How to Resolve 'The Archive is Either in Unknown Format or Damaged' [100% Effective Solution]

Have you ever attempted to open a compressed RAR or ZIP archive file only to encounter an error message that says "the archive is either in an unknown format or damaged?" Did you manage to identify the source of the issue? What method did you employ to resolve it?

"The archive is damaged"

This article aims to provide 100% effective solutions to fix archive errors when opening a compressed file with WinRAR or File Explorer. It's a common issue that many users encounter. Keep reading to find the potential fixes.

Why the Archive Is in an Unknown Format or Damaged

Several factors could result in the issue: "the archive is either in an unknown format or damaged." Some common causes of this error include:

1. Disk errors resulting in file corruption
2. Virus/malware infection
3. Buggy WinRAR software
4. The file you're trying to open is significantly outdated
5. Inconsistent network causing file download issues
6. Error during file compression process
7. A damaged archive file extension

You're likely to encounter this error due to any of these issues. The following section explores the potential solutions for when the archive is in an unknown format or corrupted.

How to Solve "The Archive Is Either in Unknown Format or Damaged"

Since an archive error can occur due to various reasons, there are several approaches to resolving it. Once the issue is fixed, you'll be able to open your compressed file normally. Among the solutions we'll discuss in this article are:

1. Solution 1: Redownload the File
2. Solution 2: Check Disk Errors with Partition Master
3. Solution 3: Use the Repair Archive Feature in WinRAR
4. Solution 4: Use the Default Windows Decompression Tool
5. Solution 5: Scan for Viruses with Windows Defender Security Center

Let's explore how you can employ these five methods to resolve the "archive is either in an unknown format or damaged" error.

Fix 1: Download Files Again

Sometimes, when your ZIP or RAR archive has an incomplete download, it may fail to open. To determine if this is the issue, you can attempt to re-download the files.

The error might vanish if that's the cause. Otherwise, the file might contain some corrupted sections; in that case, proceed to the second solution to check if it resolves the issue.

Fix 2: Check Disk Errors using Partition Master Tool

If re-downloading the archive file does not resolve the issue, you can utilize a third-party utility called tools Partition Master to check for disk errors on your computer. This tool is an effective disk performance optimizer that enables you to clean up your USB drives and hard disks.

By utilizing the Check Disk function offered by this software, you can scan your disk and address the corrupted files to resolve the "archive is either in unknown format or damaged" error. Here are the straightforward steps to check for disk errors using Partition Master: 1. Launch tools Partition Master. 2. Select the disk that contains the problematic archive. 3. Right-click on the selected disk and choose "Check File System." 4. In the pop-up window, confirm the action by clicking "OK." 5. The software will then initiate a disk check to identify and fix any issues. 6. Wait for the process to complete, and then restart your computer if prompted. After following these steps, the issue with the archive should be resolved. If the problem persists, consider other potential solutions, such as checking the integrity of the archive file itself or using data recovery software.

Aside from enabling you to check for partition errors, other features of this software related to disk performance optimization include:

• Fix corrupted file system to repair damaged disk
• Check the disk partition's health status and bad sectors
• Completely wipe hard drive for data protection
• Convert a disk partition from primary to logical or vice versa
• Hide or unhide a disk partition to prevent accidental deletion

Click the button below to download and install Partition Master on your computer to start enjoying its disk partition features.

Solution 3: Use the Repair Archive feature in WinRAR If the RAR file is corrupted and you have WinRAR installed on your computer, you can try using its built-in "Repair Archive" function to fix the issue. Follow these steps: 1. **Open WinRAR**: Launch WinRAR by double-clicking the application icon or searching for it in your Start menu or applications folder. 2. **Access the damaged RAR file**: Navigate to the location of the damaged RAR file using the "File" menu and selecting "Open." Alternatively, you can simply drag the damaged file into the WinRAR window. 3. **Repair the archive**: Once the RAR file is open, click on the "Tools" menu and select "Repair archive" (or press the corresponding keyboard shortcut, usually `Ctrl+R`). 4. **Choose a destination**: In the "Repair" dialog box, specify a location where you want to save the repaired RAR file. It's recommended to choose a different folder from the original file to avoid overwriting the damaged version. 5. **Start the repair process**: Click "OK" to begin the repair process. WinRAR will analyze the damaged file and attempt to recover as much data as possible. 6. **Verify the repaired archive**: After the repair is complete, check the contents of the repaired RAR file to see if the files within are accessible and intact. If the repair was successful, you should be able to extract the files normally. Please note that the success of the repair depends on the extent of the corruption in the original RAR file. If the damage is severe, some data may be irrecoverable.

