Knowledge Base

Problem

CatWalk XT displays an error such as 'Cannot load run \'Run001\' because its data file is either missing or corrupt' when attempting to open a run within an experiment.

Details

This error occurs when the `.dat` data file associated with a run is absent or incomplete. Common causes include: only the `.exp` or `.cwxt` experiment file was copied or moved without the accompanying `Runs` folder and its contents; data files stored on the C: drive were deleted during a disk cleanup; acquisition was interrupted before the data write completed. Affects all CatWalk XT versions.

Solution

1. **Locate the full experiment folder:** CatWalk XT experiments consist of the experiment file *and* a `Runs` subfolder containing individual run `.dat` files. Verify that the `Runs` folder exists alongside the experiment file and that `Run001` (or the missing run) has a corresponding `.dat` file inside it.
2. **If files were moved:** Check the original storage location (default is `C:\Users\Public\Documents\Noldus\CatWalk XT\Experiments` or similar). Copy the entire experiment folder — including the `Runs` subfolder — to the desired location.
3. **If acquisition was interrupted:** The run data was not fully written to disk. The run cannot be recovered. Delete the empty or corrupt run entry from the experiment as prompted by the error dialog, and re-run the acquisition for that subject.
4. **If the experiment `.cwxt` file itself is damaged:** Newer CatWalk XT versions create an automatic backup. Locate a file with a `.bak` or backup extension in the same experiment folder, rename a copy of it to the original `.cwxt` filename (restore the `.cwxt` extension), and attempt to open it. You may lose work from the most recent session, but earlier data should be intact.
5. To prevent future data loss, always copy or back up the *complete* experiment folder, never just the top-level experiment file.