMART shows failures, stop repairing and start replacing: how to choose an SSD for your PC.

Step 4: Rebuild the Windows Install Media

If the error appears during Windows Setup, the media is the first suspect — a single flipped bit in an install file produces exactly this.

Download a fresh ISO from Microsoft's official Windows 11 download page. Do not reuse the old download.
Write it to a different USB stick, using the Media Creation Tool or Rufus. Cheap or well-used sticks fail silently.
Use a USB 2.0 port on the back of the machine if the copy keeps failing — some USB 3 controllers are unreliable during setup.
Verify the ISO's hash against Microsoft's published value if one is offered.
Full method: how to clean install Windows 11.

Step 5: Test the Memory

Faulty RAM corrupts data between the drive and the CPU, so files that were written correctly come back wrong — and files being written get saved wrong. It is the most-missed cause of this error during Windows installs.

Windows + R → mdsched.exe → Restart now and check for problems. Press F1 and set Test Mix to Extended.
Then run MemTest86 from a USB stick for four full passes.
Disable XMP / EXPO in firmware and retest at stock speed: how to enter BIOS or UEFI.
Test one stick at a time if you get errors: check and upgrade your RAM.

Step 6: Repair the System Files

In Terminal (Admin):
```
sfc /scannow
```

Then:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Reboot and run sfc /scannow once more.
Detail: how to run SFC and DISM. If DISM cannot find its source files, see fix DISM error 0x800f081f.

Step 7: Clear the Windows Update Cache

For failures during updates specifically.

In Terminal (Admin):

net stop wuauserv
net stop bits
ren C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
net start wuauserv
net start bits

Reboot and retry the update — Windows re-downloads what it needs.
If a specific update keeps failing, download it manually from the Microsoft Update Catalog by its KB number.
More: fix Windows 11 update errors.

Step 8: Recover a Removable Drive

For USB sticks, SD cards, and external drives.

Try the drive in a different port and a different PC before concluding it is dead.
Run chkdsk E: /f /r against its letter.
If the drive shows as RAW or asks to be formatted, do not format yet — recover the files first: fix a corrupted USB or external drive.
Once files are safe, reformat cleanly: partition and format a hard drive.
Always use Safely Remove Hardware in future — pulling a drive mid-write is the leading cause of this error on removable media.

What Not to Do

Don't format a drive containing files you need to make the error go away. Recover first, format second.
Don't run chkdsk over and over on a clicking drive. Each pass is more wear on failing hardware.
Don't reuse the same USB stick after a failed Windows install with this code — write a new one.
Don't dismiss the memory test during install failures. It is the cause more often than people expect, and it explains errors that appear on brand new drives.

Still Not Working?

If chkdsk is clean, SMART is clean, memory tests fine, and the error still appears on fresh install media, the storage controller or the SATA/NVMe connection is the remaining suspect. Try a different port and cable, and test the drive in another machine.

Fix Error 0x80070570: File or Directory Is Corrupted