19GB 7zip file Headers Error

ilan · Jul 15, 2025

Hello everyone,

does anyone has an idea how to fix a 7zip file that is corrupted? i get Headers Error. I am trying for more then 4 hours to get to my files but nothing helped even using hex editor.
anyone with experience and a simple fix?

Peter Simpson · Jul 15, 2025

Hello Ilan,
Have you done a general Google search (you probably have) or seen this https://www.7-zip.org/recover.html

Me personally, I think if it's corrupt then you've probably lost it for good

ilan · Jul 15, 2025

Peter Simpson said:
Hello Ilan,
Have you done a general Google search (you probably have) or seen this https://www.7-zip.org/recover.html

Me personally, I think if it's corrupt then you've probably lost it for good

hi Peter,

yes i did looked at this page (copilot also mentioned it) but to tell you the truth i have ADHD and i am not able to read such a tutorial. this is a good example of how not to write a tutorial

if it would be separated in steps maybe i could follow it but like this when i open the page i see gibberish

emexes · Jul 15, 2025

Peter Simpson said:
you've probably lost it for good

especially if it's saved to one of those scam price-too-good-to-be-true USB drives... but hey, at least it's waterproof, right?

ilan · Jul 15, 2025

maybe i should not have dropped it into the toilet

Peter Simpson · Jul 15, 2025

I take it that you've watched this too...
Do you have WinRAR???

ilan · Jul 15, 2025

Peter Simpson said:
I take it that you've watched this too...
Do you have WinRAR???

yes
yes

i tried so many things, hex editor, all kind of zip apps, nothing helped.

Chris2 · Jul 15, 2025

ilan said:
i have ADHD and i am not able to read such a tutorial. this is a good example of how not to write a tutorial

This sounded to me like a job that AI might good at, so I asked it to rewrite the tutorial to make it more readable for someone with ADHD, then specifically to fix a Headers Error. You said you've tried using a Hex Editor, but does the following help? (N.B. I've tested none of what follows):

How to Fix a Headers Error in a 7z Archive
Step 1: Open the Corrupted Archive in a Hex Editor

Download a Hex Editor: If you don’t have one, download a hex editor like FAR Manager or HxD.

Open the Corrupted Archive: Launch the hex editor and open the corrupted 7z file.

Step 2: Check the Start Header

Locate the Start Header: The Start Header is the first 32 bytes of the file.

Verify the Signature: The first 6 bytes should be:

37 7A BC AF 27 1C
If these bytes are not correct, the Start Header is likely corrupted.

Step 3: Repair the Start Header

Replace the Start Header: If the Start Header is corrupted, replace the first 32 bytes with the following values:

37 7A BC AF 27 1C 00 04 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00

Save Changes: After making the changes, save the file in the hex editor.

Step 4: Check the End Header

Locate the End Header: Scroll to the end of the file to find the End Header.

Verify the End Header: The End Header should contain a link to the Metadata Block. If it’s missing or corrupted, you may need to create a new End Header.

Step 5: Calculate the Correct Size

Calculate the Total Size: Use the values from the Start Header to calculate the correct size of the archive.

The size can be calculated as:

Correct Size = Size of Compressed Data + Size of Metadata Block + Size of End Header

Adjust the Archive Size: If the total size is incorrect, you may need to add or remove data to match the calculated size.

Step 6: Test the Archive

Open the Archive in 7-Zip: After making the changes, try to open the archive in 7-Zip.

Test the Archive: Use the "Test" command in 7-Zip to check if the archive can be opened without errors.

Step 7: Extract Files

If the archive opens successfully, try to extract the files. If you encounter any errors during extraction, refer to the previous steps to troubleshoot further.

Additional Tips

Backup the Original File: Always make a backup of the original corrupted file before making any changes.

Use a Reliable Hex Editor: Ensure you are using a reliable hex editor to avoid accidental data loss.

