Repair Corrupted RAR Files | Tried-And-True Methods

If you encounter an error message stating that the compressed archive or file is damaged while trying to unzip RAR/ZIP files, there might be causes for this issue, like the RAR opener failing to identify the header file, incomplete download of an RAR file, or issues related to sectors or physical damage on the disk where the RAR file is stored. This article provides four methods to repair corrupted RAR files, including repairing them. Keep reading to get the best solutions.

Fix 1. Repair Corrupted RAR/Zip Files with File Repair Software

RAR and Zip files are commonly used to compress and store data types such as documents, photos, and videos. However, downloads, virus attacks, power outages, disk errors, or human errors can damage these files.

When this happens, you might see error messages like "archive is corrupt" or "cannot expand zip file" when trying to open or extract them. You can use corrupted RAR file repair software like EaseUS Fixo File Repair to repair corrupted RAR or Zip files. 

This software is designed specifically to assist in fixing and recovering files in formats like EXE, RAR, Zip, and more. It is capable of repairing files impacted by issues such as corruption, damage, encryption problems, and compatibility issues.

The program works on Windows and Mac computers. Works seamlessly with the versions of Office and Adobe. You can do the following steps to repair corrupted RAR files with this file repair software:

Step 1. Download and launch Fixo on your PC or laptop. Choose "File Repair" to repair corrupted Office documents, including Word, Excel, PDF, and others. Click "Add Files" to select corrupted documents.

Step 2. To repair multiple files at once, click the "Repair All" button. If you want to repair a single document, move your pointer to the target file and choose "Repair". You can also preview the documents by clicking the eye icon.

Step 3. Click "Save" to save a selected document. Select "Save All" to save all the repaired files. Choose "View Repaired" to locate the repaired folder.

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Fix 2. Perform RAR Repair with WinRAR to Repair Corrupted RAR Files 

WinRAR stands out as a globally regarded archiver and archive manager. It does not only compress, package, or encrypt backup files on your computer. Also, it allows you to view RAR file contents without extraction.

Its built-in file repair function proves to be a solution for restoring RAR files to their original condition.

Step 1. First, Install WinRAR on your PC.

Step 2. Next, find the corrupted RAR file. Right-click on it. Select "Open, with WinRAR."

Step 3. Then click on "Tools" in the toolbar. Choose "Repair archive" from the options.

Step 4. A window will appear; click "Browse" to select where to save the fixed RAR file. Make sure the archive type remains as RAR and click "OK" to begin the repair process.

Step 5. The damaged RAR file will be fully restored in a few moments, and the repaired RAR file will be saved. Click on the " Close button".

Step 6. Navigate to the location you selected earlier. Your fixed RAR file will be named "rebuilt.file name.RAR".

You can refer to this post when you encounter an unexpected end of the archive in WinRAR:

Fix 3. Try Forcefully Extracting RAR/Zip File to Fix Damaged RAR Files 

If you encounter issues while extracting files after repairing them, WinRAR allows you to extract them by preserving files and disregarding error messages.

Step 1. You can right-click on the damaged RAR/ZIP file. Select "Open, with WinRAR."

Step 2. Next, within the WinRAR window. Click on the "Extract to" button on the toolbar to extract the files.

Step 3. In the Extraction path and options window that appears, designate a destination path where you want to save the extracted files.

Step 4. Before proceeding, remember to check the "Keep broken files" box under "Miscellaneous" in the Extraction path and options window.

Step 5. Finally, click the "OK" button to initiate the file extraction process from the RAR/ZIP archive. This action will also retain any damaged files. If error messages appear during extraction, you can safely disregard them. Continue with file extraction.

FAQs on Repair Corrupted RAR Files

This section addresses queries regarding repairing corrupted RAR files.

1. Can a corrupted file be repaired?

Yes, it is possible to repair a file. You can fix a file in two ways: by using a tool to repair files or by swapping the file with a backup copy. These tools scan, analyze, reconstruct, extract, and restore data to repair files. File repair tools employ techniques for scanning, analyzing, reconstructing, extracting, and recovering data. 

Unfortunately, not every damaged file can be fixed completely, depending on how severe the damage caused the corruption. If you have a duplicate of the file, you can use it to replace the damaged one and recover your information.

2. How does WinRAR repair work?

WinRAR comes with a tool to fix faulty RAR files. If you need to use WinRAR to repair RAR files follow these steps;

1. Step 1. Launch. Choose the corrupted RAR file.
2. Step 2. Click on the Repair option on the toolbar or press Alt + R.
3. Step 3. Select a destination folder to store the file and select "Treat the archive as RAR."
4. Step 4. Wait for the repair process to complete and verify the fixed file in the designated folder.

WinRAR will attempt to salvage as much data as possible from the corrupt RAR file, generating a new file labeled "rebuilt." However, depending on the severe corruption, some data may remain lost or irretrievable.

Conclusion

This post provides solutions to repair corrupted RAR files. Try any of the fixes and see which works for you. If you damage your files, you can get EaseUS Fixo File Repair. In addition to this most effective method, you can fix corrupted RAR archives by repairing them with WinRAR or forcefully extracting them.