MP4 file won't open, not much in MediaInfo

[koberulz]

All MediaInfo has is this:

General
Complete name                            : K:\GOPR0090.MP4
Format                                   : MPEG-4
Format profile                           : Base Media / Version 1
Codec ID                                 : mp41 (mp41)
File size                                : 2.24 GiB

And another with even less info:

General
Complete name                            : K:\GOPR0218.MP4
File size                                : 3.73 GiB

What's happened here?

[JVRaines]

Obviously the streams (if any) are unreadable. Open the file in a byte editor and check if it's mostly 00s or FFs.

[koberulz]

There are quite a few 00s, but I'm not sure what's typical. Wouldn't be a large percentage though overall, although the second line is 00 all the way to 1D.

[JVRaines]

If you want to dig into it, you can follow the atoms (chunks) using the offset values and see what's up. This page has explanations and an example.

[koberulz]

I'm not sure what 99% of that means...the ASCII just says ftypmp41, mp41.1.*mdatGPRO, HD5, something about a HERO5 Black.

And actually scrolling down, a huge chunk at the end is just 00s. It's a fair way down though.

[JVRaines]

Search for the text MOVI. If the zeroes come after it, then there is no media content.

[koberulz]

It occurs 8 times. The last is maybe 3/4 of the way through the non-zero content.

[JVRaines]

Then there's a good chance there's some video in there. Search the forums for "MP4 repair" and you will find a few software tools.

[Cornucopia]

Sounds like someone has already (incorrectly) tried to recover some files, and concatenated.

Scott

[koberulz]

I have no idea what's gone on. Someone gave a USB drive to someone else because they couldn't open it, the someone else couldn't open it either so they gave it to me.

[koberulz]

Then there's a good chance there's some video in there. Search the forums for "MP4 repair" and you will find a few software tools.

Do you have any specific suggestions? Searches just show sites of questionable integrity plugging their own software.

[davexnet]

Is this file from a camera? Do you have a working media file from the same device?
https://www.videohelp.com/software/Video-Repair-Tool
It's payware, but there is a demo mode you can check if it works and it's supposed to
restore 50% of your file for free.

There is also untrunc in Linux, you can read a little more about it here:
https://github.com/ponchio/untrunc

[koberulz]

No, I don't have a working file.

[JVRaines]

Do you have any specific suggestions? Searches just show sites of questionable integrity plugging their own software.

There is a whole section of VideoHelp devoted to repair tools.