Recovered Video Freezes on First Frame & Screen goes dark

Using PhotoRec to recover lost data
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oj123456
Posts: 4
Joined: 18 Aug 2016, 19:36

Recovered Video Freezes on First Frame & Screen goes dark

#1 Post by oj123456 »

Hello,

So the usual story, I spent 2 hours filming for a client on a canon 5d mk3, mostly video, and then pressed erase all without thinking. Now I have recovered the files which have come in this format:

f10069626_ftyp.mov f21166586_ftyp.mov f39862522_ftyp.mov
f10961978_ftyp.mov f21216634_mdat.mov f42385658_ftyp.mov
f12197882_ftyp.mov f21296186_ftyp.mov f43465082_ftyp.mov
f12405242_ftyp.mov f21690874_mdat.mov f44611386_ftyp.mov
f12908282_ftyp.mov f21952826_ftyp.mov f44832954_ftyp.mov
f13186746_ftyp.mov f22685498_mdat.mov f47108410_ftyp.mov
f1332666_ftyp.mov f22833466_ftyp.mov f48253882_ftyp.mov
f13768698_ftyp.mov f23067962_ftyp.mov f51339706_ftyp.mov
f13964282_ftyp.mov f2334842_ftyp.mov f51679866_ftyp.mov
f15063994_mdat.mov f29363898_mdat.mov f54065466_ftyp.mov
f15619130_ftyp.mov f29601594_ftyp.mov f55080314_ftyp.mov
f15966906_ftyp.mov f33565946_ftyp.mov f55394042_ftyp.mov
f16282042_ftyp.mov f35543610_mdat 2.mov f56904122_ftyp.mov
f17232250_ftyp.mov f35543610_mdat.mov f57320634_ftyp.mov
f18007610_ftyp.mov f36454714_ftyp 2.mov f57690554_ftyp.mov
f19169274_ftyp.mov f36454714_ftyp.mov f62215674_ftyp.mov
f20218554_ftyp.mov f37424634_ftyp.mov f6742330_ftyp.mov
f20313914_mdat.mov f38296314_ftyp.mov f7857146_ftyp.mov
f20672314_ftyp.mov f38885562_ftyp.mov f8771066_ftyp.mov
f21099962_mdat.mov f3933946_ftyp.mov f9420538_ftyp.mov


I have no idea what to do now, none of the movies play. The initial frame is perfect but it never goes beyond the first frame, the sound continues for around 3 seconds and then its just white noise and the screen turns black. Please can you advise me what to do as this was a one off event and I am quite frustrated as I ams sure you can imagine.

Thank you so much for this resource you are doing such a great thing for people in my situation!!!

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cgrenier
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Posts: 5432
Joined: 18 Feb 2012, 15:08
Location: Le Perreux Sur Marne, France
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Re: Recovered Video Freezes on First Frame & Screen goes dark

#2 Post by cgrenier »

Using latest 7.1-WIP, in [File Opt], enable

Code: Select all

 [X] mov/mdat Recover mdat atom as a separate file
and next start the recovery.

If you sort the files by name, you should see that the names alternates between ftyp.mov and mdat.mov.
You need to concatenate each ftyp file with a mdat file:
- If using Windows, run "cmd" to start a terminal, use "cd directory_name" to go where your files are, and run

Code: Select all

type file2.mov file1.mov > test.mov
- Under Mac OS X and Linux, start a terminal/console, use "cd directory_name" to go where your files are, and run

Code: Select all

cat file2.mov file1.mov > test.mov
Play the resulting test.mov file.

If it works, you will need to do the same with each couple of files.

oj123456
Posts: 4
Joined: 18 Aug 2016, 19:36

Re: Recovered Video Freezes on First Frame & Screen goes dark

#3 Post by oj123456 »

hello,

I will do that, but not all the files are generating a mdat file, and even the one that arent are only playing the first frame and cutting to black with white noise as audio, my other software tells me there is 99% video content in this data but i am sure its just a codec issue or something really annoying like that.

DO you think i should still do the above as I mentioned only 8 / 62 files were mdat??

