Did you just finish extracting an archive with 7-Zip, and are experiencing one of the following errors:
- There are some data after the end of the payload data
- There are data after end of archive
These two errors are quite common, and are not always a cause for concern.
Let’s look over not only what causes this errors, but how you can get this error message to go away as well!
What Does ‘There are some data after the end of the payload data’ Mean?
Essentially, this error means exactly what it sounds like – after the files in the archive were extracted, additional data was found / left over.
According to the developer of 7-Zip, it is common when the archive is created with outdated software, which “writes some garbage after the end of archive.”
Still, there are a few different potential causes that can lead to this error – and some of them may be dangerous.
Let’s look over each one of them so you can determine which one it is.
1. Bug Or Glitch With 7-Zip – Or The Software That Created The Archive
As just mentioned, this is the cause most of the time.
If the archive is created with other software that writes additional data at the end, this error will appear.
Additionally, sometimes it appears as a glitch, even if the archive (and its contents) are perfectly fine. This is particularly common if you are using an older version of 7-Zip, as the developer has already worked on this issue in recent updates.
Note that even if this error appears, it does not mean your files are corrupt.
Generally speaking, if they open fine, there is nothing wrong with them.
2. The Archive Has Been Tampered With
On some occasions, files can either be tampered with in transit, or malicious actors can distribute fake versions of an archive with the aim of infecting your computer.
One vector of attack is through the archive extraction process, which has been used in the past to infect computers.
I should note that 7-Zip itself is completely safe. But like most tools, it has the power to be used for malicious purposes in the right circumstances.
To know whether an archive has been tampered with, you should check the MD5 hash using a tool like WinMD5Free and compare it to the MD5 hash listed for the file on the website in which you downloaded it, if one is available.
3. The Archive Contains A Virus
In very rare circumstances, its possible that the archive itself contains a virus.
You should always be wary when downloading files from the internet, unless you can be sure that you can trust the source.
For small archives, I recommend uploading them to a website like VirusTotal.com and waiting for the results.
VirusTotal will scan the file with a large number of antiviruses, and report their results.
You can then use this to determine whether or not you want to open the files contained within the archive. Note however that VirusTotal is notice for false positives, reporting viruses even on files that are completely clean.
With so many antiviruses scanning the file, this is to be expected.
4. 7-Zip Is Failing To Detect The Archive Type
Finally, it’s possible that 7-Zip is having a problem detecting the archive type.
In these instances, you may benefit from adding the file extension to the end of the file – or changing it entirely, which I’ll talk more about in a minute.
Note that if this is the cause of the problem, usually the files will fail to extract correctly, or will be corrupt when you try to open them.
If the archive extracts correctly and the files appear to be fine, then the most likely cause is just a glitch / bug.
Again, viruses or tampering are very rare. 99% of the time, a glitch or bug is the cause.
How To Fix The “There are some data after the end of the payload data” Error
Now that we know what is potentially causing this error with 7-Zip, let’s look over some steps you can take to fix it.
Note that just because you get an error stating, “There are some data after the end of the payload data”, it does not mean that the files you extracted will be corrupted, or fail to load correctly.
Therefore, fixing the error is not always completely necessary.
Still, let’s look over some potential solutions that can make this error go away.
1. Change The File Extension
One quick fix that you can try is changing the file extension associated with the archive you’re trying to extract.
Realistically speaking, 7-Zip normally doesn’t look at extensions. However, people have reported over again that changing the extension from say, .Zip to .RAR makes the error message go away.
This is because one common belief is that this error is caused by archives that were created with other software (like WinRAR) but extracted using 7-Zip.
It only takes a few moments to change the extension, so it’s worth trying out! Just right-click on the file and click ‘Rename’, then change the extension after the period to a different file type.
Some file types to try out include .Zip, .RAR, and .7z.
2. Update 7-Zip
Next, you may consider updating 7-Zip if an update is available, by downloading the newest version off of their website.
As you might expect, newer versions of 7-Zip not only address bugs, but also ensure compatibility with modern operating systems.
It’s possible that you’re using an outdated version that still shows the “There are some data after the end of the payload data” or “There are data after end of archive” errors more frequently.
So, the problem may go away simply by downloading and installing the newest version of 7-Zip.
3. Ignore It
Finally, you have the option to simply ignore the error.
If your file opens correctly, chances are there is nothing wrong with it. Of course, you can always check the file hash using software like WinMD5Free to see if it is different at all.
Again, most of the time this error is due to a bug, and not because anything is actually wrong with the archive (or the files within it.)
If you are concerned, consider downloading the archive from a different source, or opening any files inside of a virtual machine instead.
Conclusion
Most of the time, the “There are some data after the end of the payload data” as well as the “There are data after end of archive” messages are nothing to worry about.
The most common issue is a bug with 7-Zip, rather than anything malicious. Still, it’s good to be cautious, especially when dealing with suspicious files.
I hope that you’ve found this article to be helpful. If you have any other questions about 7-Zip, please ask them using the comment form below.
Wishing you the best,
– James McAllister
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