How to Fix Windows Error 0x80070017 (Cyclic Redundancy Check)

By ErrorFix · Updated October 16, 2026 · 7 min read

What error 0x80070017 means

Error code 0x80070017 carries the message "Data error (cyclic redundancy check)," usually shortened to a CRC error. Every chunk of data Windows stores comes with a small checksum — a fingerprint computed when the data was written. When Windows reads the data back, it recomputes the fingerprint and compares the two. If they don't match, the data was changed somewhere along the way, and Windows raises 0x80070017 rather than silently feeding you corrupted bytes.

This error shows up in three common situations. The first is file downloads and copies: an interrupted download, a bad network, or a flaky USB connection leaves you with a file whose contents don't match its expected fingerprint, and the installer or extractor refuses to continue. The second is Windows Update: the update engine downloads large package files and verifies them before installing, and a corrupt package in the SoftwareDistribution cache fails verification with this exact code. The third, and most serious, is failing storage: hard drives and SSDs develop bad sectors over time, and data read from those sectors fails its check every time.

Common causes

• A corrupt or interrupted download: unstable Wi-Fi, a VPN that dropped, or a stalled download manager produces a file that fails its integrity check.
• Bad sectors on the hard drive or SSD: worn flash cells or damaged platter areas return garbled data, and the CRC check catches it.
• Failing USB drive, SD card, or external media: cheap or aging removable media is a classic source of CRC errors when copying files.
• A damaged update or installation cache: corrupt packages in the Windows Update cache or a scratched installation disc fail verification.
• Corrupted file-system metadata: damage to the file system's own bookkeeping can make healthy data appear invalid on read.

How to fix error 0x80070017 — step by step

Work through these fixes in order. Start with the cheapest possibility — a bad download — before suspecting the hardware.

1. Re-download or re-copy the file from a fresh source. If the error appears when opening, installing, or extracting a downloaded file, the download itself is probably corrupt. Delete the file completely, clear your browser cache or download manager queue, and download it again from the official source, preferably over a stable wired or strong Wi-Fi connection. If the file is on a USB drive or memory card, copy it to your internal drive again from the original location instead of the suspect media.
2. Run CHKDSK with the /f and /r switches on the drive. Right-click Start and choose Terminal (Admin). Type chkdsk X: /f /r, replacing X with the letter of the drive that triggered the error, and press Enter. The /f switch fixes logical file-system errors and /r finds bad sectors and recovers readable data. The scan can take anywhere from twenty minutes to a few hours on large drives, so let it finish without interrupting it.
3. Try a different drive, cable, or USB port. If the failing file lives on an external hard drive, USB stick, or memory card, unplug it and reconnect it through a different USB port, ideally a USB port on the back of a desktop PC rather than a hub. Swap the cable if you can, and test the drive on another computer. If the error follows the drive, the media is damaged; if it stays with the PC, suspect the port, cable, or driver.
4. Repair Windows system files with SFC and DISM. Open Terminal (Admin) and run sfc /scannow, then restart your PC when it finishes. If the error persists, run DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth from the same admin terminal, wait for it to complete, and run sfc /scannow one more time. These two tools repair the protected system files and the component store that Windows Update and installers rely on.
5. Check the drive health with SMART data. Cyclic redundancy check errors that keep returning on different files almost always mean the drive is developing bad sectors. Press Win + R, type cmd, and run wmic diskdrive get status to see a basic OK or Pred Fail reading for each drive. For detail, install a free SMART monitor like CrystalDiskInfo and look at the reallocated-sector and current-pending-sector counts. Back up your important files immediately if any SMART attribute shows a caution or bad status, and plan to replace the drive.
6. Reset Windows Update components if the error blocks an update. When 0x80070017 appears during Windows Update, the downloaded update packages themselves are corrupt. In an admin terminal, run net stop wuauserv, net stop cryptSvc, net stop bits, and net stop msiserver. Then rename C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution to SoftwareDistribution.old, restart the four services with net start wuauserv, net start cryptSvc, net start bits, and net start msiserver, and check for updates again so Windows downloads fresh copies.
7. Back up and replace a failing drive. If CHKDSK keeps finding new bad sectors, SMART reports a failing status, or the CRC error keeps moving from file to file, the drive is dying and no software fix will save it. Copy your documents, photos, and other irreplaceable files to another drive or cloud storage now, then replace the drive and reinstall Windows from fresh installation media made with the Media Creation Tool.

Did this fix it? Quick checklist

• The file, update, or install that triggered the error now completes
• CHKDSK finishes with no bad sectors reported (or the failing drive is replaced)
• wmic diskdrive get status shows OK for every drive
• Repeat attempts no longer produce the CRC error

If the error persists after all seven steps, stop hammering the drive — every failed read attempt stresses failing hardware further. Prioritize backing up anything you cannot afford to lose, then run the drive maker's own diagnostic tool (such as Seagate SeaTools, WD Data Lifeguard, or Samsung Magician) for a definitive verdict on the drive's health. If the tool confirms failure, replace the drive and do a clean Windows install from fresh Media Creation Tool media rather than cloning a possibly damaged system onto new hardware.