“Error 0x80070570: The file or directory is corrupted and unreadable” means Windows could not read the requested item through its normal file-system path. Do not start with formatting or a repair command. First identify the drive and action that triggered the message, then copy any still-accessible important files to a healthy device. If the source clicks, disconnects, or repeatedly stalls, stop DIY attempts and seek an imaging or professional recovery assessment.
Pinpoint the Failing Item and the Drive Behind It
Write down exactly what you did when the error appeared. Were you opening a photo, copying a folder, deleting a file, extracting an archive, or installing Windows? The same message can surface in very different workflows. A single unreadable ZIP on a healthy drive calls for a fresh download or another source copy. Several unrelated files failing on one USB device suggest a storage or file-system problem. An installation error may involve the installer media or destination rather than your everyday documents.
In File Explorer, note the full path and drive letter. Check whether other folders on that drive open normally. If an external device is involved, verify the cable and port with one known-good connection. Avoid a long series of reconnects. When the device appears with the wrong capacity, disappears between attempts, or makes clicking noises, stop; software-level scans and repair commands can stress unstable hardware. For a stable source, test one small, nonessential file to see whether the failure is isolated.
Microsoft lists error 1392, hexadecimal 0x570, as “The file or directory is corrupted and unreadable”. The 0x80070570 form carries that underlying error in a Windows status code. It describes what Windows could not read; it does not, by itself, prove whether the cause is a damaged file, directory metadata, connection, or failing storage medium.
Save What You Can Read Before Changing the Volume
If the drive is stable and still opens, copy the most valuable accessible files to another healthy device now. Start with documents, photos, project files, and irreplaceable folders. Copy in small groups so a single bad item does not interrupt the whole transfer. Note which paths fail. Do not move the originals; moving can delete the source entry after a copy. A backup that has not been opened and sampled is not yet verified.
Check cloud versions and separate backups for the affected item. If an earlier copy opens, protect it under a new name and compare its content. Do not overwrite the damaged survivor until you know the replacement is complete. For a single unreadable downloaded file, getting another copy from the trusted original source may be faster and safer than modifying the drive.
Skip repeated reads if the device grows slower, vanishes, or produces new errors across unrelated folders. A failing drive may have limited remaining readable time. In that case, professional imaging prioritizes a stable copy of the medium before ordinary file recovery. Drecov and Windows repair commands cannot fix a broken controller or worn physical media.
When Local Files Are Inaccessible, Recover Before Repair
For a stable, correctly recognized Windows drive with logical file loss, Drecov can search for files that Explorer cannot reach. It offers a read-only recovery mode, Quick Scan, Deep Scan, filters, preview, and recovery to another healthy location. Lost Partition Recovery applies if the partition itself is missing. That is different from repairing file-system metadata, fixing a USB controller, or guaranteeing recovery from a physically failing drive. In this 0x80070570 scenario, its job is to find usable copies before you let a repair utility alter the source volume.
⚠ Warning: Install it on a drive different from the one where your data was lost to prevent overwriting.
Stop saving anything new to the affected volume. Prepare a second healthy destination with enough room and do not install recovery software on the source partition. If the disk is unstable, stop here and arrange imaging or professional help. For stable storage, the file recovery overview explains the distinction between retrieving files and changing the file system.
Recover from the volume that shows the error
- Step 1: Open Drecov and select the original drive or lost partition containing the unreadable folder. Check the capacity and location so you do not scan the healthy destination instead.
- Step 2: Run Quick Scan first. Search for the filenames and parent folders that Explorer cannot open.
- Step 3: If the important files are missing and the device remains stable, run Deep Scan. Stop if disconnections or repeated read failures begin.
- Step 4: Filter by file type, name, and former path where available. Preview several representative items. A preview is evidence of some readable content, not a promise that every page or image frame survives.
- Step 5: Recover promising files to the healthy second device, never back to the problem volume. If output is not in the expected place, check the Drecov Folder or Recovery Folder at the chosen destination.
