The error message “PCLZIP_ERR_BAD_FORMAT (-10): Unable to find End of Central Dir Record signature” typically occurs when working with ZIP files, especially in scenarios involving compressed archives. This issue is common in software or CMS platforms (like WordPress) that use PCLZip for extracting ZIP files. Here’s what the error means and how to resolve it.
Possible Causes
1. Corrupted ZIP File: The file might have been damaged during the download or transfer process.
2. Incomplete Download: The ZIP file wasn't fully downloaded.
3. Unsupported File Format: The file might not actually be a ZIP archive or may have been saved in an incompatible format.
4. Server or Hosting Limitations: Inadequate server resources, such as low memory limits, could interfere with the file handling.
5. Outdated PCLZip Library: The library being used to handle ZIP files might be outdated or incompatible.
Solutions
1. Verify the ZIP File
- Redownload the ZIP file to ensure it’s not corrupted.
- Open the ZIP file locally using a tool like WinRAR, 7-Zip, or macOS Archive Utility to verify its integrity.
2. Check the File Format
- Confirm that the file is a valid ZIP archive (look for .zip extension or metadata confirming its format).
- If the file is not a ZIP file, convert or replace it with a proper ZIP archive.
3. Reupload the ZIP File
If you cannot reset your password via email:
- If this issue occurs during file upload (e.g., in WordPress), try uploading the ZIP file again.
4. Increase Server Resources
If you are on a server or hosting environment:
- Increase memory_limit and upload_max_filesize in the
php.iniconfiguration file. Example:memory_limit = 256M upload_max_filesize = 64M post_max_size = 64M
- Restart the server after making these changes.
5. Update PCLZip Library
- Ensure the software using PCLZip is updated to its latest version to benefit from bug fixes and compatibility improvements.
6. Test Alternative Tools
- Use command-line utilities like
unzipon Linux or PowerShell on Windows to extract the archive:unzip file.zip
- If the file extracts successfully, the issue is specific to the software handling the ZIP file.