By following these steps, you should be able to fix a Headers Error in your 7z archive. If you continue to experience issues, it may be necessary to seek additional recovery tools or professional help.

ilan · Jul 15, 2025

Chris2 said:
This sounded to me like a job that AI might good at, so I asked it to rewrite the tutorial to make it more readable for someone with ADHD, then specifically to fix a Headers Error. You said you've tried using a Hex Editor, but does the following help? (N.B. I've tested none of what follows):

thanks, i followed the tutorial and i managed to get 3gb from 19 compressed (around 50-60gb real) but they are files that i was not looking for. i guess the file is dead.
conclusion -> never delete the real files and trust on some backup files you have.

hatzisn · Jul 15, 2025

ilan said:
yes i did looked at this page (copilot also mentioned it) but to tell you the truth i have ADHD and i am not able to read such a tutorial. this is a good example of how not to write a tutorial

Some times I have the same attitude (not related to ADHD) against long tutorials. For those tutorials I use notebooklm by google.

epiCode · Jul 15, 2025

On a lighter note, this might help

emexes · Jul 16, 2025

epiCode said:
this might help

Lol well, it certainly cheered me up, so thanks for that.

First a tram went by, and I thought %#!$ that looks like Melbourne.

Then the classic view of the clocks of Flinders Street Station.

rabbitBUSH · Jul 17, 2025

emexes said:
t %#!$ that looks like Melbourne.

Did they Paint it Black? The station.....

emexes · Jul 17, 2025

rabbitBUSH said:
Did they Paint it Black? The station.....

It does look that way, but I don't remember that ever happening. Back in the '70s the city buildings would blacken up pretty bad, presumably from vehicle exhaust, because it seemed to go away when leaded petrol was proscribed in 1986. Or maybe they shot the video with one of those low-light (night-vision) camcorders that were sensitive to infrared (and originally caused a bit of a kerfuffle because they appeared to have an xray-vision see-through-clothing quality about them).

This image has the same effect:

rabbitBUSH · Jul 17, 2025

@ilan - maybe here's a little help with that, mainly the two softwares at the end and the video.

it's from a copied search engine snippet......

A "Headers Error" in 7-Zip typically indicates a problem with the file's structure, making it unreadable. This can often be resolved by using the "Test" function in 7-Zip to check for errors, potentially repairing them in the process. If that doesn't work, specialized file repair tools like Recoverit or EaseUS Fixo can be used.

This video demonstrates how to fix 7-Zip headers error:

28s

Wondershare Recoverit Data Recovery
YouTube · 26 Aug 2023
Here's a more detailed breakdown of troubleshooting steps:

19GB 7zip file Headers Error

ilan

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Peter Simpson

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Chris2

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How to Fix a Headers Error in a 7z Archive

Step 1: Open the Corrupted Archive in a Hex Editor

Step 2: Check the Start Header

Step 3: Repair the Start Header

Step 4: Check the End Header

Step 5: Calculate the Correct Size

Step 6: Test the Archive

Step 7: Extract Files

Additional Tips

ilan

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epiCode

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19GB 7zip file Headers Error

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Active Member

How to Fix a Headers Error in a 7z Archive​

Step 1: Open the Corrupted Archive in a Hex Editor​

Step 2: Check the Start Header​

Step 3: Repair the Start Header​

Step 4: Check the End Header​

Step 5: Calculate the Correct Size​

Step 6: Test the Archive​

Step 7: Extract Files​

Additional Tips​

Expert

Expert

Active Member

Expert

Well-Known Member

Expert

Well-Known Member

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency

How to Fix a Headers Error in a 7z Archive

Step 1: Open the Corrupted Archive in a Hex Editor

Step 2: Check the Start Header

Step 3: Repair the Start Header

Step 4: Check the End Header

Step 5: Calculate the Correct Size

Step 6: Test the Archive

Step 7: Extract Files

Additional Tips