"Windows cannot install required files. The file may be corrupt or missing. Error code: 0x80070570."

You can most likely get the error when reinstalling or updating the operating system. The symptom of the failure is the error message stating that "Windows cannot install required files. The file may be corrupt or missing. Make sure all files required for installation are available, and restart the installation. Error code: 0x80070570."

Error 0x80070570

Actually, there are quite a few reasons for the failure. The most common are:

  • Random-access memory (RAM) failure
  • Hard drive damage
  • File system error
  • Windows installation file error

Let's discuss in more detail each of these reasons capable to cause Error 0x80070570.

Random-access memory (RAM) failure

RAM failure quite often causes error 0x80070570. Microsoft offers free utility for RAM check. Starting with Windows Vista the RAM check utility is built-in. For earlier Windows versions, you can download and use this software. RAM check utilities are quite simple and don't require any actions on your side. However, note that the analysis is quite slow. Get more information on how to test memory here.

If you have several memory slots on your PC, you need to check each one separately.

If the RAM test detects errors, the simplest thing you can do is to wipe the straps with a dry cloth or try to use different slots. Run memory test with different configurations and check the result. If it does not help, unfortunately, you should admit that you have to buy a new RAM.

Windows installation file error

Usually you can easily figure out that the 0x80070570 error is caused by damaged Windows files.

Often, you start to get the error immediately after reinstalling or updating an operating system. If you reinstall the OS, your solution is to write the boot file once again. If you start to get the error immediately after OS is updated, you need to copy important files stored on the device to a safe location if the system allows to do this, or recover data using special data recovery software (the detailed tutorial on how to do this is given below). Only after you make sure that all valuable data is intact and safe, you can reinstall the operating system.

Hard drive damage or file system error

There are a lot of utilities to check the health of a hard drive. These tools can read and analyze so-called S.M.A.R.T. parameters. The list of the parameters is quite long but the most important among them are: Read Error Rate, Reallocated Sectors Count, Seek Error Rate, Seek Time Performance, Soft Read Error Rate. If the diagnostic software informs you that the disk produces error, most likely it is a root case of the 0x80070570 error.

If you cannot launch the diagnostic tool because Windows does not start on the PC, you need to remove the disk from a PC box, connect it to another PC, and then check its state.

If the 0x80070570 error is caused by a hard drive failure or a file system failure you have to either replace or format the device. If the data stored on the disk is important, before replacing or formatting it use data recovery software like ReclaiMe File Recovery to extract files and folders.

How to recover data in case of 0x80070570 error

  1. Disconnect the disk from the motherboard, take a SATA-to-USB adapter and connect the disk to another PC.
  2. Download and install ReclaiMe File Recovery. Do not install the software to the device you are going to recover data from.
  3. Select the device in the list of available devices and click Start.
  4. Wait until the software completes the scan.
  5. Check the recovery quality using the Preview function.
  6. succesfull recovery in ReclaiMe
  7. Prepare the device to which you are going to copy the recovered data, say an external drive, and connect it to the computer.
  8. Purchase a license key, activate the software, and start copying.

As soon as your data is copied to a safe location you can format the disk, and reinstall Windows.

Still have questions?