What Is a Cyclic Redundancy Error in Windows XP Home Edition?

Every time your computer accesses data via Windows XP Home Edition from its hard drive or an external storage device, its processor performs a series of checks to ensure the data is being transferred properly from the drive or device. A Data Error Cyclic Redundancy Check error results if the operating system discovers a problem with the data transfer. The error can also occur while trying to install components from the Windows XP Home Edition CD-ROM.


Data Issue

A Data Error Cyclic Redundancy Check error indicates a problem with one or more files on your computer’s hard drive or external storage device – the file(s) are corrupt due to a virus, error in the file’s coding or the file is missing one or more components. The error appears immediately when a data transfer problem is detected by Windows. The dialogue box containing the Data Error Cyclic Redundancy Check error lists the name and directory path of the file that is corrupt. The dialogue box also contains an “OK” button and the wording “Press OK to terminate the application.”

Drive Issue

You can also receive a Data Error Cyclic Redundancy Check error if your hard drive or external storage device is not functioning properly and cannot transmit data to your computer. The drive or device may be physically damaged or one or more internal components may be failing. The error message’s dialogue box lists the name of the drive that is failing as well as an “OK” button and the wording “Press OK to terminate the application.”

Accessing Data or Device

You can attempt to access the problematic file, files or hard drive/storage device again but you may receive a Data Error Cyclic Redundancy Check error again if your computer cannot retrieve the file or files properly. While trying to retrieve a problematic file or accessing a problematic hard drive or storage device, you may hear the hard drive or external storage device making whirling sounds or grinding noises as it is trying to transfer files to your computer. The device is making multiple attempts to read the file or files. Immediately after the whirling or grinding noises, a Data Error Cyclic Redundancy Check error dialogue box displays.

Windows XP Home Issue I

A scratched or damaged Windows XP Home CD-ROM also displays a Data Error Cyclic Redundancy Check error if it cannot transfer one or more component files to your computer for processing. If the CD-ROM is not scratched or damaged, your computer’s CD/DVD-ROM may be faulty. Try to access the CD-ROM in another computer, if available, or connect an external CD/DVD-ROM to your computer and load the components you need from the CD-ROM.

Windows Home Issue II

If you receive a Data Error Cyclic Redundancy Check error while Windows XP Home is trying to format your computer’s hard drive, the error indicates a corrupt hard drive or one or more disk platters within the hard drive are damaged due to a read/write head crash. Windows XP Home includes a disk repair application that prompts you with a message asking if you would like the application to repair your hard drive. You can also run Chkdsk/r from any command prompt to repair your computer’s hard drive. If your computer’s hard drive has crashed and its platters are physically damaged, the Windows XP Home and Chkdsk/r recover applications will not be able to repair the disk and the applications will stop trying to repair the hard drive. You will have to replace your computer’s hard drive with a new one if the applications are unable to repair the drive.

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