Corrupt data on your Sony PlayStation 4 sounds like a really bad thing, but it's actually quite easy to fix. So, if you get a "Data Corrupted" error message, don't worry.
Files can malfunction in several ways. Sometimes an installation may be incomplete or another process may interrupt it. If you have a damaged game disc, it probably won't install the game correctly. Other times, saving to a file can cause problems and corrupt the entire game file.
Usually, the corrupted data only affects the corresponding games or apps. Therefore, reinstalling them should fix the problem. However, there are rare instances where some essential data gets corrupted. He's more involved if that's the case.
This article goes over a few ways to fix the "corrupt data" problem.
Manually locate and delete corrupt PS4 game files
When you get a corrupt data error screen for saved game data or when the game icon appears with a zigzag icon down, the system identifies it as corrupt and stores the file in a separate folder. With a few simple steps, you can locate the file and delete it manually. Here's how.
- Enter " Settings. »
- Find it “System Storage Management” menu and go to “Recorded data”.
- Go to " Media Player " folder.
- Inside the folder, you will see a "corrupt data" file.
- Hit it "Options" button.
- Select " Wipe off " to delete the corrupted file from your drive.
When you reopen the "Media Player", the corrupted file should no longer appear. If the file is from a video game, try reinstalling it.
Manually delete the downloaded file
If the file was corrupted while downloading, it will appear in your Downloads folder as a gray, broken square icon.
To solve this problem, you must:
- Open the "Notifications" menu on your home screen.
- Press the "Options" button and select Downloads.
- Find the corrupt file.
- Press “Options” again.
- Delete the file.
Once you've done that, try downloading the file again.
Rebuild PS4 Database
If the above issues do not apply, you can try the 'Rebuild Database' process. This will scan your entire PS4 system for bugs, glitches, and anything not working properly. It won't erase anything from your disk but rather try to repair corrupted files.
To start this process:
- Turn off your PS4.
- Connect the controller to the PS4 via the USB port. (Bluetooth controllers do not work in safe mode.)
- Hold the power button.
- It should beep twice before releasing it.
- The PS4 will enter Safe Mode.
- Select the 'Rebuild Database' option. Usually it's the 5th option in the safe mode menu.
- Wait for the process to complete.
- Turn on your console and check if the corrupted data still exists.
For Major Issues – Initialize PS4
If the above methods did not remove the corrupted files or the files continue to appear, you may need to erase all your data and start over.
Follow steps 1-5 from the previous section to enter Safe Mode. Instead of choosing 'Rebuild Database', you should select 'Initialize PS4'. It should be just below.
This method will erase everything the user has added and restore the PS4 to its default settings. Make sure to back up all relevant files to avoid data loss. When it's done, all corrupted and faulty files should be gone from your drive.
Still having trouble with corrupted data?
If you have followed all the above methods and still encounter corrupted data, the problem might not be in the system.
This usually means that the game disc may be damaged and you may need to get a new one. It's possible that your hard drive is to blame. There are two possible scenarios:
The hard drive ran out of space
PS4's built-in hard drive may not be large enough for your use. In this situation, you are going to experience issues with updates, saving games, and installing new apps. Sometimes the system will not be able to fix this problem on its own and the files will get corrupted in the process.
If your hard drive is almost full, you should consider freeing up space or upgrading to a larger drive.
The hard disk is damaged
Your PS4 hard drive may sometimes have bad sectors that slip into "Rebuild Database", which you may need to try again. Depending on the number and spread of bad sectors, this may or may not result in frequently corrupted data. You can either live with it or replace the hard drive.