- Step 6: Open recovered files in their normal applications and verify a sample from each important folder. Only then consider CHKDSK or another action that changes the source.
⚠ Warning: Install it on a drive different from the one where your data was lost to prevent overwriting.
Choose the Repair That Fits the Evidence
Only one file fails
Look for an earlier version or a clean copy from its creator. A file-specific problem does not justify formatting an entire disk. If the affected item is an archive, compare the download size and obtain a fresh copy from a trusted source. If it is an Office document, use the application’s recovery or repair feature on a duplicate. Save the repaired output separately, then inspect the content.
Many folders fail on a stable drive
After the valuable files are recovered or a backup has been verified, a file-system check may help identify and correct logical errors. CHKDSK can change directory records and orphaned-file handling, so it belongs after data protection, not before. Confirm the correct drive letter in File Explorer. Open an elevated Command Prompt only when you understand the target, then run chkdsk X: /scan with X: replaced by the affected volume letter for an online check. Do not copy that placeholder blindly. Review the reported result before deciding whether an offline repair is justified.
If the affected volume contains Windows or is heavily used, an offline repair may require a restart and can take time. Do not begin it while the only copy of important data is still inaccessible. If CHKDSK reports bad sectors or the drive’s behavior deteriorates, stop routine repair attempts and reassess the hardware. A format creates a new file system and can make later recovery harder; it is not a first response to this error.
The warning appears during an installation
Identify whether Windows reads from USB installation media, a local package, or the destination disk when the error appears. Recreate untrusted or incomplete installer media only after confirming that it is not the sole location of personal files. If the destination drive also has unreadable personal folders, protect those files first. Reinstalling Windows can overwrite evidence on the target volume. A related copying error has its own checks in the copying-error guide.
Verify the Outcome, Not Just the Message
A successful check is more than the disappearance of the dialog box. Reopen the exact file that failed, inspect its actual content, and copy it to a healthy destination. Test several nearby files and folders. If the error returns on adjacent paths, the underlying issue remains. Compare the recovered set with your list of failed paths; filenames alone do not prove that all content was retrieved.
For photos, inspect full-size images rather than thumbnails. Play videos beyond their opening seconds. Documents deserve a check of the sections you need and any embedded material. Recovery previews help narrow candidates, but final verification belongs in the normal application. A drive that keeps producing new read errors should not remain the only place you store the verified copies.
When the affected folder sits on a USB device, the USB recovery path provides device-specific context. Check that the drive is recognized consistently before any scan; a changing connection is a reason to pause, not to increase the number of retries.
When the volume is healthy again, maintain another independent copy. A synced folder can replicate accidental deletion or damage, so consider an offline or versioned backup as well. The Drecov home page provides the broader recovery context, while the problem here remains specific: protect readable data, isolate the failing source, then decide whether logical repair is safe.
FAQ
Does 0x80070570 always mean the drive is dying?
No. One damaged download or directory entry can trigger it. Repeated errors across files, disconnections, wrong capacity, or mechanical sounds raise hardware concern.
Should I run CHKDSK immediately?
Not while important files lack a verified backup. CHKDSK may change file-system records. Protect the data and confirm the correct volume first.
Can I delete the corrupted file and try again?
Only when another intact copy exists and the rest of the drive behaves normally. Deletion is not a recovery method for the only copy.
Will formatting remove the error?
A format creates a fresh file system but erases normal access to existing files. It also does not repair unstable hardware. Recover or verify backups before considering it.
What if Drecov cannot see the device?
Do not keep rescanning an absent or unstable device. Check one known-good connection, then seek imaging or professional recovery if the drive remains unavailable.
Conclusion
Error 0x80070570 tells you Windows cannot read a file or directory; it does not name the root cause. Identify the failing path, protect accessible data, and stop if the hardware behaves badly. On a stable readable volume, Drecov can recover inaccessible files to another device before you attempt file-system repair. Confirm those files open correctly, then fix only the problem the evidence supports.
⚠ Warning: Install it on a drive different from the one where your data was lost to prevent overwriting.
