Windows 7 Updates Fail with error 0x80070057

Hello Marlenelichtenstadter,

Thank you for providing a detailed information on your issue. I appreciate the step-by-step troubleshooting and the pains you took to resolve your issue. However, there are a few more steps that we can try to diagnose the root cause and check your system health, in order to fix the issue permanently.

As per the description which you have posted in your post seems that you are unable to install the updates, this problem may occur if one or more of the following conditions are true:

1. The Windows Update database is corrupted.
2. Antivirus software is configured to scan the %Windir%\SoftwareDistribution folder.
3. The Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) service does not receive a content link header.
4. A required system file is registered incorrectly.

Try the below methods and check if it helps.

Method 1

If I am not wrong you had tried the below Windows Update troubleshooter to fix your problem and if this is not the same link then try to run the troubleshooter.

Open the Windows Update troubleshooter

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-in/windows7/open-the-windows-update-troubleshooter

Method 2

Step 1

If issue still persists I would suggest you to reset Windows Update components and for that try to run the fixit provided in the following article. If you had already tried the same fixit before I would request you to run the fixit again.

How do I reset Windows Update components?

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971058/en-us#LetMeFixItMyselfAlways

Step 2

Try to follow the steps provided in the following Microsoft Article and check if it helps.

Troubleshoot problems with installing updates

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/troubleshoot-problems-installing-updates#1TC=windows-7

Method 3

If after performing both steps issue persists try to follow the different steps provided in different methods of following Microsoft article.

Unable to install updates in Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2509997

Registry disclaimer : This section, method, or task contains steps that tell you how to modify the registry. However, serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully. For added protection, back up the registry before you modify it. Then, you can restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up and restore the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

You can use the following link in order to back up and restore the registry in Windows: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/322756/

Important:

While performing chkdsk on the hard drive if any bad sectors are found on the hard drive when chkdsk tries to repair that sector if any data available on that might be lost.

Hope this helps. If issue still persists, post back with current status of your computer and result of proposed suggestion, we will be happy to assist you.

Thank you.

Thank you for your reply.

I have no "run" command so at Start I typed cmd.  At prompt I typed services.msc.  A box surfaced with the heading "User Account Control," with a program named "Microsoft Management Console," asking if I will allow program to make changes to computer.  I clicked "yes,"  A list of services appears.  There is no folder listed as Windows\SoftwareDistributionDownload.  I did a search on my computer and I could not find this folder.

Thank you for trying to help me.  This is what I tried:

Downloaded and ran System Update Readiness Tool.

Ran automatic troubleshooter - Win Update for this error.  Listed failures so I tried to generate report but Windows Update did not respond.  Diagnostics Troubleshooting Wizard did not respond.

Ran MS Fix-It (which I had run several times previously).

Do not have a Windows DVD to repair Windows so followed instructions to make my own.  However, when I tried to start the repair process by typing D:\setup.exe the response was "Windows cannot find."

Problem continues; previously proposed solutions did not work either.

I think I have to live with the problem.

Hi,

-          What is the error message you get when the updates fail to install?

You may proceed with a clean boot state and try to install the updates manually to check if this helps.

When you start Microsoft Windows, typically there are several programs that start automatically and run in the background that may interfere with the game. These programs may include antivirus and system utility programs. When you perform a clean startup procedure, you prevent these programs from starting automatically.

How to troubleshoot a problem by performing a clean boot in Windows Vista or in Windows 7, Windows 8:http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929135

Note: After you have finished troubleshooting, follow steps under “How to reset the computer to start as usual after troubleshooting with clean boot” in the article to boot to normal startup.

Reply with the status of the issue and we will be glad to offer our assistance.

I feel as though I am running in circles, and that there is no solution to this problem.  I believe I have previously tried or attempted to try every suggestion mentioned here and elsewhere:

Method 1:  Run Troubleshooter to Fix Problem:

Again ran troubleshooter.  Same Results. " Problems found and not fixed: OX80070057 (2014-04-08-7-07_3-_09P): Problems Installing Recent Updates; Detected:  Check for missing or corrupt files"

Method 2: Reset Win Components.   Run MS FixIt:

Had run several times.  Ran again:  "online search for updates ran successfully.  Restart WinUpdate and check for updates."  Error code: 80070490 (Went to "Get Help" with this code.  Could not activate MS Help & Support.

Method 3:

service pack installation for users?  No

manually tried to install 14 updates, 12 succeeded; 2 failed (Code 80070490):  Security Update KB2705219; Update for Win & KB2647753 (tried to download "roll-up" . Validation tool could not run

Under Registry Editor, Could not find Registry Key or Sub-key for back-up.

Thank you in advance for further suggestions.