Thank you

oj123456
Posts: 4
Joined: 18 Aug 2016, 19:36

Re: Recovered Video Freezes on First Frame & Screen goes dark

#4 Post by oj123456 »

Hi just to update you I did this and the resulting files are still the same, some sound for a second or so then white noise and black screen.. if you have any advice on a good program to repair the files that would be amazing, as i know the data is there and not corrupted just something is up with the file

oj123456
Posts: 4
Joined: 18 Aug 2016, 19:36

Re: Recovered Video Freezes on First Frame & Screen goes dark

#5 Post by oj123456 »

SOLVED!

If anyone else is having this issue, which is basically that the files were not playable but you have data there, then the next step after combining them as kindly written above with cat file1ptype.mov file2mdata.mov > 123.mov is that you need to get GS - the application is free to download and try, then all you have to do is use a reference file recorded with the same setup (camera/lens etc) and that program will piece it together for you!

THANK YOU SO MUCH

I downloaded GS from here http://www.grauonline.de - i was so happy i actually paid for the license, but there are a bunch of links online telling you how to double the filesize and trick it if you need it for free. Guess on this one the germans actually came through!!!

huges
Posts: 6
Joined: 25 Jul 2017, 20:12

Re: Recovered Video Freezes on First Frame & Screen goes dark

#6 Post by huges »

Hi Christophe,
WHAT is or WHERE is "FileOpts"? It doesn't appear in 7.1-WIP

As with oj123456, I do not have a corresponding mdat for each ftyp file.

Why do you name both file 1 and file 2 as .mov when one is mdat and one is ftyp? the command wouldn't be able to recognise these files name right?

Very confused.

My thanks
Hugo


cgrenier wrote: 18 Aug 2016, 21:32 Using latest 7.1-WIP, in FIleOpts, enable

Code: Select all

 [X] mov/mdat Recover mdat atom as a separate file
and next start the recovery.

If you sort the files by name, you should see that the names alternates between ftyp.mov and mdat.mov.
You need to concatenate each ftyp file with a mdat file:
- If using Windows, run "cmd" to start a terminal, use "cd directory_name" to go where your files are, and run

Code: Select all

type file2.mov file1.mov > test.mov
- Under Mac OS X and Linux, start a terminal/console, use "cd directory_name" to go where your files are, and run

Code: Select all

cat file2.mov file1.mov > test.mov
Play the resulting test.mov file.

If it works, you will need to do the same with each couple of files.

User avatar
cgrenier
Site Admin
Posts: 5432
Joined: 18 Feb 2012, 15:08
Location: Le Perreux Sur Marne, France
Contact:

Re: Recovered Video Freezes on First Frame & Screen goes dark

#7 Post by cgrenier »

In PhotoRec, there is a [File Opt] menu next to Search, Options and Quit.

huges
Posts: 6
Joined: 25 Jul 2017, 20:12

Re: Recovered Video Freezes on First Frame & Screen goes dark

#8 Post by huges »

Hi Christophe,

I can enable the file opt "mov/mdat" - no problem.
However as I wrote above, not EVERY ftyp files has a corresponding mdat file.
In thw 1st "recup_dir.2" there is one mp.4 and one ftyp but no mdat.
In the 1st "recup_dir.3" there are only mp4 files and no corresponding mdat or ftyp.
In the 2nd "recup_dir.2" there is sometimes up to 3 ftyp files but only 1 corresponding mdat file.
In the 2nd "recup_dir.3" it is the same problem as the 2nd "recup_dir.2"
In the 2nd "recup_dir.4" there are only three fytp files.

All of these are different sizes. NOT neccessarily one big file followed by a smaller file.

You also did not answer my original question:
"Why do you name both file 1 and file 2 as .mov when one is mdat and one is ftyp? the command wouldn't be able to recognise these files name right?"
For example you wrote:
CODE: SELECT ALL
type file2.mov file1.mov > test.mov
BOTH OF THESE COMMANDS AND FILE NAMES YOU HAVE WRITTEN AS .MOV

I'm still completely in the dark, almost 2 months later.
Can you please help? Or put me in touch with someone who can?

