Repair of MP4 file

[Anodyne]

I'm sorry if this post is in the wrong place.

The video file I was able to recover from the phone (Sony Ericsson w880i) was recovered using a file system recovery program, which labeled the files status as "excellent"/not written over. I'm thinking GREAT, .. but no, the file cant be opened or used.

I've tried a few different programs, including Adobe CS3, and a long list of programs (which I can list if asked too). I've always taken a copy of the file and then tested parsing applications on the copy so as not to corrupt the master.

the file has a .MP4 extension, any help would be MOST apperciated,
Here's the locations for downloading the file (it's not a virus, or infected I promise)

http://rapidshare.com/files/345102846/Copy_of__OV00239.MP4

http://nigelwade.110mb.com/assault/OV00239.zip

[Ai Haibara]

Run a copy of the video through MediaInfo, in Tree View, and post the resulting information here.

[subc]

Have you tried a different program to recover your video? perhaps PhotoRec? http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/PhotoRec

[Ai Haibara]

Why would you need to use a recovery program? Was the cellphone damaged in the process?

[Anodyne]

Run a copy of the video through MediaInfo, in Tree View, and post the resulting information here.

here you go, is this what you were thinking off, ... this doesnt seem to contain alot of information, I wonder if this shows that there is damage to file's structure

[Anodyne]

Have you tried a different program to recover your video? perhaps PhotoRec? http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/PhotoRec

I downloaded that program, the data recovery part is done. the file doesnt have a complete structure because it was knocked out of my hand and I if I remember correct (a month ago) the memory card was knocked out of place, or the battery slipped out of place. . ... something like that.

cool program, .. but that parts done, the file recovery part was easy that took about an hour or so, a month later I still cant seem to get anywhere on the video part.

thank you so much for the advice though

[Anodyne]

Why would you need to use a recovery program? Was the cellphone damaged in the process?

yes.

the phone hit the ground so hard that I think the card popped out of it's slot, when I picked it up, I had to put the battery cover back on,

it was scratched, but other than that, no major damage.

[Anodyne]

Thank you so much to the people who have post suggestions so far, if anyone else has something in mind or a friend that works in this field in New Zealand, .. etc, etc. ..

keep the suggestions coming, .. it really is very helpful.

[subc]

well, unless is really sensitive information, I wouldn't mind taking a stab at it and run some avisynth scripts on it. If that don't work, then try a few open source/freeware tools (virtualdub, drop directly into vegas timeline, loiloscope).

[Anodyne]

well, unless is really sensitive information, I wouldn't mind taking a stab at it and run some avisynth scripts on it. If that don't work, then try a few open source/freeware tools (virtualdub, drop directly into vegas timeline, loiloscope).

The links above have the source file, otherwise your welcome to email me for a copy (nigel.wade at gmail dot com);

the tools above look awesome, might be a bit above my knowledge to work with though, but hey, .. I'll give them a go in the next 20-30mins and see if I can get somewhere, ..

if your able to have a go at it too, see what you can work out that would be awesome !

[Anodyne]

well, unless is really sensitive information, I wouldn't mind taking a stab at it and run some avisynth scripts on it. If that don't work, then try a few open source/freeware tools (virtualdub, drop directly into vegas timeline, loiloscope).

I couldnt get avisynth to run .. it seems to be above my skill level.

[aedipuss]

i hope you didn't pay for that file recovery program. what you've got is not in any way a video file. it's just an assortment of random garbage. there are no video headers anywhere in the file.

[Anodyne]

i hope you didn't pay for that file recovery program. what you've got is not in any way a video file. it's just an assortment of random garbage. there are no video headers anywhere in the file.

I didnt pay for the program, .. er ... but it was a good program .. hrmm ..

sony's record from the cam into a .mov format file, does that change things ?

[aedipuss]

if the actual format the cam records in is only into .mov and what the program supposedly recovered was a .mp4 it only re-inforces that it recovered nothing at all.

[subc]

as aedipuss points out, no video information is to be found on the header of this file. I checked with the hex editor built in virtualdub. Besides, it is true that having 'recovered' an mp4 file, when your phone actually records only in mov, does indicate that you got a dummy file filled with nothing.

Now the worse part is, if you have used the same memory card since the time of the incident until now (if you have taken more pictures, formatted the card, taken more videos, etc), the probability of going back and trying to recover the file again is null, because by using the card to add more photos or videos, you effectively write over the 'empty' space that may have actually had the video file to begin with.

[lowellriggsiam]

Upload a short video taken with the same camera. It has an elementary mpeg4 video stream, but the headers appear to be incomplete.

[greymfm]

I think I can give an explanation why some MP4 files do not play after data recovery: MP4 movie files (as well as other movies) have interleaving audio and video chunks throughout the complete file - a 'header structure' (at the beginning or at the end) contains information where exactly those chunks are located in the file. If such header structure is incomplete or corrupt, the file won't play, but the data is still there in the movie. There are some tools that can fix the header again (you can google them: 'video repair tool'), and those tools can make the file playable again.