How to fix error 0x80070057 − Windows 10, Windows 8.1., Windows 7

The System File Checker is a utility that can help you fix the potentially corrupt files which might have caused this error code 0x80070057. To run it, follow the steps below:

1. Click on the start menu and type command prompt;
2. Once it appears in the search results, right click on it and select Run as Administrator;
3. In the command prompt type the following command:
   sfc /scannow
   
   
4. Wait for the process to complete.

If you get this error message when you try to update Windows, modifying certain values in the registry (regedit) should solve the problem. Be very careful when you modify values in regedit to avoid causing additional problems. To find and modify those values, follow the steps below:

1. Press the Windows and R keys on the keyboard and type regedit in the run box that will appear;
   

   
   
   

2. Follow the path listed below to find one of the keys you need to check and modify, by double-clicking on the folders on the left side of the window:
   [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsUpdate\UX]
   
   
3. After you have located the key, check and ensure that it is the same as this one:
   "IsConvergedUpdateStackEnabled"=dword:00000000
   
   
4. Locate the other key by following the path below:
   [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsUpdate\UX\Settings]
   
   
5. Ensure that the key is the same as this one:
   "UxOption"=dword:00000000
   
   
6. If you have modified one of those keys, restart your computer.

Note: The video below offers an alternative method on checking on and updating these registry keys:

Sometimes, a simple restart of your computer is all you need in order to fix error 0x80070057. Consider restarting your computer before trying anything else.

If you are unsure how to restart it, the don't know how to restart my device guide should help.

If you get the 0x80070057 error message, when you try to make a back-up (or restore), you need to create a new registry key in order to solve this problem. To learn how to create and where to include the registry key, follow the steps below:

1. Open regedit by pressing the Windows key + R keys, typing regedit in the run box and pressing Enter.
   
   
2. Follow the path below, by clicking on the folders on the left side of the regedit window:
   
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\SystemCertificates
   
   
3. Right-click SystemCertificates, and click on New -> DWORD (32-bit) value, to create a new key;
   
   
4. Name it CopyFileBufferedSynchronousIo, set the value to 1, and click on OK to save it;
   
   
5. Restart your computer.

If the error message 0x80070057 appears when you try to install Windows, you need to delete the partition where the previous version of Windows was installed (usually Local Disk (C:)), as well as the System Reserved Partition. After you have deleted it, you need to create a new partition and install Windows in it.

Note: Usually the smaller partition (in size) is the one that contains the Windows installation files.

To delete and recreate the partition, follow the steps below :

1. Insert the Windows DVD & Start installation;
2. Choose the Custom (Advanced) type of installation;
3. Select Disk 0 partition 1, and click Delete. This step will delete the System Reserved Space;
   *Click OK when the dialog box appears;
4. Select Disk 0 partition 2, and do the same steps as done with Disk 0 partition 1;
5. Click on Unallocated Space and click on (Drive options -> ) New to create a new partition;
6. Enter the size of the partition (calculated in megabytes - 1 GB = 1024 MBs) and click on Apply and OK;
   * If you want to create a partition of 97 GBs you need to type 100000.
7. Select the Disk 0 partition 2 (e.g. the one of 100 GB), and click on Format, under Drive options.

If you did everything you could to solve error message 0x80070057, but nothing worked, consider reinstalling Windows. Before you reinstall it, make a backup of all your personal data (photos, videos, music, and other documents) to avoid losing them.

If you get the error message 0x80070057 while trying to update Windows, rename the SoftwareDistribution folder. To rename it, follow the steps below:

1. Press the Windows + R keys, type %SystemRoot% in the box that will appear and press Enter;
2. Scroll down to find the SoftwareDistribution folder. Rename SoftwareDistributon, into anything you like (but make sure to memorize the new name);
   
   

   

3. Restart the computer and try to update Windows.

According to users, the 0x80070057 error message appeared because a period (a full stop) was not set as a decimal option in Clock, Language, and Region. Follow the steps below to ensure that a period (full-stop) is set as a decimal option:

1. Go to the start menu and type Region;
2. In the Formats tab, click on Additional settings... and type a period "." next to Decimal symbol:
3. Click on Apply and then OK.

