Windows 8 error 0x80070057 means “The parameter is incorrect,” but it is not one single fault. The correct fix depends on what you were doing when it appeared: Windows Update, an upgrade or installation, or viewing permissions on a network share. Follow the matching procedure below, starting with the least destructive checks. The spelling 0X080070057 sometimes used in searches contains an extra zero; the Microsoft error code is 0x80070057.
Identify where 0x80070057 appears
Write down the operation, the exact wording, and whether the failure happens every time. “The parameter is incorrect” is a generic Windows message. A repair that helps Windows Update will not necessarily correct a setup failure or a network-share permissions problem.
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| Where the code appears | Most relevant causes | Start here |
|---|---|---|
| Windows Update | Corrupted update files, permissions, incorrect system configuration, insufficient space, date/time or network interference | Run the Windows Update troubleshooter, then SFC; reset the update cache if necessary |
| Upgrade or installation | Pending updates, damaged system components, incompatible drivers or peripherals, unsuitable installation media | Install pending updates, run SFC/DISM, remove peripherals and verify media and drivers |
| Effective access or permissions for a network path | A documented Windows 8.1/Server 2012 R2 interaction with a non-Microsoft SMB 3.0 server returning a NULL Owner field | Map the UNC share to a drive letter; apply the documented hotfix only to supported editions |
Before changing anything
- Back up documents and other personal files, especially before an upgrade, repair installation or recovery-media work.
- Record the Windows edition (Windows 8 or Windows 8.1) and whether the computer is 32-bit or 64-bit. The network-share hotfix discussed below does not apply to Windows 8.
- Disconnect unnecessary USB devices, external drives, printers, docks and other peripherals while troubleshooting setup.
- Make sure you can sign in with an administrator account. SFC, service changes and some repair operations require elevation.
- If the code appeared only once, restart and retry the same operation once. If it returns, use the branch that matches the operation instead of repeatedly forcing the failing action.
Fix 0x80070057 in Windows Update
1. Run the Windows Update troubleshooter
- Open the Control Panel from the Start screen or desktop.
- Select Troubleshooting, then Fix problems with Windows Update under System and Security.
- Choose Advanced if it is shown, select Run as administrator, and allow the checks to complete.
- Apply any suggested repair, restart Windows, and try Windows Update again.
The troubleshooter is the least invasive first step and can correct common service, configuration and permission conditions. If it reports that it could not repair the problem, continue rather than repeating it.
2. Repair protected system files with SFC
- Press
Windows, typecmd, right-click Command Prompt, and choose Run as administrator. - At the elevated prompt, run
sfc /scannow. - Wait for verification to reach 100 percent. Do not close the window while the scan is running.
- Restart the computer, then retry the update.
If SFC says it found and repaired files, the restart is important because repaired components may not be active until Windows reloads. If it says some files could not be repaired, save the exact result and proceed to DISM.
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3. Use DISM when SFC cannot repair the component store
On an elevated Command Prompt, run:
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealthAllow the operation to finish, restart, and run sfc /scannow again. Then retry Windows Update. DISM may need access to Windows component files; if it reports that source files cannot be found, do not guess at a source path. Use compatible Windows installation or recovery media, or obtain qualified technical help for a source that matches your edition and architecture.
4. Reset the Windows Update download cache
Use this step when the troubleshooter and system-file checks do not resolve the error, or when an update repeatedly fails at the same download or installation stage. The procedure removes cached update downloads, not your personal documents.
- Open Command Prompt as administrator.
- Stop the update service with
net stop wuauserv. If Background Intelligent Transfer Service is active, also runnet stop bits. - Open File Explorer and enter
C:WindowsSoftwareDistributionin the address bar. - Delete the contents inside that folder, leaving the
SoftwareDistributionfolder itself in place. If Windows says a file is in use, confirm that the services stopped; do not delete unrelated folders. - Return to the elevated Command Prompt and run
net start wuauserv, followed bynet start bitsif you stopped BITS. - Restart Windows and check for updates again.
Windows will recreate the cache as needed. The first scan after a reset can take longer because update metadata and packages must be downloaded again.
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- Free space: Open Computer or This PC, check the system drive, and free enough space for the update and temporary files. Remove or move only files you have identified and backed up.
