IMPORTANT: How To Recover Corrupted Save Data And/Or Storage Devices

[CONight]

There are a number of threads I'm seeing pop up with people having their data corrupted and other users telling them it's a lost cause. This is NOT true. Occasionally your saves/storage devices do indeed get completely corrupted, but the majority of the time this is NOT the case. In this thread I'm going to explain exactly how to troubleshoot problems with your save data and/or storage devices.

 

PS3 Users: Due to the copy protection of the PS3 save, for the time being this thread will only apply to the Xbox 360 version. If you can somehow move your PS3 save, (maybe via cloud if you have PS+, which I don't.), then grab a program called Bruteforce and follow the same directions.

 

Troubleshooting data/storage devices your console says are "corrupt":

DO NOT ASSUME that your save/storage device is corrupted. I actually encountered a similar situation with WWE '13 on Xbox 360 a few days ago, and I knew for 100% fact that nothing was wrong with my data. I troubleshooted it, got it working and lost NOTHING.

There are two scenarios here:

1. Your drive/data really is screwed (this did infact happen to me once), or the much more likely scenario:

2. Your storage device is not connected properly.

Note: If you try to adjust your storage device AFTER you started the game, (ie. at the bit where you select a storage device), you are not going to fix the problem--in fact if your storage device is a harddrive NOT connected via USB, there is a small chance you could make matters worse.

Note #2: If it's just your WWE data that wont load, (ie. you can still get to the dashboard with your settings, etc.) then it is HIGHLY unlikely any of your data is corrupted.

Here is how you solve this problem:

1. If your device really is screwed (LAST RESORT - try method 2 first!!):

You can still attempt to salvage some data by extracting data through Modio or similar program on your PC. This is also a good way to verify whether or not the drive is really corrupted or not. These programs don't always read 360 drives correctly on the first try, so DO NOT assume you've lost everything on the first attempt.

2. If you don't know for sure if the drive is corrupt, and/or you can tell the device is not correctly connected:

A. first of all exit the game to the dashboard.

B. If you're using a USB device, remove it-reinsert it and start the game again.

C. If you're using a harddrive: shut off the system entirely, remove the harddrive, carefully reattach it and make SURE it's 100% connected properly-- then start your 360 and the game.

Never give up too easily at this.

How To Rebuild Your Save If Something Really Is Corrupt

 

If you've already tried the previous troubleshooting several times, your data may indeed be corrupt. You might be able to rebuild it and save yourself the trouble of starting over from scratch though. The thing with WWE saves is that there are several parts to them, and if just ONE part is corrupt it won't load any of the other stuff. This is how you fix this problem:

 

1. Backup your harddrive, (or at least all your WWE save content), to your PC.

2. Redownload all DLC content before dealing with your save. If the game gives you a corrupt data error, just ignore/skip it until you get all the DLC stuff redownloaded.

3. Exit the game after all the DLC stuff is downloaded and try one last time to load your existing save. If the game STILL says your data is corrupt, continue to the next step:

4. Start a brand new save in WWE 2k14,

5. fill up all the CAW slots you had used before with dummy CAWs (ie. with just the defaults, just so there's something in the slots.)

Note: It seems you only need to use this process for CAWs. Existing custom Arenas and Paint tool logos will for the most part work automatically once you have created a new WWE save file.

6. Now transfer back all the CAWs that you backed up to your PC, and ONLY the CAWs. This is easiest/safest accomplished by copying the CAWs from your PC to a thumbdrive via Modio and THEN from the thumbdrive to your console harddrive via your console.

I hope this helps all of you, and as I've stated more than once in this thread, do NOT give up on your saves to easily!

I'll update this thread, (or maybe a separate thread), a little later with more details on how to work with your WWE saves in Modio.

[maskedmaniac]

This should get stickied somewhere for future reference and to prevent more of those "help me" threads from popping up.

[Superboi307]

Hope this helps people...and yes this should be pinned, also any idea how the data gets corrupted? Or is it just random?

[ThatOneBoy]

This is the bible. THANK YOU. I might download something from Community Creations..I'm skimda scared it'll corrupt.

[JAM Renaissance]

Bumping for those that may also have this issue... I'll be running through these steps tonight, unfortunately.

[invisible man]

My game's corrupt. Not sure if I should try to rescue it or to welcome back hours of free time...

[Kaeyas Oblivion]

I'm trying this method on my corrupt save for 2k16 on the 360. I posted about the issue a few days ago. I corrupted my save by accidentally hitting b making the game attempt to auto save while I was turning it off. My fault, but it was an accident. I had the same problem around 2 months ago while saving a custom belt I had created. I ended up losing about 35 or more CAWS and played catch up for the next month. This time, I will lose over TWICE that much so starting over again is not an option. If I end up losing it all, I won't be playing anymore as it would take me 2 months straight of all my free time to get back to where I was and then completely lose any new CAWS that I just created this year and don't have their info copied down like I do my regulars I bring back every year. I got a USB drive and downloaded Modio. I suppose I will try to modify the save data after moving it all over to my laptop. I just don't know if I need to move everything onto laptop or just the culprit save file? Would really like to talk to the OP if they are still around. My main post is under the 2k16 section under general. Thanks in advance for any help or suggestions and I hope everyone has a great weekend.

[themceach]

I have ps3. I don't play games too much anymore, so I just picked this up used today on the cheap. However, I see the servers are down. From what it sounds like here, and on other threads I've been looking at, there is no way I can download any CAWs anymore. Is this true? You said ps3 saves are tied to your account, so I couldn't use somebody else's save and copy it to mine then? That's the consensus I'm getting but if somebody could just give me a simple "you're screwed" lol, I'd appreciate it. Like I said, I've been out of the video game loop haha.

[cuey82]

Sadly the servers were closed in November last year to coincide with the release of WWE 2K16