One of the ways to fix the 0x80070057 error code is to replace all the corrupted files manually, however, since it is a long (and dangerous) process, or if there are too many files to replace, the DISM command might be the best alternative. DISM stands for Deployment Image & Serving Management, and it can be used to download and restore the (corrupted) system files. To use the DISM command, follow the steps below:

1. Go to the start menu, type command prompt, and once it appears in the search results, right-click on it and select Run as Administrator;
   
   
2. Type the following command and press Enter:
   
   DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
   
   
3. Once the process is completed and if files were replaced, restart the computer;
   
   
4. Open the command prompt as described in the first step, type the following command and press Enter:
   
   sfc /scannow

According to some users, removing and reinserting the RAM sticks should solve the 0x80070057 error message. Be very careful when removing and reinserting the stick(s), in order to avoid damaging it and the socket on the motherboard.

Maybe the antivirus software is the reason for the 0x80070057 error message. Restart the computer, disable the antivirus software and then try to apply the updates.

Make sure to enable the antivirus protection afterwards, to ensure that your computer is protected.

A good fix for this error code would be formatting the partition via CMD. To format the partition, follow the steps below, carefully, to the letter:

1. Insert the Windows Installation DVD, follow the onscreen instructions and click on Repair your computer;
2. Click on Troubleshoot, select Advanced options and click on the Command Prompt;
   
3. Type diskpart. Wait until it loads and when you are asked you for administrative privileges, enter Yes;
4. Type list disk, to see the list of disks;
5. Type select disk [n] to select your disk out of the list (e.g. select disk 1);
6. Type clean to clean the drive;
7. Type create partition primary;
8. Type select partition 1;
9. Type active to activate the partition on the disk;
10. Type format fs=ntfs to do a full format into NTFS. This process may take some time to complete, depending on the disk's size;
11. Type exit and press enter to exit from diskpart, and type exit and press enter once again, to exit from the command prompt;
12. Try installing Windows, this time by going back to the initial screen (from step 1) and clicking on Install now.

The SATA cable, i.e. the cable that connects the hard drive and the desktop computer might be the reason for this problem, if it isn't firmly seated, or if it is broken.

If the cable was firmly seated and you get this error, it is possible that the cable is broken. In this case, you need to replace the cable.

If the error code 0x80070057 appears when you are trying to update Windows, setting the "Configure Automatic Updates " to "Not configured" should help you resolve it. Follow the steps below, if you are not certain how to apply this modification:

1. Press Windows key + R to open the run box, and once it opens, type gpedit.msc and press Enter;
2. On the left side of the window, click on the folders, following this pattern: Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Windows Update;
   
   

   

3. Double-click on Configure Automatic Updates and set it to Not Configured;
   
   

   

4. Restart the computer.

The Windows update troubleshooter is designed to fix update-related errors like this one and should help you fix this issue.

To run it and fix error 0x80070057, follow the steps below:

1. Go to the start menu and type find and fix windows update problems;
2. After the troubleshooter opens, click on Next and follow the on-screen instructions.
   
   

   

Consider resetting the Windows Update components if the Windows Update troubleshooter didn't resolve the issue.

If you are not sure how to reset the components, follow the steps below, carefully:

1. Go to the start menu and type command prompt. Once it appears, right-click on it and select Run as Administrator (and type the Administrator's password, if asked).
   
