How can i get past the Cyclic Redundancy Check? I need to copy a file,
and it wont let me. Error message is (Cannot copy game.cab: Data error
(cyclic redundancy check))

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Clarification of Question by pb3400-ga on 03 Jun 2004 07:21 PDT

The file(s) im trying to copy are not from a floppy. They are from a
prefessionally produced CD.

CRC errors are common with floppies. It happened to me just yesterday,
so i transferred the file to a cd and that worked. Either try another
floppy or another floppy drive, most likely the file was copied and
got corrupted.

Regardless of how the data is stored (on a floppy or on a CD or even
transmitted over the internet) Cyclic Redundancy Checks (CRC) are
there to detect errors.  Basically, due to dust or scratches or
whatever, there is some chance that what the laser in the CDROM reads
of the CD is not actually what was written on the CD.  The CRC is just
extra bits written on the CD which need to match the original data. 
The CDROM reads the regular data, and the CRC bits off the CD and if
the CRC bits don't match the data bits, then it means that the CDROM
has read some incorrectly off the disk.

So after saying all of that, here is the conclusion:
1) Either your CD is defective, scratched, dirty etc.
2) Your CDROM lens is dirty or scratched etc.

Try this CD in a friends CDROM drive.  If it reads properly there,
then the problem is most likely with your CDROM drive.  In which case
you buy a lens cleaner kit (available at stores like best buy etc) to
try and clean your CDROM.  If it still doesn't work, then get a new
CDROM (they are pretty cheap these days anyways).

If the CD doesn't work in your friends CDROM, then its most likely a
problem with the CD.  Take it back to the store you bought it from and
tell them its defective.  If they hassle you, then ask to speak to the
manager and get them to try to read the CD in a CDROM drive that they
have.