By Lydia | Last Updated
ZIP files are widely used for compressing and storing multiple files into a single archive, but they can occasionally become corrupted, causing data loss. If you encounter "Windows cannot open the folder. The Compressed(zipped) Folder is invalid." Zip File error, don’t panic! Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to repair the ZIP corrupted files effectively. These methods are also applicable for Corrupt RAR file repair.
Incomplete Downloads: Occurs when the ZIP file download process is abnormally interrupted.
Media corruption: Save the Zip file to a bad sector can corrupt files.
Unstable Network when transferring Zip file and Malware or Virus infections can also lead to this problem.
If the damaged ZIP file was downloaded from the internet and appears corrupted, the first step is to re-download it. Ensure you download from a reliable source and that the internet connection is stable to avoid interruptions.
If the ZIP file was transferred from your friend, tell him to re-compress it, and then use a reliable method to transfer files to prevent any potential data corruption during the transfer process.
Some compression software tools, such as WinRAR or 7-Zip, have built-in corrupt zip file repair online functionalities. This method can repair common errors in some compressed files, and is more suitable for archives with many small-sized files.
Step 1: Open WinRAR, press <Ctrl + O> to navigate to the location of the damaged ZIP file, and select it.
Step 2: Click on "Tools" > "Repair archive".
Step 3: Choose the location to save the repaired ZIP file, select the option "Treat the corrupt archive as ZIP", and click "OK".
Note: Alternatively, you can directly click the "Repair" button or use the shortcut key <ALT + R>.
Steps: Open the compressed file with WinRAR, click on the "Extract to" option in the menu bar, and check "Keep broken files".
This method can be used to extract the files normally if the files in the compressed package are not damaged but only the compressed package itself has a problem.
Step 1: Download and install both WinZip and WinZip Command Line.
Step 2: Copy the corrupted ZIP file path.
Step 3: Run Command Prompt as Administrator, cd the parent directory with following command:
cd C:\Users\Kmu\Desktop\test
Step 4: Repair the corrupted ZIP file:
"C:\Program Files\WinZip\wzzip" -yf test.zip
Step 5: Wait the fix process to complete, the WinZip will create a new fixed ZIP file in the same directory.
If the ZIP file contains multiple files, but only some are corrupted, try extract the undamaged files manually to recover corrupt zip file. Open the ZIP file using a compression tool, select the undamaged files, and extract them to a new location.
Compare the file size and checksum (if available) of the repaired ZIP file with the original to ensure it matches. This helps confirm that the repair process was successful and that no data was lost during the repair.
Regular Backups: Always maintain backups of important ZIP files to avoid data loss in case of corruption.
Use Reliable Sources: Download ZIP files from reputable sources and ensure the internet connection is stable during downloads.
Update Compression Software: Keep your compression software updated to benefit from improved stability and bug fixes.
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