   
2. Type the following commands in the same order as displayed here and press enter after you type each command:
   
   
   • net stop bits
   • net stop wuauserv
   • net stop appidsvc
   • net stop cryptsvc
     
     
3. Type the following command and then press Enter, in order to delete the qmgr*.dat files:
   
   Del "%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Application Data\Microsoft\Network\Downloader\qmgr*.dat"
   
    
4. Type the following command and press Enter:
   
   cd /d %windir%\system32
   
   
5. Type the following commands in the same order as below in order to reregister the Windows Update files and press Enter after you type each command:
   
   
   • regsvr32.exe atl.dll
   • regsvr32.exe urlmon.dll
   • regsvr32.exe mshtml.dll
   • regsvr32.exe shdocvw.dll
   • regsvr32.exe browseui.dll
   • regsvr32.exe jscript.dll
   • regsvr32.exe vbscript.dll
   • regsvr32.exe scrrun.dll
   • regsvr32.exe msxml.dll
   • regsvr32.exe msxml3.dll
   • regsvr32.exe msxml6.dll
   • regsvr32.exe actxprxy.dll
   • regsvr32.exe softpub.dll
   • regsvr32.exe wintrust.dll
   • regsvr32.exe dssenh.dll
   • regsvr32.exe rsaenh.dll
   • regsvr32.exe gpkcsp.dll
   • regsvr32.exe sccbase.dll
   • regsvr32.exe slbcsp.dll
   • regsvr32.exe cryptdlg.dll
   • regsvr32.exe oleaut32.dll
   • regsvr32.exe ole32.dll
   • regsvr32.exe shell32.dll
   • regsvr32.exe initpki.dll
   • regsvr32.exe wuapi.dll
   • regsvr32.exe wuaueng.dll
   • regsvr32.exe wuaueng1.dll
   • regsvr32.exe wucltui.dll
   • regsvr32.exe wups.dll
   • regsvr32.exe wups2.dll
   • regsvr32.exe wuweb.dll
   • regsvr32.exe qmgr.dll
   • regsvr32.exe qmgrprxy.dll
   • regsvr32.exe wucltux.dll
   • regsvr32.exe muweb.dll
   • regsvr32.exe wuwebv.dll
     
     
6. Reset the Winsock by entering the following command and pressing Enter:
   
   netsh winsock reset
   
   
7. Reset the proxy, by typing the following command:
   
   netsh winhttp reset proxy
   
   
8. Type the following commands to start the Windows Update components, and press Enter after you type each of them:
   
   
   • net start bits
   • net start wuauserv
   • net start appidsvc
   • net start cryptsvc
     
     
9. Update the Windows Update agent to the latest version (read this thread by Microsoft to learn how);
   
   
10. Restart the computer.
    
    

Note: If the method above didn't work, repeat the same procedure, but do the following before proceeding to step 4:

1. Rename the software distribution folders backup copies, by typing the following commands:
   
   Ren %systemroot%\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.bak
   Ren %systemroot%\system32\catroot2 catroot2.bak
   
   
2. Reset the Windows Update and BITS services, by typing the following commands:
   
   sc.exe sdset bits D:(A;;CCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRRC;;;SY)(A;;CCDCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRSDRCWDWO;;;BA)(A;;CCLCSWLOCRRC;;;AU)(A;;CCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRRC;;;PU)
   
   sc.exe sdset wuauserv D:(A;;CCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRRC;;;SY)(A;;CCDCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRSDRCWDWO;;;BA)(A;;CCLCSWLOCRRC;;;AU)(A;;CCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRRC;;;PU)

1. Insert the Windows Installation DVD, follow the onscreen instructions and click on Repair your computer;
2. Click on use Recovery Tools… and click on Command Prompt;
   
3. Type diskpart. Wait until it loads and when it will ask you for administrative privileges, click on Yes;
4. Type list disk, to see the list of disks;
5. Type select disk [n] to select your disk out of the list (e.g. select disk 1);
6. Type clean to clean the drive;
7. Type create partition primary;
8. Type select partition 1;
9. Type active to activate the partition on the disk;
10. Type format fs=ntfs to do a full format into NTFS. This process may take some time to complete, depending on the disk's size.
11. Type exit and press enter to exit from diskpart, and type exit and press enter once again, to exit from the command prompt.
12. Try installing Windows 7, this time by clicking on Install now.

Maybe the port in which the SATA cable is plugged in is broken. Try plugging the SATA cable in another SATA port.