What is CRC-DATA-ERROR?
CRC-DATA-ERROR is a high-severity storage drive (SSD/HDD) problem. The operating system encountered a Cyclic Redundancy Check error while reading from the file. The data is corrupted and cannot be read. This usually traces back to bad sectors on disk, defective SATA cable and a surviving hard disk drive (HDD) or SSD. Follow the steps below to fix it.
Common Causes
- Bad sectors on disk
- Defective SATA cable
- A surviving hard disk drive (HDD) or SSD
Step-by-Step Fix Guide
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1
Back up working data immediately (don't overwrite damaged ones)
Most reports of CRC-DATA-ERROR clear up after Back up working data immediately (don't overwrite damaged ones), so it's worth trying before anything more involved.
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2
Replace the SATA/data cable
For the minority of cases that need more work, the later steps dig into less usual storage instability causes.
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3
Test the drive with the manufacturer's tool (eg SeaTools, WD Data Lifeguard)
This step, "Test the drive with the manufacturer's tool (eg SeaTools, WD Data Lifeguard)", specifically rules out a surviving hard disk drive (HDD) or SSD.
Commands & Diagnostics
chkdsk C: /f /r
sfc /scannow
Frequently Asked Questions
Bad sectors on disk accounts for the majority of CRC-DATA-ERROR reports; defective SATA cable and a surviving hard disk drive (HDD) or SSD come up less often but are documented.
The fastest fix is "Back up working data immediately (don't overwrite damaged ones)". Only move on to the later steps if CRC-DATA-ERROR keeps coming back.
Rated high severity — CRC-DATA-ERROR isn't immediately destructive, but recurring instances are a sign to fix it sooner rather than later.
In most cases, yes — the guide above resolves CRC-DATA-ERROR without a clean install. Treat a reinstall as the last resort, not the first move.
Open CrystalDiskInfo (free tool) to check your drive's S.M.A.R.T. status. Any yellow or red indicators — especially reallocated sectors or pending sectors — confirm the drive is degrading and should be backed up and replaced immediately.
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