How to Check MP3 Files for Errors

Checkmate MP3 Checker validates files

What to Know

  • Download Checkmate MP3 Checker for free. You can also use Mpck, a command line interface for Windows, Linux, and Unix.
  • In Checkmate, browse to the MP3 files. Highlight the files to scan. Choose File > Scan. Once complete, check results columns for errors.

If you burned a series of MP3 files to CD and found that one or all of the CDs don't play, the problem could be a bad MP3 file rather than a bad CD. We show you how to use an MP3 error checking program such as Checkmate MP3 Checker to identify any troublesome MP3s.

How to Check MP3 Files With Checkmate MP3 Checker

Download the freeware program, Checkmate MP3 Checker, which is available for Windows. It uses a Windows Explorer-like graphical interface, which is covered here. There is also another version titled Mpck, which is a command line interface for Windows, Linux, and Unix-like systems.

  1. Open Checkmate MP3 Checker.

  2. Use the file browser screen to navigate to the folder where your MP3 files are located.

  3. To check a single MP3 file, highlight it by left-clicking on it. Click the File menu tab at the top of the screen and choose the Scan option. You can also right-click a single file and choose Scan from the pop-up menu.

  4. To check multiple files, highlight a selection by left-clicking a single file and then holding the Shift key down while pressing the up or down cursor keys several times until you have selected the files you want. Select all MP3 files by pressing CTRL+A. Click the File menu tab at the top of the screen and choose the Scan option.

  5. After Checkmate MP3 Checker has scanned your MP3 files, look down the results column to check that all your files are OK or look at the filename column to make sure all your files have green check marks next to them. MP3 files with errors have a red cross indicating a problem.

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