Error 0x80070057: What It Means and How to Fix It

Error 0x80070057 is one of the most generic codes Windows produces. It translates to “The parameter is incorrect”: some piece of Windows or an app passed a value that the component on the other end refused to accept. The code alone doesn’t tell you what went wrong. Where you saw it does. Here’s how to read the context, the fixes that match each situation, and the point at which error 0x80070057 stops being a software glitch and starts pointing at a failing drive.

Where error 0x80070057 shows up

You’ll usually see it in one of these situations:

• Windows Update, when an update fails to download or install.
• Backups, including File History, Backup and Restore (Windows 7), and system image creation.
• Copying or moving files, especially to or from an external drive or USB stick.
• Formatting or partitioning, in Disk Management or during a Windows installation.
• Individual apps, such as Windows Media Player or Outlook, that hand an invalid value to Windows.

The fix depends on which one applies. Start with the section that matches what you were doing.

Fixing 0x80070057 in Windows Update

Update failures are the most common source of this code, and they’re almost always a software problem with the update cache, not your drive.

1. Run the Windows Update troubleshooter

• Windows 11: Settings → System → Troubleshoot → Other troubleshooters → Windows Update → Run.
• Windows 10: Settings → Update & Security → Troubleshoot → Additional troubleshooters → Windows Update.

Microsoft has been moving troubleshooters into the Get Help app, so the exact path may differ on newer builds.

2. Reset the update cache

If the troubleshooter doesn’t help, clear the folder where Windows stores downloaded update files. Open Command Prompt as administrator and run:

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

This doesn’t touch your personal files. Windows rebuilds the folder and downloads updates fresh. Restart, then check for updates again.

3. Repair system files

Still failing? Repair the Windows component store and system files:

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

Run DISM first, then SFC. Also check that drive C: has a reasonable amount of free space, since updates need room to unpack.

Fixing 0x80070057 during a backup

• Check the destination drive’s format. System image backups need an NTFS-formatted destination. If you’re backing up to a drive formatted FAT32 or exFAT, that alone can cause the failure. Our exFAT vs NTFS guide explains the difference.
• Check free space on the destination.
• Check the region settings. In some cases, mostly with the older Backup and Restore tool, a decimal symbol set to something other than a period has been reported to trigger this code. Open Control Panel → Region → Additional settings and confirm the Decimal symbol is a period (.). It’s harmless to check, but it’s not the usual cause.

Fixing 0x80070057 when copying files

When error 0x80070057 appears while copying to or from an external drive or flash drive, the problem is often the file system on that drive. Corruption from unplugging without ejecting, a power cut, or a failing device can leave Windows unable to process the request.

1. Try another USB port and cable, plugged directly into the computer with no hub.
2. Open Disk Management (right-click Start → Disk Management) and look at the drive. If it shows as RAW, don’t format it. See our guide to a RAW drive where chkdsk isn’t available.
3. Copy off what you can before running any repair.
4. Only then run chkdsk X: /f (replace X with the drive letter), and only if the drive’s health checks out.

Our guide to “The parameter is incorrect” covers the drive-access version of this error in more detail.

Fixing 0x80070057 when formatting or installing Windows

During a Windows installation, this code can appear when Setup can’t create or format a partition. Common causes include a leftover partition layout from another system or a mismatch between the disk’s partition style and how the PC is booting.

Be careful here: the usual fix is to delete partitions and let Setup recreate them, and deleting partitions erases everything on them. If the disk has files you need, copy them off first, or install Windows on a different drive.

When error 0x80070057 points to a failing drive

Windows Update and backup errors are rarely hardware problems. But if the code appears whenever you access a particular drive, along with other symptoms, the drive itself may be failing:

• Copying stalls, freezes, or runs extremely slowly.
• The drive clicks, beeps, or disconnects on its own.
• You also see I/O device errors or CRC errors.
• The drive was dropped or the problem began suddenly.

Check the drive’s SMART data. Our guide on how to check hard drive health walks you through it. Reallocated, pending, or uncorrectable sector counts above zero mean the drive is degrading. At that point, skip chkdsk /r and other repair tools, which write to the drive and push it harder. Copy the most important files first, and stop altogether if the drive is making noise.

The bottom line

Error 0x80070057 means a request had an invalid parameter, and the context tells you where to look. For Windows Update, run the troubleshooter, reset the SoftwareDistribution folder, and repair system files. For backups, check the destination’s format and free space. For file copies and drive access, check the connection, Disk Management, and SMART health before running any repair. If the drive is degrading, protect the data before trying to fix the error.

If error 0x80070057 is keeping you out of a drive with files you can’t replace, our hard drive recovery service recovers failing and corrupted drives for one flat $1,200 price per single device, with free prepaid shipping, and you pay nothing unless the recovery succeeds.