Can not open MOV file - missing moov atom

[jbenacek]

Hello,

I recorded a MOV video file with codec h264, but accidentally VLC crashed and I can not open the file in any convention method - VLC, Quick Time player, KM player,...

I tryed to repair the file with many programs - video repair, Virtual Dub,... Nothing helped.

Do you have a tip for good tool for repairing? I need analyze there video in depth too.

It tried ffmpeg (ffprobe) - it is writing error - moov atom not found. What can I use to add moov atom?

Thank you very much

[Baldrick]

You can also try https://www.videohelp.com/tools/recover-mp4-to-h264

It's a command line tool so it can be a bit tricky but it works as:

Step 1: Use any good previous file with the same resolution and bitrate to generate the AVC configuration record, for example

>recover_mp4_to_h264.exe GOPR0346.MP4 --avcc

Note: It will create the file 'avcc.hdr' in the current directory.

Step 2: Recover H.264 stream from the corrupted file, for example

>recover_mp4_to_h264.exe GOPR0347.MP4 GOPR0347.h264 GOPR0347.aac

Note: The file 'avcc.hdr' must be exist.
Note: Specify --pcm or the WAV file name in case of recovering MOV file written by Canon EOS.

Step 3: Use any other utility (Yamb or ffmpeg for example) to recreate the MP4/MOV file from the H.264 stream (GOPR0347.h264). Note MP4 does not support PCM sound, you must create MOV in this case:

>ffmpeg.exe -r 30 -i recovered.h264 -i recovered.wav -vcodec copy -acodec copy result.mov

And you need a working file with similar properties/header.

But it might not work with vlc recorded mov/mp4s.

[alessandrodias]

You can also try https://www.videohelp.com/tools/recover-mp4-to-h264

It's a command line tool so it can be a bit tricky but it works as:

Step 1: Use any good previous file with the same resolution and bitrate to generate the AVC configuration record, for example

>recover_mp4_to_h264.exe GOPR0346.MP4 --avcc

Note: It will create the file 'avcc.hdr' in the current directory.

Step 2: Recover H.264 stream from the corrupted file, for example

>recover_mp4_to_h264.exe GOPR0347.MP4 GOPR0347.h264 GOPR0347.aac

Note: The file 'avcc.hdr' must be exist.
Note: Specify --pcm or the WAV file name in case of recovering MOV file written by Canon EOS.

Step 3: Use any other utility (Yamb or ffmpeg for example) to recreate the MP4/MOV file from the H.264 stream (GOPR0347.h264). Note MP4 does not support PCM sound, you must create MOV in this case:

>ffmpeg.exe -r 30 -i recovered.h264 -i recovered.wav -vcodec copy -acodec copy result.mov

And you need a working file with similar properties/header.

But it might not work with vlc recorded mov/mp4s.

Hi Baldrick, Im trying any thing that I found online to recover a corrupted file from our CANON 5D Mark III. We have tried as many tools as you think from internet. The file have 4.1GB, around 10 minutes of video in 1080p.

Im trying your suggestion, I recorded another footage with the same camera and setting to create the avcc.hdr but in "step 2"

I got the error

Searching 'mdat' atom in 'k.mov'...
Cannot find 'mdat' atom in first 64MB of 'k.mov'
FATAL ERROR: File 'k.mov' is empty!

I tried FFmpeg directly and got the same error. The problem seems to be in that part of the .mov file. The MOOV ATOM or something.

Do you thing that in step 1 I need to use a file as large as the one corrupted ?

What we need is the image info, the JPEGs or BMP, we dont need the audio because we had a external recorder for it.

Any any sugegstion would be really appreciated.

Thank you in advance.

Alessandro

[Cornucopia]

Sounds like you still don't have a working sample file (with which to reference the header). Have you never used that cam before? If you have used it, use a known-good copy for your reference. If this cam is brand new to you, it sounds like it is broken/corrupted/bricked.

BTW, as far as the "file as large as corrupted", I'm not sure, but make a copy of the problem file and try using a short version of header reference on it. If it comes back too short, do it again with a file of (nearly) the same size. You won't have wasted anything (having worked on only a copy), but time.

Scott

[alessandrodias]

Sounds like you still don't have a working sample file (with which to reference the header). Have you never used that cam before? If you have used it, use a known-good copy for your reference. If this cam is brand new to you, it sounds like it is broken/corrupted/bricked.

BTW, as far as the "file as large as corrupted", I'm not sure, but make a copy of the problem file and try using a short version of header reference on it. If it comes back too short, do it again with a file of (nearly) the same size. You won't have wasted anything (having worked on only a copy), but time.

