How To Fix Data Error: Cyclic Redundancy Check

Welcome to our tutorial on how to fix the data error: cyclic redundancy check. In this tutorial article, you will find everything you will need to know about this data error.

We will begin by telling you what this error is before moving on to the possible solutions, of which there are two.

What Is A Cyclic Redundancy Check Error?

So, the first thing that you need to know before attempting to fix this problem (or any other computer problems, for that matter) is to know what it is. Not only will this help you understand what causes the problem but it will also most probably help you fix it.

This error affects computers trying to access disks. These disks could either be DVDs, Blu-ray disks, CDs (what we normally refer to as optical disks); or your hard drive (what is normally known as a hard disk). The cyclic redundancy check error happens when there is a problem whereby your computer is not able to verify the data on your disks.

The name of this error comes from the method Windows computers use to verify the data on your those disks. This method is known as cyclic redundancy check, often referred to by the acronym CRC.

What Causes A Cyclic Redundancy Check Error?

Now that you know what the error is, you are probably wondering what usually causes it.

There is not just one cause for this error; there are in fact many possibilities. One of them is that your hard disk has become cluttered but there are also other possibilities, which are listing here:

• Registry corruption.
• A program that was not been installed successfully.
• Files that are not configured correctly.

In this case, knowing the specific reason causing the error is not all that important in fixing this serious error. We have listed the possible reasons here because they may help you prevent this error from happening in the future.

If you are experiencing this error currently, you will need to work on fixing it as soon as possible. We cannot emphasize how important this is because you could lose a lot of data or your system may totally fail.

But it is not all bad news. Fortunately, despite the fact that this error is extremely serious it is also very easily fixed.

Read on for ways to fix the error.

Fix Number One

The first method for fixing the cyclic redundancy check error involves using the Check disk utility, also known as CHKDSK utility.

You do not need to download or install anything because the check disk utility is included in Windows computer. This utility exists for scanning and repairing any errors affecting the drive. There is an alternative for Mac computers, known as the Disk utility but this error is a lot less common on Mac computers, so we are just going to focus on Windows machines.

If the problem is caused by an optical disk, such as a DVD or a CD, you should remove the disk and check it for scratches. If the disk does not seem to be scratched, then it is probably dirty, in which case you will need to dust it off. If you have never done this, grab a soft cloth and clean the disk gently but thoroughly (make sure that the cloth is dry). If the disk is scratched, however, it is probably beyond repair, in which case you could just try buying a new one and disposing of the damaged one.

So if there is a driver error the check disk utility will not only find it but also fix it.

An important suggestion is to make sure that you backup everything on your computer before using the check disk utility, particular if you think that your hard drive is old and possibly almost done.

So, the first thing that you will need to do is to access the check disk utility following these simple steps:

1. Grab your Windows computer.
2. Find the drive that you would like to check and right click on in it.
3. Next, click on properties.
4. Then, click on tools.
5. From among all the different options available find check now under error checking and click on it.
6. You will be then given two different options: a basic scan or an advanced scan. This is entirely up to you, you can start by performing a basic scan first or go for the advanced scan straight away. Just bear in mind that both options will take some time and you will not be able to use your computer while the scanning is going on. Just to give you an idea of what you might expect, the basic scan normally takes about 20 minutes, while the advanced version can go on for several hours. Consider this before choosing the scan version.
7. The next step you will need to take is to restart your computer. The scan will not begin until you head over to the Windows menu and click on the “restart” button. If you do not this immediately (perhaps because you cannot afford to spend the time it will inevitably take for the scan to run), Windows will schedule this for the next time you restart your computer. Be aware of this because if you forget about it, next time you restart your computer you may find that you will not be able to use it at all for anything between 20 minutes to several hours, depending on the version of the scan you had previously chosen. Knowing this enables you to be able to decide exactly when you want the scan and fix process to take place. As long as you do not restart your computer, you should be able to keep using it, as you would normally do. Remember that it might be a really good idea to back up everything on your computer.
8. If you decide to go ahead with the scan and repair you may find out that it does not work. If this is the case, you should try to access the check disk utility by looking for it under your programs and clicking on it; or access it via the command prompt. In order to do this, you will need to find the command prompt program, usually under accessories. For this to work, however, you will need to have administrator privileges.
9. For the basic scan, once you have launched the command prompt program, you will need to type in the following command: chdsk /f x, except that the letter “x” should be replaced by the name of the particular drive you would like to scan for errors. (for the advanced scan skip over to step #11)
10. Once you have entered the command for the basic scan, you should press the enter key.
11. For the advanced scan, once you have launched the command prompt program, you will need to type in the following command: chkdsk /r x, except that the letter “x” should be replaced by the name of the particular drive you would like to scan for errors.
12. Once you have entered the command for the advanced scan, you should press the enter key.
13. As soon as you have hit the enter key, the scan will begin (in this alternative you will not need to reboot your computer). Depending on what version of the scan you had chosen, you will have to wait for some time before you can use your computer again (the duration of the scan).

This method is great for detecting and fixing small problems. If the problem is more serious then the scan will not complete because at some point it will become stuck. If this happens to you, then you should move on to the next fix.

Fix Number Two 

If the check disk utility does not work then you should try a third party free disk utility.

The best way to go about this would be to search the Internet for a free disk utility and download it. There are a couple of popular ones but it is really up to you which one you decide to download and install. Just make sure that you choose one that would work for your operating system, taking into account that there are different ones for Mac or for PCs.

“To err is human, but to really foul things up you need a computer.” – Paul R. Ehrlich

Once you have downloaded and installed the disk utility, open it and run the scan. We cannot offer you specific instructions on how to do this because different free disk utilities work slightly differently. It should all be fairly straightforward and intuitive. Just follow the on-screen instructions.

As with the inbuilt version, third party utilities can take up to several hours to complete so we recommend you leave this overnight (as you would normally for the advanced version we discussed earlier) or at least set out a few hours when you’re sure that you won’t need to use the computer.

As a rule of thumb expect this scan to take anything between 2 and 4 hours. If it takes longer than that, this could mean that there is something seriously wrong with your hard drive.

These are really the best two ways of fixing the data error: cyclic redundancy check. If you would like to share your tips or leaving us any feedback, please write us a message in the comments section below.