Fix Data Error Cyclic Redundancy Check in Windows 10/11

A data error, specifically a “cyclic redundancy check” (CRC) error, indicates that the data being read or transmitted is corrupted, potentially due to connection issues, hard drive problems, or file corruption. Here Cyclic Redundancy Check is an error-detecting code used for data verification. You may encounter this error when trying to access a hard drive, external storage device, or even copying some files or folders to the disk drive or the External Drive. Also, sometimes this error occurs in Outlook as well, after Outlook tool downloads emails to your computer, Data Error Cyclic Redundancy Check error prevents you from viewing the messages that you downloaded. This issue may occur if the Outlook PST folder file is corrupted.

What is cyclic redundancy check?

A cyclic redundancy check (CRC) is a data verification method or an error-detecting code commonly used in digital networks and storage devices to detect accidental changes to raw data. And this Cyclic Redundancy Check Error is caused by various factors such as registry corruption, misconfigured files, cluttered hard disk, power loss, etc. This error restricts you from copying files, makes the hard disc inaccessible as well as causing trouble in initializing.

• Corrupt Files or Bad Sectors – Damaged files or sectors on a hard drive, external HDD, USB, or SD card.
• Hard Drive Issues – A failing or aging hard drive with physical damage can trigger CRC errors.
• Interrupted File Transfers – Power failures or abrupt system shutdowns while transferring data.
• Corrupt System Files – System file corruption may interfere with data integrity.
• Malware or Viruses – Harmful programs can corrupt data, causing CRC errors.
• Faulty Cables or Connections – A damaged USB cable or loose SATA connection can lead to data transmission issues.

Run CHKDSK to Fix Hard Drive Errors

CHKDSK (Check Disk) is a built-in Windows utility that scans and repairs disk errors, including bad sectors and corrupted files.

• First Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
• Type command, chkdsk X: /f /r /x and press enter key, (Replace “X” with the drive letter of the affected disk.)
• The tool will scan and fix errors on the disk. If prompted, press Y to schedule a scan on restart.
• Restart your PC and check if the issue is resolved.

Use SFC (System File Checker) to Repair Corrupt System Files

If the Cyclic Redundancy Check error is caused by corrupt system files, running the System File Checker may help.

• Again open command prompt as administrator,
• Run command sfc /scannow to scan and automatically repair corrupted system files.
• In addition, run Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) restore health command to fix deeper system corruption issues.
• On the command prompt window, type DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth and press the Enter key,
• Wait for the scanning process to complete 100% and restart your computer.
• Now Try accessing the affected drive or file again.

Scan for Malware and Viruses

Malware can corrupt files and cause Cyclic Redundancy Check error. Performing a full system scan can help identify and remove threats.

• Open Windows Security (Win + I > Update & Security > Windows Security).
• Click on Virus & threat protection.
• Select Full scan and click Scan now.
• If malware is detected, follow the prompts to remove it and restart your PC.

 

Use the diskpart Tool

Note: If you are having this Problem on the System Drive ( C : Drive ), do not apply the below steps. Contact computer technician or HDD support to resolve the issue. )

Also, you can fix the ‘Data error (cyclic redundancy check)’ error using the Diskpart ( A powerful tool for hard drive management )Command Tool. Note: These steps delete your Data, be careful, and Backup your Data before performing these steps.

To do this, click on the Start menu, search for Diskpart and hit the enter key. Then type the list disk command to identify all the available devices. Then type list volume to list all available Disk drive letters. Now Type select Volume D (Note: Replace D with the volume number assigned to the device) to select the problematic drive. Then type clean command to clean the drive.

Now, you’re going to create a new partition using the create partition primary command. Type the command select partition 1 to select the recently added partition. Then type the command activate to activate the new partition and the command format FS=NTFS label=[add the letter your new drive] quick. Type the command without the brackets. Type assign letter=Y (replace Y with the letter that you want to assign to the device).

Format the drive

If Above All solution didn’t work, Still Getting Data Error Cyclic Redundancy Check, then try formatting the problematic drive. Note: Formatting the Drive will erase all Data, but the Data is more important for you so you can use a professional Data Recovery Tool to recover the data and This Step is not applicable for system drives ( C: Drive )

To format the Drive, open Command prompt as administrator, then type format D: /FS:NTFS and hit the enter key. (Note: Replace D: with the letter of the problematic Drive. )

Note: If the drive is still inaccessible, use data recovery software like Recuva, EaseUS Data Recovery, or MiniTool Power Data Recovery to extract important files.

Data error (cyclic redundancy check) on Outlook

If you are getting cyclic redundancy check error on Outlook. Then, First Check The Drive Errors using the CHKDSK Utility and repair the Corrupted system files. And repair your Personal Storage Table (PST) file with the Inbox Repair Tool with the help of Microsoft’s support page.