Winrar problems

[321erik123]

I've got a problem, since a couple of weeks I can't extract anything I always get a CRC error.

I have tried to use other extract programs but I always get a CRC error, even old files that I've extracted previosly doesn't work anymore, what can I do?

Please help

Erik

(I think this is the right place to post cos my movies can't be extracted)

[Manuxtreme]

There is nothing much you can do. This CRC error comes because you have compressed one really big file.

One solution that may work. Try reconstructing the rar file. There is an option in WinRAR under commands. Select repair archive. This may work usually it dont!!

You have to redownload the file again and hope for the best!!

[321erik123]

But there must be something I can do cos my old files that used to work doesn't work any more so some setting or something have changed.

Erik

[Grant_H]

DId you try reinstalling winrar? If not i suggest compleaty removing winrar and then reinstall it.

[Roundabout]

Do any RAR files extract properly? Have you tried D/L a new file (anything at all) and extract it? Are the files you are trying to extract on your HD or on a CD? If they are on your HD, and they worked at one time but not now, it's possible they could have become corrupted - maybe by virus, or bad sectors on your HD. I suggest finding a small RAR file online somewhere and try the extraction on it, to see if it is actually a problem with your WinRAR program, or with a RAR file.

[321erik123]

Ok i've kind of cornered the problem.

It's only .rar files that doesn't work .ace files and others work.

I tried to make some small .rar archives and they worked. I seems like it's only the large .rar files that doesn't work.

I don't think that it is a bad sector cos I've tried several diffrent .rar files spread over the entire HD, no one work, and I don't think it's a virus cos my virus program is pretty new and reguraly updated.

I've tried to reinstal winrar and upgrade it but nothing works.

Please help me

Erik

[Roundabout]

Well, there's not much else that comes to mind, if those same RAR files worked properly before and if WinRAR is working (seems like it is, from what you've said) then the only logical conclusion is that your files are corrupt. Notice, I didn't say the ONLY conclusion. But since you are getting CRC errors, that would normally only happen on defective files. I've had CRC errors on some files in the past, and tried the repair option, but that only works on Solid Archives. Also, I've had files that had CRC errors, but seemed to work fine. Have you tried using the files, even with the errors? How large are the files? I think you mentioned they are movie files - why would you have them in RAR format anyway? You don't gain much in compression by using it for AVI's, and you risk corrupting them when you compress them. Are the files that worked before ones that you compressed, then uncompressed? What I mean is, did you actually compress them, and then you uncompressed them and verified that they worked properly? Or are they just AVI's that worked before you compressed them?

[321erik123]

First of all I really want to thank you for you time.

Second what is a "solid archive", and it's not only movies, but the ones that are is becouse if you rar them you can split it and put them together easily. And how can I use the files with errors, winrar delets them.

The files are around 500 Mbytes. The files that worked before were not compressed by me I got them from the internet so the worked after an unzip.

Still needs some help

Erik

[Roundabout]

Sorry, I was mistaken. Apparently, you can recover a solid or non-solid archive only if it has a recovery record.
From the manual:

A solid archive is a RAR archive packed by a special compression method, which treats all files, within the archive, as one continuous data stream. Solid archives are supported only by the RAR archiving format, ZIP archives are always non-solid. The archiving method for RAR archives is a user selectable option and may be Solid or non-Solid.
Solid archiving significantly increases compression, especially when adding a large number of small, similar files. But it also has a few important disadvantages:

· slower updating of existing solid archives;
· encrypted solid archives cannot be modified;
· to extract a single file from a solid archive all preceding files must be analyzed. This makes extraction from the middle of a solid archive slower than extraction from a normal archive, but, if all files are to be extracted from a solid archive, the extraction speed will not be affected.
· if any file in a solid archive is damaged, it will be impossible to extract all files which follow the damaged area. Thus if a solid archive is stored to media such as diskette, it is recommended to make use of the recovery record.

And about repairing a damaged RAR archive;

To repair a corrupt archive, which has a recovery record, in WinRAR shell mode apply "Repair" command to it. In the command line use command "r". The repaired archive will have name _recover.rar. If a corrupt archive does not contain a recovery record or if an archive is not completely recovered due to major damage, a second stage is performed. During this stage only the archive structure is reconstructed and it is impossible to recover files, which fail the CRC validation, but it is still possible to recover undamaged files, which were inaccessible due to the corrupt archive structure. This is useful only for non-solid archives. When the second stage is completed, the reconstructed archive will be saved as _reconst.rar.

Obviously, if the file has no recovery record, it will not be possible to recover it. The only way you can do it is to try this. The files I was able to use after CRC failure had a recovery record. Odds are, the ones you have don't (they were trying to reduce file size, so they probably left it out). Beyond this, I don't really have any other ideas to help you. Sorry if this doesn't work.

[321erik123]

isn't there any way you can extract the file, get it out of the archive, even if it is corrupt I mean some parts could be working?

Erik

[Roundabout]

Try this:

Sometimes when you get a corrupt RAR file there is not always a possibility to download it again because the file may be corrupt on the server. You can however try to repair the file with WinRAR. You do this by selecting the corrupt file in WinRAR (don't open it) and either press the Repair button on the toolbar, press Alt-R or select (Commands menu · Repair archive). There is a good chance WinRAR can repair the file if a recovery record was added to the archive on creation. So when you create RAR files yourselves, always make sure (Archiving options · Put recovery record) is checked.

