Tips to open CIH file

Can't open the CIH file? You are not the only one. Thousands of users face similar problems every day. Below you will find tips on how to open CIH files as well as a list of programs that support CIH files.

CIH file extension

File Name Chernobyl Virus Data Format
File Category Misc Files

The CIH file is supported on 1 operating systems. Depending on your operating system, you may need different software to handle the CIH files. Below is a summary of the number of programs that support and open the CIH file on each system platform.

Operating systems
  • 8
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

What is CIH file?

The file with the extension CIH is the Misc Files file type. Misc Files consists of 6033 similar files. Chernobyl Virus Data Format appears on 1 operating systems as a functional file. The file will work on Windows systems, unfortunately not on others. The Avast Antivirus application is recommended to open the file. It was released by AVAST Software a.s.. This file type can also be opened by 8 other programs. Norton AntiVirus, AVG Internet Security, Avira AntiVir Personal, AVG Antivirus will apply when it is not possible to use Avast Antivirus.

How to open CIH file?

An often recurring problem with Chernobyl Virus Data Format is that CIH is not associated with the correct program file. This is manifested by the fact that CIH files open in unusual applications or do not have an assigned program. How to solve such a problem?

The first thing you should do is just "doubleclick" on the CIH file icon you want to open. If the operating system has an appropriate application to support it and there is also an association between the file and the program, the file should be opened.

Step 1. Install Avast Antivirus

An often overlooked issue is to make sure that Avast Antivirus is installed on the computer. To do this, enter the name Avast Antivirus into the system search engine. In the absence of an appropriate program, its installation in the vast majority of cases will fix the problem. Later in this article you will find a list of programs that can open CIH files.

Step 2. Create association of Avast Antivirus with CIH files

However, it may happen that the application itself does not cause the CIH file to open in the Avast Antivirus application, but you can set it manually. It is most convenient to call the context menu with the right mouse button and select Properties. Information about the file and the program that the file is associated with are available here. Using the "Change" button we can set the program to handle this type. The program should be visible in the window, otherwise it should be selected manually using the "Browse" button and the program installation directory should be indicated. The "always use the selected program ..." field will set the Avast Antivirus application as the default for handling the CIH file.

Step 3. Update Avast Antivirus to the latest version

If, however, after binding Avast Antivirus with Chernobyl Virus Data Format there were still problems, you should update the program to the latest version. Some applications allow you to update from the program level, and for others you need to download the installer from the AVAST Software a.s. page and install.

Step 4. Check for the following problems with the CIH file

Of course, it may happen that despite the above steps, the file still does not work. This could be due to the file itself, the cleanest issues are:

The CIH file may be unusually small compared to the original file. This suggests truncating the CIH file contents when downloading or copying. The only repair option is to download the file again.
The most common cause here is computer viruses. A quick virus scan using an up-to-date antivirus program should clear up any doubts. Alternatively, you can use the scanners available online. The scan should cover the entire computer, not only the CIH file that we want to open. However, remember that not every infected CIH file can be recovered, so it is important to take care of regular backups.
This can happen especially when the program is dynamically developed and the structure of the CIH files changes over time. On their websites, developers usually offer free solutions to such problems, e.g. in the form of a conversion program or an older version of the program.
There can be many reasons for this. Depending on the type of file, it is necessary to repair it accordingly. Some programs offer the option of recovering data from damaged CIH files. You can restore the file from a backup or use help.
The program can also signal the fact of encryption. The encrypted CIH files can be used by the device on which they were encrypted, on any other device it is required to have the appropriate cryptographic key and decrypt the file before its recovery.
The operating system protects files in some locations (e.g. the root of the system partition) against unauthorized access. While there is usually no problem reading such a file, it may not be possible to save it. If possible, you can try to move the CIH file to another location.
This can happen on a file that does not support multiple access. In this case, the CIH file is blocked by the first application to open it. Closing other programs should help. If the error persists after closing other programs, wait for a while. Antivirus programs or a backup being made may lock the file for a while without the user's knowledge. If the problem persists, restart the machine.