Scott

In my case (with the canon 5d MK III) I asked about the size because the process to create the avcc.hdr file from a short clip is as fast as a second (and the hdr file is 1kb.......) . I tried the same process to create the avcc.hdr with a large file (from same camera, same setup, audio bit rate, etc) but the command line doesn't return after a while. Should I suppose it's working in the background?

We know this camera very well, have being using it flawless for months or year so far. We read that somente MK III tends to corrupt the file while changing AF to MF, or after a abrupt movement while recording the file. We don't know if this is what happened, we were recording a wedding, not much movement happening and we don't ever change from AF to MF, its always on MF and dont have IS on that lens.

Do you have any idea which info has a avcc.hdr when opened in notepad? This 1kb from a health small video file has only this info:

d 3ÿá 'd 3¬Ð Dü¸p   
 (ÞâÀ

Anyway, I tried the process with the avcc.hdr from a good file trying to "recover" a good 4gb file and the process started right and processed from quite long time. Its working, but I dont know if its because the avcc.hdr is working or because the program didn't find any error in the 4gb file and started extracting the info from it.

Lost in here. =z

[alessandrodias]

Ok, I tried to create the avcc.hdr in another computer, It took no more than 3 seconds to create it from a good 4gb video from the same camera.

After that I tried the command line with --eos and without, still got the error. I tried it withe r.acc and r.wav.

Again, I dont care about the audio, If I get jpgs its already awesome.

Thank you guys, again.

C:\1401>recover_mp4_to_h264_x64.exe r.mov r.h264 r.wav --eos
recover_mp4_to_h264 v1.19 (C) 2011-2014 Dmitry Vasilyev <slydiman@mail.ru>
http://slydiman.homeip.net

Reading 'avcc.hdr'...
Cannot open 'mp4a.hdr'
Writing 'r.h264'...
Writing 'r.wav'...
Assuming audio stream is PCM, 16bit, 48kHz, stereo
AVC SPS count: 1
AVC SPS[0] len: 20
Assuming AVC video 1920x1080, High Profile, Level 4.1
AVC PPS count: 1
AVC PPS[0] len: 4
Searching 'mdat' atom in 'r.mov'...
Cannot find 'mdat' atom in first 64MB of 'r.mov'
FATAL ERROR: File 'r.mov' is empty!

C:\1401>recover_mp4_to_h264_x64.exe r.mov r.h264 r.wav
recover_mp4_to_h264 v1.19 (C) 2011-2014 Dmitry Vasilyev <slydiman@mail.ru>
http://slydiman.homeip.net

Reading 'avcc.hdr'...
Cannot open 'mp4a.hdr'
Writing 'r.h264'...
Writing 'r.wav'...
Assuming audio stream is PCM, 16bit, 48kHz, stereo
AVC SPS count: 1
AVC SPS[0] len: 20
Assuming AVC video 1920x1080, High Profile, Level 4.1
AVC PPS count: 1
AVC PPS[0] len: 4
Searching 'mdat' atom in 'r.mov'...
Cannot find 'mdat' atom in first 64MB of 'r.mov'
FATAL ERROR: File 'r.mov' is empty!

[Cornucopia]

Hmm...not finding mdat is not a good sign.

Wait a minute, did you say your problem file is 4.1GB? Are you using SDXC cards (with exFAT filesystem) or SD/SDHC cards (with FAT32)? I ask, because maybe there is some segment cut off from previous or subsequent segments due to the 4GB limit in FAT32. How did you "recover" the file (if it was lost)? Please describe all your steps in detail from recording to now.

Scott

[alessandrodias]

Hmm...not finding mdat is not a good sign.

Wait a minute, did you say your problem file is 4.1GB? Are you using SDXC cards (with exFAT filesystem) or SD/SDHC cards (with FAT32)? I ask, because maybe there is some segment cut off from previous or subsequent segments due to the 4GB limit in FAT32. How did you "recover" the file (if it was lost)? Please describe all your steps in detail from recording to now.

Scott

The 5D mark III split the files automatically into 4gb files while recording, the cards are formatted in camera. The camera was recording CF, Im not in my main workstation to give you 100% if this was one was splitted after 4gb, but for sure this was the first recorded file. Anyway (the way I see) the files dont need the other to play or record. You can edit or play each one separated.

The card wasnt corrupted, we could read all the files from the CF card, and this little bastard was broken. We tried read from different card readers, in different computers and softwares. Eve the camera cant play the video.