If this doesn't work you can always extract the movie regardless of the bad RAR. In order to do this, you need to tell WinRAR not to delete the file because of a bad CRC. When you extract, check (Miscellaneous · Keep broken files). It is off course possible you will get freezes because the file is damaged, but you can repair the movie as you know by now and it's better than throwing your entire download away.

More info on how to fix the file once you have been able to extract it, even though it's damaged, try this site:
http://www.geocities.com/divx_repair/

[321erik123]

I tried to extract a file and keep it "even if brooken". The file was a .cdi file and when I try it discjuggler then it just crash. Do you think the files are screwed up or could I burn them an extract them on someone elses computer?

Erik

[Roundabout]

A couple more options:

If DiscJuggler does not work, there is this program called CDIrip which converts a CDI image to Nero, and Nero supports a lot more drives than Discjuggler. You can visit the site which also has a lot of other useful image handling tools (such as CDIFix Image, and CDIRip) here: http://server3003.freeyellow.com/cdirip/index_en.htm

If the image is corrupted, first of all check your image by trying to burn it. When you are not able to begin burning the image, you can use a image fixing tool such as CDMage. CDMage will scan the image, report errors and even FIX the errors. It's a great tool for people who handle images. D/L at http://cdmage.tripod.com. Once you start using it, it's pretty easy to understand. Also try CDIFix by the same maker of CDI->NRG here: http://server3003.freeyellow.com/cdirip/index_en.htm

Lastly, you can d/l the .cdi file mounter from DiscJuggler and try that - D/L here: http://www.padus.com/downloads/cdi.php
I think some versions of DJ do not support .cdi - only .cdj - but I'm not very clear on this from their website.

[321erik123]

Ok nothing works as usual

I don't know if I told you this earlier but from what I understand the files headers are missing (or not working) I don't really know what this mean but it prevents cdi2nero, CDIFix and CDmage to even load the files so...

do you know anything about this?

Erik

[Roundabout]

At this point, I don't have any further ideas to recover the data you have. Is it possible to replace the data? Might be easier than all this, but I know that sometimes there is no way to get the same data again. If I come up with any further ideas I'll post them. Right now this is pretty much everything I can think of to recover RAR files. Anyone else reading this thread have any other ideas? Feel free to jump in...
Sorry I can't give you any other ideas beyond this. We gave it a shot. It's very hard to reconstruct some data once part of it is lost for good. It's like a washing machine thats missing a motor. The machine is still there, you can put things into it and fill it with water, but if there's no motor, it's not going to wash your clothes. The situation here is that you have lost part of your data, and even if it's mostly intact, if an important part is missing, you can't do anything with it.

[RabidDog]

8) If previously these files worked then it may be you have upgraded your copy of winrar. I think there is a problem with a new version and old winrar files (created with old, or very old version).
Could be a hardware problem, throttle back your processor to normal speed no overclocking.
Take the side off your case as your hard disc may be overheating.
Boot system from cold (10 hrs off) shut down as many programs as possible then run winrar.
Took me a while to figure out some winrar options, nobody seems to use recovery space in thier archives!

[Roundabout]

RabidDog,

It took me a while too, to get used to everything in WinRAR - and I've exhausted my ideas on what to tell him to try, so I'm glad you have some other ideas. What the hell, try everything. You're right though, I've found only a few files that actually had a recovery record in them. My theory is because:
#1, People are lazy, and it takes some extra effort;
#2, It also makes the archive larger, and with most things being downloaded, smaller is always better.

He may have to face the fact that he's just out of luck. Sucks, but that's life. We tried.

[321erik123]

Thanks guy's

I have the latest version of winrar (3,20) but perhaps it will work in a newer version but who knows.

Do you think the files will work an another coumputer if I burn them and unzip them there?

I'm really greatfull about all you efforts trying to help me, maybe I just have to face the fact that my computer is a terrible piece of hardware.

Erik

[Roundabout]

erik,
Presumably, the files are corrupt as they sit on your HDD, so I don't know why that would make any difference if you were to transfer them to someone else's PC - they're still corrupt. If you want to try, sure, why not? Burn the files onto a disk in normal data mode (don't extract them first) and take them to a friend's house and try extracting them there. Or take your HDD and hook it into the friend's PC as a slave HD. Nothing to lose, I suppose.
It seems kind of strange that you would have a lot of corrupt files, I don't think you mentioned exactly how many, but you may have a bad HDD. If there are enough bad sectors (when did you last do a Scandisk?) you could get a lot of data corruption. If the problem continues with other files, you may want to consider getting a new drive.
Good luck.

[321erik123]

Well I have around 15 files that now a days are corrupt thats like 4 gig so that would mean that 10 % of my hdd is a bad sector if not more.

And I do a scandisc pretty often (when the computer crash) and the winrar problem has made me do it a couple of times

Erik

[Sharkonzz]

Oke you should download a program called Zipzag that should extract the date even if its not a solid archive