WinRAR offers a repair feature for damaged ZIP or RAR files, allowing users to restore corrupted archives. It conducts an automatic scan to detect errors and subsequently repairs them. The time required to scan and successfully fix a file error largely depends on the size of the file. Here are the steps to rectify archive errors using WinRAR: 1. Download and install WinRAR on your computer if you haven't already. 2. Locate the damaged ZIP or RAR file on your system. 3. Right-click on the corrupted archive and select "Repair" from the context menu. 4. In the new window that appears, specify a location where you want to save the repaired file. It's recommended to choose a different folder than the original file to avoid any potential overwrite issues. 5. Click "OK" to start the repair process. WinRAR will analyze the damaged file and attempt to recover as much data as possible. 6. Wait for the process to complete. As mentioned, larger files may take longer to repair. 7. Once the repair is finished, navigate to the location where you saved the repaired file. 8. Check the contents of the repaired archive to see if the issue has been resolved. Note that in some cases, not all files within the archive might be recoverable. Keep in mind that while WinRAR's repair feature can be quite effective, it might not always be able to recover all data from severely damaged files.

Step 1. Open WinRAR and locate the corrupted file.

Step 2. Click on the corrupted ZIP file and select the "Repair" icon. If it's a corrupted RAR file, double-click on it, then go to Tools > Repair archive.

Step 3. Next, choose a location to save the repaired archive and click "OK." WinRAR will then start the file editing process and fix any corrupt files.

Step 4. After the process completes, click on the Close button. Navigate to the folder containing your edited archive. Click on it and verify if the error "the archive is either in an unknown format or damaged" has been resolved. If everything is fine, the archive should open normally.

Solution 4: Use the Windows Default Decompressor

In Windows 10 devices, there's a built-in compression and decompression feature that enables you to address archive errors. This feature primarily functions with files in ZIP format. To resolve the error "the archive is in an unknown format or damaged" using this feature, follow these steps: 1. **Open File Explorer**: Click on the File Explorer icon in your Taskbar or press the Windows key + E on your keyboard. 2. **Locate the corrupted ZIP file**: Navigate to the folder containing the affected ZIP file. 3. **Right-click on the ZIP file**: Once you find the file, right-click on it and select "Extract All" from the context menu. 4. **Choose Extraction Location**: In the Extract All dialog box, choose a location where you want to save the extracted files. It's recommended to select a different folder than the original file's location to avoid potential overwrite issues. 5. **Click 'Extract'**: Click on the "Extract" button to start the extraction process. If the file is not severely damaged, Windows might be able to extract some or all of the files successfully. 6. **Check extracted files**: After the extraction is complete, navigate to the new folder and check if the files are accessible and in a readable format. If some files are still inaccessible, they may be irreparably damaged. 7. **Use alternative software**: If the built-in feature fails to resolve the issue, you can try using third-party compression tools like WinRAR or 7-Zip, which have more advanced repair capabilities. Remember, if the archive is severely damaged or in an unsupported format, there's a chance that not all or any of the files can be recovered.

Step 1. Locate the corrupted zip file and right-click on it.

Step 2. Scroll down the context menu and select "Extract Here."

Step 3. The system will automatically decompress the selected ZIP file and save it in the same location. Attempt to open it to verify if the error message has vanished.

Fix 5. Scan for the Virus using Windows Defender Security Center

You might encounter an archive error due to downloading your zip file from unauthorized websites. This increases the likelihood of the file containing viruses or malware. To address this issue on Windows, you can perform a virus scan by following these steps to activate Windows Defender:

Step 1. Open your Windows Settings and click on "Update & Security."

Step 2. Click on "Windows Security" in the left panel.

Step 3. Click on "Virus and Threat Protection."

Step 4. Under "Virus and Threat Protection," click on the link for "Scan options."

Step 5. Choose the "Custom Scan" option.

Step 6. Click on "Scan now" and choose the location of your affected ZIP/RAR folder.

Step 7. After selecting the file, click on "Scan now" to initiate the virus scan. If the system detects a virus, you will need to delete the zip file and download a new one from the official or a reputable website.

Conclusion

This article has explored the typical reasons behind the error message "the archive is either in unknown format or damaged." Several approaches to resolving this issue have been outlined, such as re-downloading the files, detecting disk errors with Partition Master, repairing archives with WinRAR, utilizing Windows' built-in decompression tool, or conducting a virus scan through the Windows Defender Security Center. Among these solutions, utilizing Partition Master is believed to be the most effective method to address the archive error.

This disk performance optimization software enables you to check disk errors and carry out a surface test to repair damaged files on your disk. I hope you found the article enjoyable.

FAQs: The Archive is in an Unknown Format or Damaged

Review the following questions to gain more insight into the error: "The archive is either in an unknown format or damaged."

1. What Does "Archive Corrupted" Mean?

A corrupted archive file refers to a ZIP or RAR file that has become unusable or non-functional as a result of disk errors, a virus infection, or issues with the WinRAR software. Consequently, you are unable to access the contents of the archive.

2. How Can I Repair a Damaged RAR File?

You can mend corrupted RAR files using a third-party utility such as tools Partition Master. This tool is available for free and enables you to Check File System Errors on your disk, thereby assisting in repairing the damaged RAR file. Additionally, it offers a Surface Test feature that examines the wellness of your disk partitions.

3. How Do I Repair an Archive File?

Whether it's a ZIP or RAR file, you can mend a damaged archive using the "Repair Archive" function in WinRAR. This feature automatically scans the corrupted files for issues and rectifies them. The time needed to thoroughly scan and correct a file error largely depends on the size of the file.