How to find out whats in a file that wont open?

[Rudyard]

I tried to download a film clip of Mary J Blidge and U2 performing ONE. I went for a big mamma file of 530mb thinking it would be a top quality clip to watch. However nothing seems to be able to open it. I get the 'Windows Media Player cannot play the file. One or more codecs required to play the file could not be found.' with WMP and other programs (winDVD) just wont open it.

AVI codec displays nothing in the audio or video sections.

I was just curious, is it possible to actually find out what is in the 530mb's of file? Something must be there but I have no idea how to open it.

The file is called Mary.J.Blige.&.U2.-.One.DVDRip.by.Madman.www!OSiOLEK!com(1).avi

This is not a matter of desperatley needing the file or anything, more im curious as to how to get to the information in a file that wont open in my players. I got a different file of the film clip so it was just a little learning excercise before I delete it to see if there is a way to get into such a file. I dont know where to start when I dont know what im looking for and AVI codec cant tell me.

[guns1inger]

Try VLC. It might play it even if it is incomplete. Otherwise you may simply have a corrupt file that needs to be deleted. Such are trials of downloading.

[Rudyard]

I will try VLC. I figured something in the file may be corrupt, and if so does that mean that ALL of the file is useless? If just a little bit of the 530mb file is corrupt would that render the whole thing useless?

Again it is of no importance, I just find it interesting how it all works (or doesnt work!)

[offline]

Please be cautious. Some down loadable video clips maybe warez.

Thanks

[Rudyard]

Offline, do you mean a copied program or something malicious (or both?).

I didnt actually think about bad stuff in this file, I just thought I could somehow get to the video.....maybe I will just delete it before my curiosity destroys my PC!

[guns1inger]

Offline is referring to the copyright position of the contents of this file. i.e. is it public domain material that you have the rights to own, or is a pirate video downloaded without the copyright owner's permission ?

Hyperthetically speaking, if you can read any of a video, you have very little chance of recovering anything usable unless you are very good with a hex editor.

[offline]

The file is called Mary.J.Blige.&.U2.-.One.DVDRip.by.Madman.www!OSiOLEK!com(1).avi

Rudyard,

a fellow member (thanks "K") kindly identified OSiOLEK.com as a warez site. The original copyright material can be purchased on DVD

I suggest you consider purchasing it; the copy you have at the moment is in all likely hood warez and poor in quality. There are strict rules about warez here at VideoHelp. As it was my error in not checking this properly (I was very busy at the time) I will not be issuing a formal warning. I will, however, have to lock this thread.

Thanks,

Moderator Offline