Fix Error 0x8096002A: No Error Description Available

Last updated on February 12th, 2024 at 09:09 pm

Do you get the error message “An unexpected error is preventing the archive from being extracted. Error 0x8096002A: No error description available”? It may be caused by a corrupted or infected file. System files might be corrupted, or there may be file system errors causing the error in different situations.

Nevertheless, error 0x8096002A indicates that Windows cannot extract the content of a password-protected.rar (Roshal ARchive) file. Here, you’ll get proper fixes to troubleshoot if your Windows cannot complete the extraction, no matter what the cause is.

Contents

Why Can’t I Open the Zip File?

Let’s unravel the mystery behind the stubborn Zip file that refuses to open. The drama unfolds due to a variety of culprits of error 0x8096002A:

Incomplete Downloads
Improper Compression Catastrophe
File Corruption Drama
Identity Crisis – Changed File Extension
Virus Intrigue

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How to Fix Error 0x8096002A: No Error Description Available

Here are some troubleshooting methods that have the potential to resolve the Windows error code 0x8096002A:

Fix 1: Reboot the Computer

In some cases, all you need to do is reboot your computer. Here are the steps for rebooting your computer:

Click on Start.
On Windows 10/11, select the power icon at the bottom
Select Restart.

Fix 2: Run SFC and DISM

Using System File Checker (SFC), you can scan and repair corrupted or missing system files. Occasionally, corrupted files can affect the ability to extract files due to which your Windows cannot complete the extraction.

In addition to DISM, Windows has another built-in tool for dealing with system corruption. In this program, the system’s health is restored from a local image or through Windows Update. When SFC is unable to resolve an issue, DISM may be able to assist.

In the Windows search box, type cmd.
Thereafter, to run Command Prompt as administrator, right-click it and select Run as administrator.
If User Account Control appears, click Yes.
Afterward, enter the following command in the Command Prompt window: sfc /scannow
Next, follow these commands, pressing Enter every time:
Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
Reboot your system.

Fix 3: Run CHKDSK

In certain cases, you may encounter a Windows 10/11 error preventing the archive from being extracted. Error 0x8096002A: No error description is available if your archive is located on a hard drive that contains errors or bad sectors. In order to fix hard drive errors, you can run the CHKDSK command.

Using Windows Search, open the Command Prompt app as an administrator.
Type the following command and press Enter: CHKDSK /r C:

Note: Change the letter C to the letter of the driver where the problematic archive is located.

In the following steps, it will scan your drive for errors and bad sectors and fix them if necessary. When you have done this, restart your computer and check to see if Windows cannot complete the file extraction error has been fixed.

Fix 4: Move the Zip File to Another Location

There is a possibility that the zip file is located in a protected location, which is why Windows cannot complete the extraction. If you move the zip file to a different location, you can fix the error 0x8096002a issue. Check if the extraction works once again from the new location.

Fix 5: Update Windows

In case, even after moving the Zip file to another location, you still get the error 0x8096002a, you must try updating the Windows in many cases. So, let’s check out the steps:

Open the Settings app by pressing Windows + I.
Then, go to the Windows Update from the navigation pane, and then click Check for updates.
Whenever an update is available, download it.
After making the changes, restart the computer to ensure the changes have taken effect and that the error message “An unexpected error is preventing the archive from being extracted. Error 0x8096002A: No error description available” has been resolved.

Fix 6: Use a third-party tool to extract the file

In Windows, the best method for extracting a .rar file is to use a third-party tool. There is no need for a lot of effort, and it shouldn’t take more than a minute.

Furthermore, it is advisable to use the same tool used to convert the archive to .rar format. If the RAR file contains a corrupt header, you can also use another tool to fix it.

WinZip is a popular and widely used tool for managing archives, including .rar files. Using it frequently allows us to extract .rar, .zip, and many other archive formats from a variety of files.

Fix 7: Try the Insider Version of Windows

In the Windows Insider Program, developers can test new builds and features of Windows early in the development process. There is a possibility that the Insider version of Windows Update will resolve the Windows 10/11 error 0x8096002A: No error description available if there is a bug with Windows Update.

The Windows Insider Program might be able to assist, but if it does not, you can go back to Windows and try it again.

Click Settings > Windows Update > Windows Insider Program.
To access the version, click Get Started and follow the steps.

Fix 8: Perform Clean Boot

It is possible that different software conflicts due to which your Windows cannot complete the extraction of zip files and end up getting the error 0x8096002a. To determine what the culprit software is, perform a clean boot of your computer:

Hold down the Windows key + R key consecutively. Under the Run dialog, type MSConfig and press Enter.
Open the System Configuration window. Under Selective Startup, uncheck the Load startup items box. In the tab General, you will find Selective Startup.
Lastly, there is the Services tab. Then select Disable All under the Hide All Microsoft services tab to take effect on the rest of the services. You need to restart your computer.

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So, that’s all we have for you on how to fix Error 0x8096002A: No Error Description Available. It’s our hope that this guide has helped you. In case you still have any doubts or queries, comment below and let us know.

Fix Error 0x8096002A: No Error Description Available

Why Can’t I Open the Zip File?