Problem opening a compressed Zip File from dropbox, getting error Compressed (zipped) folders Error

[andrew w.18]

Hey guys im having a problem opening folders I have downloaded from dropbox. I have since deleted it from dropbox (so cant try reloading the files). I have tried opening it 3 on different computers and im getting the same message. I tried using both windows 7 and windows 8.1

This is the message
"COMPRESSED (ZIPPED) FOLDERS ERROR

Windows cannot open the folder.

The Compressed (zipped) Folder "H..... downloaded by ..... .zip is invalid

If anyone knows some potential solutions I could try, I will be so stoked. I will not only say THANK YOU VERY MUCH. but give you a virtual hi five!!

Thanking you very much

chur Andrew

[Rich]

How big is this Zip file? Dropbox is known to have problems creating Zip files larger than 1GB or so. If you're using the built-in Zip support that Windows has, I would try a program like WinRAR, 7Zip or WinZip. Otherwise you may be out of luck.

[andrew w.18]

Thanks heaps for getting back here man.

YEah the files are over 2GB.

I tried your advice but had no luck. I tried using 7zip and winRAR, and got the same error in 7zip and a similar message on winRAR "The archive is either in unknown format or damaged".

I removed some of the files from dropbox over 6 months ago, do you think dropbox would be able to restore the file somehow so I can try download it again maybe in smaller folders?

But yeah, thanks big time for looking into this Rich R

[jane h.]

i am having the same problem. did you ever find a solution?

[Stefan M.]

Same here. Only, my compressed folders are from 1 to 116 MB. Not very large... I can't open any of the files when extracted, all broken. Pictures, txt files, pdf files, html files, mp3 files, nothing opens...

[Felix D.]

I have the same problem. A zip file full of mp3s, "damaged". Dropbox team! Please offer a solution!

[Stefan M.]

A strange thing happed to me... I've kept the broken zip archives - and they all work now, four weeks later. I changed my OS in the meantime (Mint to Ubuntu) but I don't know if that made any difference... I tried extracting one file at a time and all at once and it works, no problems whatsoever. Maybe you should try extracting one file at a time from the broken archive or something like that, or change the OS xD

[Felix D. · Accepted solution]

Hi guys! I have found a solution (after trying everything else like different programs, Windows, etc. etc.). Not sure whether it recovers all the files; but the filesize of the zip is at least equal!

In Mac OS Terminal write: 

zip -FF /Users/fd/Musikmixe.zip --out /Users/fd/Musikmixe2.zip

It will create a new zip. Of course replace "/Users/fd/Musikmixe.zip" by your file.

See here: https://computers.tutsplus.com/tutorials/how-to-repair-damaged-zip-files-with-terminal--mac-49294

[andrew w.18]

Thanks so much for this answer. It worked for me and i have recovered hundreds of photos from my travels. If you are ever in nz let me know and i will buy you a beer!

Big shout out to mactorque who sorted it for me since i can hardly even turn a Mac on!

Its crazy that dropbox was not able to help with this issue.

Before you posted this I managed to get in touch with dropbox customer support which took a bit of hunting! However they repeatedly told me the fault was my doing, didn't believe what was happening to me and offered no solution!

Thanks so much!

[ToneLa]

What a rubbish answer. I don't want to buy a Mac. I don't want Mac OS, presumably you mean OSX.

If you don't have a technical, all-round solution, don't frame it as one!