Three out of 15 files are corrupt on Handycam camcorder

[Lenny]

Need help recovering usable files from camcorder. I video recorded 15 videos of grand daughter band concert. All were done the same way but the next day when i went to produce a DVD (using "Plan Memories Home") the last three files would not load. I also used "copy and paste" in file explorer and all the videos have size to them but the last three will not play using any of the players i have. Info shows all are in MPG 2 format and all of the first files play normally. The memory card used in the camcorder has 70% free space so i am at a loss. Can anyone shed some light on if and how these three files can be repaired i would thankful. Also when i try to playback the videos on the camcorder i get "data error" message.

Thanks again for anyone's help!!

Lenny

[redwudz]

Try opening them in VirtualDub2 in the HEX editor. (Under 'Tools') If all you see is mostly zeros, there may not be any recoverable video.
If they do seem to have video data (You can compare them with a known good file), then you can try some recovery programs.

I will let other members suggest repair/recovery programs.

And welcome to our forums.

[Lenny]

Thanks for your reply. Well I looked at 2 files, one good and working the other is the first file that will not play. The two files are similar but not exact. I downloaded a compare program and did a compare on the first ten lines and like i said, there are some differences but are similar. When i used the hex option in virtualdub there is MUCH data in both files, not just zeros. I guess my next question is, what are some good recovery programs and where are they available?

Again, Thanks for your help!! It is great working on a site where there are people that will help!!

Lenny

[Lenny]

Well let me first off apologize for the run around. I did a little more research and found that the second and third files were filled with zeros. The first file had the last 1/3 filled with zeros so i am thinking these three files are unrecoverable. I appreciate you getting back to me and helping me do some research on my own.

Thanks Again,

Lenny

[davexnet]

If you haven't recorded anything else on the camera or otherwise written to the memory card,
perhaps give Photorec a try. It will search the camera and write what ever it finds
to your computer HDD
https://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/PhotoRec

[lingyi]

The memory card used in the camcorder has 70% free space so i am at a loss.
Lenny

Not a reply regarding recovery, but is your memory card from a known manufacturer (e.g. SanDisk, Samsung, PNY, etc.) or an unknown brand or really cheap compared to the same cards from the known manufacturer? Knock-off card capacities are often much smaller than the advertised size, hacked to falsely show as higher capacity. The fact that your card seemed to have failed with 70% free space points to a likely knock-off.

[Lenny]

The memory card i use is a SanDisk SDHC 32gb. The camcorder is a Sony Handycam DCR-SX83. I have never had any problems with this setup in the past but of course it happens when recording special moments.

Thanks everyone for your assistance!!

Lenny

[gdx]

Posibly fake card, quoting mysel fron this thread: https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/381071-unreadable-AVI-files

There is also the posibility that the card is fake, the symptoms also point to that direction.

http://www.phonearena.com/news/Beware-of-fake-microSD-cards-Heres-how-to-tell-a-counte...iginal_id77769
http://www.happybison.com/reviews/how-to-check-and-spot-fake-micro-sd-card-8/
http://www.bestmicrosdcard.com/verify-fake-micro-sd-card/

The fake cards can bedivided in:

generic that lies about is capacity and posibly speed rating.
generic that lies about its speed rating but have the declared capacity, the majority of generic cards that are advertised as class10 or higther fall here as the are only class4 or with luck class6.
brand falsification that lies about capacity and posibly speed rating.
brand falsification of full capacity, this cards typically also lies about is speed rating.

[Lenny]

Yep... To all of you that replied "you might have a fake card" you were correct. After checking the card using h2testw it was found to be fake Thanks to everyone that responded to my post!! Great to see there is help out there!!!

Lenny