- Date and time: From the desktop, open the clock, choose Change date and time settings, and verify the date, time and time zone. An incorrect clock can interfere with update validation.
- Security software: Temporarily test with third-party security software’s update or web-filtering features disabled only if its documentation permits it. Re-enable protection immediately after the test. Do not uninstall security software as a first step.
- Network: Retry on a stable connection, avoid captive portals and proxies you do not control, and restart the router only when other devices show the same connectivity problem.
- Permissions and configuration: If the failure is limited to one user account, test with another administrator account. A successful test points to a profile or permission issue rather than a universal update failure.
Fix 0x80070057 during a Windows 8 upgrade or installation
1. Finish pending updates before starting setup
Boot into the existing Windows installation, install all updates that Windows can complete, restart as requested, and verify that no restart is pending. Launch setup again only after the update process has finished. A partially updated installation can leave setup with inconsistent files or configuration.
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2. Check the existing installation
- Open an elevated Command Prompt and run
sfc /scannow. - If SFC reports repair problems, run
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth, restart, and run SFC again. - Retry setup after the repairs complete. If the current installation cannot finish these repairs, stop and use compatible recovery or installation media rather than repeatedly starting the failed upgrade.
3. Remove variables from the hardware and driver configuration
- Disconnect nonessential USB storage, printers, cameras, game controllers, hubs, card readers and other peripherals. Leave only the keyboard, mouse, display and network connection required for setup.
- Obtain current Windows 8-compatible drivers from the hardware manufacturer, especially for storage controllers, chipsets, graphics, network adapters and firmware-dependent devices. Avoid drivers intended for a different Windows edition or architecture.
- Uninstall or pause third-party utilities that hook deeply into startup, disk encryption, virtualization or system filtering only when you have a documented recovery method and the software vendor permits it.
- Confirm that the target drive has adequate free space and that important files are backed up to storage that will not be reformatted.
4. Verify installation media and recovery options
Use installation or recovery media compatible with the installed edition and architecture. Damaged or mismatched media can reproduce a parameter error even when the hardware is healthy. If setup cannot repair the running installation, boot from the compatible media and choose the available repair option before considering a reinstall. A clean installation can remove applications and personal files, so back up first and verify that you have product credentials, application installers and device drivers.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Fix the documented file-permissions scenario
Microsoft documents a specific case in which Windows Explorer fails while displaying effective access for a UNC path such as \servershare. The server is a non-Microsoft SMB 3.0 server that returns a security descriptor with a NULL Owner field. This is a narrow diagnostic match, not proof that every permissions error with 0x80070057 has the same cause.
Use a mapped drive as the immediate workaround
- In File Explorer, right-click This PC and select Map network drive.
- Choose an unused drive letter.
- Enter the share path, such as
\servershare, in the Folder box. - Enable Reconnect at sign-in if the mapping should persist, and choose Connect using different credentials only when required by the server.
- Open the mapped drive (for example,
Z:) and retry the permissions or effective-access operation.
Mapping changes how the path is addressed; it does not repair an invalid security descriptor on the server. Coordinate with the server administrator if other clients show descriptor or ownership errors.
Understand the hotfix limitation
The Microsoft hotfix for this documented SMB 3.0 effective-access failure applies to Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2, and requires the April 2014 update rollup. Microsoft states that it does not apply to Windows 8. Do not install that package on Windows 8 or treat it as a general-purpose solution for unrelated 0x80070057 errors.
Quick Recap
When the error remains
- Reproduce the failure once and note the operation, exact path, timestamp and any secondary code. This distinguishes an update problem from setup or network permissions.
- Review whether the failure is limited to one account, one drive, one update or one server. A narrow pattern is useful evidence for the responsible vendor or administrator.
- For updates, preserve the SFC and DISM results and the point at which the cache reset was attempted.
- For setup, confirm edition, architecture, media source, available space, disconnected peripherals and driver versions before trying again.
- For a network share, test the mapped-drive workaround and ask the server administrator to inspect the SMB security descriptor, especially the Owner field.
- Avoid registry “fixes,” random permission resets and deleting system folders that are not part of the documented procedure. Those actions can create new boot, update or data-access problems.
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