Suppose you’re busy working on your business proposal, and your system instantly gets interrupted by an error code – 0x80070057. Or you encounter this error while installing Windows Update. Now, what would you do if you’ve no idea how and why this problem occurred in the first place? It’d certainly be an annoying experience. But don’t lose hope just yet! You can fix this error with the DIY methods discussed in this post. However, before that, let’s understand what this error means and what causes it.
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What Does 0x80070057 Error Mean?
The error code 0x80070057 may appear in a white pop-out window or a blue screen on your system. When this error occurs, it typically means that Windows has run into a storage issue. Your hard drive or SSD is probably running out of space to store more files. In addition, the error may also mean a corrupted hard drive installed on your system. You may encounter this error in different circumstances, such as
- The system gets corrupted while backing up data
- While installing Windows OS and the System Reserved Partition gets corrupted
- Corrupted registry entries interfering with Windows Update
- While playing Video games
Why Does Error 0x80070057 Occur?
There could be several possible reasons that may cause error 0x80070057 considering the situations mentioned above,. Some of the common reasons include:
- No storage space left on your hard drive or SSD
- An old or corrupted hard drive
- System reserved partition is corrupted
- Missing or damaged system files
- Corrupted registry entries
- Malware or virus attack on the system
Now that you’re aware of the possible reasons that may be the real cause behind the error 0x80070057 let’s proceed with the troubleshooting methods.
How to Fix Error Code 0x80070057?
Here, we’ve collected some effective methods to fix this Windows Update Error 0x80070057. You can try the following ones and see what works for you. So let’s get started without any further ado!
Method 1: Restart your PC
Sometimes, just a simple reboot can fix your problem. To get rid of this error, you can try restarting your system. If you’re unable to shut it down normally, press the Power button to turn it off forcefully. Now, reboot your PC/laptop and check if the problem is solved.
If not, boot your pc in safe mode and perform the following fixes.
Method 2: Clear Drive Space
Since it’s more of a storage-related issue, you can clear the unnecessary drive space and see if it resolves the problem. You can do so using the Disk Cleanup utility. However, before that, empty your Recycle Bin. Once you’re done with cleaning the Recycle Bin, follow the given steps to run Disk Cleanup:
- Open File Explorer by pressing Windows + E and going to This PC.
2. Now, navigate to the drive from which you want to free some space, right-click on it and click Properties.
3. Next to the drive properties window, click Disk Cleanup.
4. After that, click ‘Clean up system files.’
5. Select items you want to remove from the list and click OK.
6. You can also go to More Options and click ‘Clean up’ to remove the programs you don’t want to use further.
7. Select the programs, right-click on them, and click Uninstall on the next prompt.
8. Once you’re done, close the window and see if the error is solved.
Method 3: Sync Windows Date & Time
You may find it odd, but there are instances when Windows not synching up with real-world date and time may result in error 0x80070057. To do so, first, check the date and time by clicking the clock. If everything seems fine, skip this step.
1. If it doesn’t align with the actual time and date, right-click on it click Adjust date/time.
2. Next, toggle the switches to the right mentioned under Date and Time. Next, we recommend toggling the buttons for:
- Set time automatically
- Set time zone automatically
- Synchronize your clock
- Adjust for daylight saving time automatically
1. After that, click Sync now to proceed.
2. Now, close the window and restart your system. Check if the error persists.
Method 4: Run CHKDSK
Running CHKDSK can help you scan and fix the corrupted hard drive. It also helps locate Bad sectors on the storage drive. So, if the 0x80070057 error code is occurring due to a damaged or corrupted hard drive, you can follow the given steps and see if it works for you.
1. Go to Windows Search Box, type cmd, and run Command Prompt as administrator.
2. Click ‘Yes’ when it asks for your permission.
3. In the elevated Command Prompt window, type CHKDSK /f/r/D: and press Enter. (Replace D: with your hard device letter.)
4. Let the process complete. Finally, close the window and restart your system. Check if the error is fixed.
| Caution: The CHKDSK command with F and R attributes locates and fixes the hard drive corruption. It also marks the Bad Sectors on the drive and prevents Windows from reading or storing data from these sectors, resulting in data loss. Hence, if you’ve any important data on your hard drive, we’d recommend you recover your data first using reliable partition recovery software such as Stellar Data Recovery Professional. |
Method 5: Scan PC for Malware
The error may also occur due to any virus or malware attack. Therefore, we’d recommend you scan your PC for a malware attack with a Windows defender antivirus program or any third-party anti-malware program such as Kaspersky or Norton.
1. Press Windows + I to open Settings > Update & Security > Windows Security > Virus & threat protection.
2. Next, go to ‘Scan options’ given under Current threats.
3. You can choose between ‘Quick scan,’ ‘Full scan,’ ‘Custom scan,’ and ‘Microsoft Defender Offline scan’ options as per the convenience. However, it’s recommended to run an offline scan to perform a comprehensive check for any virus.
4. Click Scan now to proceed.
5. If you see any further instructions to proceed, follow that and complete the process. Once completed, reboot your system.
Method 6: Run SFC Scan
Sometimes, missing, damaged, or corrupted system files may also be the culprit behind the error. You can run the System File Checker utility. It scans for the broken versions of files and replaces them with the correct ones. To run an SFC scan, follow the given steps:
1. Open Command Prompt and run it as administrator. In the open cmd window, type SFC/scannow and hit Enter.
2. Wait until the process is completed. Then, finally, close the window and reboot your PC or laptop.
Method 7: Perform System Restore
You can perform a system restore to fix the error code 0x80070057 by performing System Restore. When you perform System Restore, it brings back the system to a chosen restore point or default configurations, which means you’ll lose the changes made later related to files, drivers, etc. Follow the given steps:
1. Type ‘Create a restore point’ and hit Enter.
2. Next, under the System Protection tab, click System Restore.
3. Click Next to proceed.
4. Choose the restore point from the available list and click Scan for affected programs.
5. Finally, click Finish to complete the process.
6. Now, reboot your system and see if the problem is solved.
Method 8: Delete the Existing System Reserved Partition
The reserved partition is reserved for Windows restoration and BitLocker encryption. If the partition reserved for the system is damaged or corrupted, you may encounter this error. You’re only left with deleting the existing System Reserved Partition in such a condition, creating a new partition, and continuing with formatting. After that, reset or restore your PC and reinstall Windows on your system.
Conclusion:
Facing any error on your Windows system is an annoying experience, especially when you’re working on something important and have no clue why it occurred in the first place. Error code 0x80070057 is one such error that may pop up on your system out of nowhere. But you may fix the problem by following the effective fixes that we’ve discussed in this post. In addition, you can use powerful data recovery software to prevent data loss due to this error.