Can I attach a video here anywhere? I made a 1.5 minute video of what the files look like exactly on my screen

User avatar
cgrenier
Site Admin
Posts: 5432
Joined: 18 Feb 2012, 15:08
Location: Le Perreux Sur Marne, France
Contact:

Re: Recovered Video Freezes on First Frame & Screen goes dark

#9 Post by cgrenier »

huges, feel free to post a link to a video explaining your problem. I have completed my answer bellow but you didn't even explain if you are recovering from a memory card, which OS you are using, your digital camera model...


Due to the way videos are recorded, all videos created by some digital camera (ie. Canon 5D Mark III) are fragmented on the memory card. Data recovery software, photorec included, expect non fragmented files.

If all videos (.mov / .mp4) recovered by PhotoRec are unreadable, you are probably in this case.

When using PhotoRec, in FileOpts, enable

Code: Select all

    [X] mov/mdat Recover mdat atom as a separate file
and next start the recovery.

If you sort the files by name, you should see that the names alternates between _ftyp.mov and _mdat.mov.
You need to concatenate each ftyp file with a mdat file:

* If using Windows, run ``cmd`` to start a terminal, use ``cd directory_name`` to go where your files are, and run

Code: Select all

   type file2_ftyp.mov file1_mdat.mov > test.mov
If you do not have the permissions to write to the directory, before using the type command, take ownership of the directories or run ``cmd`` using right click run as administrator.

* Under Mac OS X and Linux, start a terminal/console, use ``cd directory_name`` to go where your files are, and run

Code: Select all

   cat file2_ftyp.mov file1_mdat.mov > test.mov
If you do not have the permissions to write to the directory, before using the cat command, change the files and directories ownership using

Code: Select all

chown -R username:groupname recup_dir.*
(Replace username and groupname by the correct values, see 'id' output)

Play the resulting test.mov file. If it works, you need to do the same with each couple of files.

This solution works only for videos written in two fragments. Videos from GoPro HD2, Hero3-Black Edition, HERO4 Silver are stored in more than 2 fragments, so special software solutions are needed to recover such videos.
This chapter does not concern copies or downloaded files, only files written by some digital camera, not by your computer.

huges
Posts: 6
Joined: 25 Jul 2017, 20:12

Re: Recovered Video Freezes on First Frame & Screen goes dark

#10 Post by huges »

Hi Christoph,

Thank you for writing back.

Here is the link
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B2xr0 ... TNoa1pMTms

OS = mac
Recovering from an external toshiba hard drive
Camera Model = canon EOS 600D (also known as EOS Rebel T3i)
Some files have been recovered as .mp4 and are readable. Even some ftyp.mov have been readable. Some .mp4 files have not been readable.

You haven't yet commented on the "not EVERY ftyp.mov file has a corresponding mdat.mov file"... can you please comment? is it possible that 2 or 3 ftyp.mov files would go with a mdat.mov file?
Unless this is what you are referring to here where you write:
"This solution works only for videos written in two fragments. Videos from GoPro HD2, Hero3-Black Edition, HERO4 Silver are stored in more than 2 fragments, so special software solutions are needed to recover such videos"

At this point I have not been able to concat the files because I receive a reply looking like this:
hugos-MacBook-Pro:recup_dir.1 hugoknight$ cat f1816064_mdat.mov f0317440_ftyp.mov > new.mov
-bash: new.mov: Permission denied
However when I look at the permissions in finder it says I have full permissions for read and write.

I tried changing the permissions using chmod and received the reply:
"Unable to change file mode on f0317440_ftyp.mov: Operation not permitted”

I will try using "chown -R username:groupname recup_dir.*" as per your instructions.

Replace username and groupname by the correct values, see 'id' output... where should I see 'id' output? what is 'id' output? is that where I will find the correct values?

You wrote:
"This chapter does not concern copies or downloaded files, only files written by some digital camera, not by your computer"
The files are simply dragged and dropped files from the SD card to the Toshiba external hard drive

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