What Does Archive is Corrupted Mean? [+Common Causes]

Trouble opening your archive could maybe mean it’s corrupted. Data corruption can do a lot of damage, only part of which is losing personal information. That’s why you have to act quickly.

So, what does archive is corrupted mean? What causes it, and how to fix it? Let’s get right to it.

What does archive is corrupted mean?

An archive contains multiple files into one – something that’s extremely useful for data storage or transfer. But what happens if one is damaged? A corrupt archive is a broken one – you will be denied access and extraction to its content.

So, we’re looking at loss of important information at best and system corruption at worst. One can (accidentally) damage an archive while editing, deleting, or transferring. Typically, something interrupts the writing or encoding of the file.

Not having access to your files can be pretty frustrating, especially when you don’t know the reason. Let’s explore the most common causes of archive corruption:

Why do archive files get corrupted?

• Incomplete download: The most common reason behind archive corruption. An interruption of the download process (be it due to an unstable network connection, power outage, abrupt program shutdown, or other issue) will most likely result in a corrupt file.
• Errors during file transfer: The transferring process leaves the file vulnerable. Even a small part getting damaged while transferring the archive from one device/storage to another could render the entire archive unusable.
• Damaged files: The archive could contain damaged files even before you download them to your device.
• Malicious files: Malware can do a lot of damage to your archive – it can infect it, modify its key components, or even delete some of it. This puts your entire computer at risk!
• Inaccurate header file: The reader could not recognize the file’s header, which could damage the entire archive.
• Software issues: Faulty programs can result in data loss or corruption.
• Bad sectors: Even storage devices can turn corrupt. They could develop a bad sector, which means there are areas on the drive where data cannot be saved and stored. Subsequently, this could significantly damage the archive files.
• Incorrect file size: If the archive file grows too big, this could lead to archive corruption.

Thinking your information is lost forever could be discouraging when faced with a corrupted archive issue. Keep reading for some valuable tips on how to try to recover it:

How do I fix a corrupted archive?

1. Download the archive again

If an interrupted download process or a transfer error damaged the archive, you could try downloading it again. Alternatively, you can use a different source if we’re talking about online software or data.

This way, you may not have to revert to actual archive corruption recovery attempts.

2. Repair the archive with WinRAR

1. Open WinRAR on your PC. If you haven’t yet downloaded it, get it from the official software page and follow the on-screen instructions to install it.
2. Click on File and then Open archive. Open your corrupted file.
3. Select the archive and choose Repair on the right.
4. Pick a new location for the repaired file. Select the archive type and press OK. Wait for the process to finish.

WinRAR is a valuable program not just for viewing archive files. You can also use it to convert, virus scan, encrypt, (force) extract data, backup, or even repair your files.

However, the degree of success depends on the severity of corruption, so in some complex cases, this may not be enough.

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3. Force-extract the files

1. Launch WinRAR and press Ctrl + O. Choose the archive you want to open.
2. Find the Extract To option and click on it.
3. Choose the destination path and tick the box next to the Keep broken files option.
4. Click OK to begin the extraction process. If any errors pop up, ignore them.

4. Use third-party repair software

Sometimes, when data corruption is too severe, the above solutions won’t lead to successful results. If that’s the case with your files, it might be time to try trusted third-party recovery software.

There are excellent free tools to help fix corrupt archive files. You can even find reliable online alternatives.

Though, remember that even if you finally manage to access your file, it’s still possible that they might be infected. Scan them with a reliable antivirus program to make sure you’re safe.

What does archive is corrupted mean? Congrats, now you know not just the answer to this question but also what causes it and how to fix it.

It might also be helpful to learn what to do if you can’t extract your ZIP files.

We hope you found this article useful and that it helped solve your problem. If you need further assistance or information, don’t be shy to use the comment section below.