| Author | Message | ||
     Stefan Fleischmann (Admin) |
Run WinHex and open your Smart Media (format specifications here) or Compact Flash memory card in the Disk Editor (menu Tools). Now you can use the File Retrieval function (menu Tools | Disk Tools) to automatically recover JPG files. With WinHex 10.5 this function has been renamed to "File Recovery by Type". As the file header, specify the hexadecimal values 45786966, standing for "Exif" (or 4A464946, standing for "JFIF", depending on the sub-format of the files) and a header offset of 6. You can either try specifying a footer (FFD9) or a fixed file size to recover (the usual size of your JPG files plus a generous safety margin, which does no harm). The other options should be filled with reasonable default values automatically. When you click OK, WinHex tries to find and restore all JPG files and saves them in the destination folder on your hard disk, where you can check them using your favorite image viewer program. Related links: Testimonials about successful recoveries • About manual recovery (in German) • More about undeleting files | ||
| Craig Doggett |
I am using the regged version 9.75 and found the information on what numbers to use for the header and footer of a jpeg file. Do you have the 'magic numbers' for Word '97 files and BMP files. I tried to compare two bmp files to see a patern but was unable to. How is the best way to determine this. There are also some other file types I need to determine. I am doing data recovery from a toasted drive. Thanks. I can be reached at gettek@hotpop.com. | ||
| Stefan Fleischmann (Admin) |
It seems the signature of BMP files is "BM" (hexadecimal values 424D) at offset 0. Since there is no footer, it is probably best to recover a fixed file size = the size of the largest file to be expected. There is no distinct signature of .doc files at a fixed offset, I think, so I would specify D0CF11E0... at offset 0, even though that identifies MS Excel files and other files as well. | ||
| Orlando Blizzard |
I am trying to recover jpeg files from a floppy and need to know the following parameters for the File Retrieval window: Cluster Size in Sectors? Stop Retrieval at Sector? thanks, Orlando | ||
| Stefan Fleischmann (Admin) |
Cluster size in sectors: 1 (both sectors and clusters are 512 bytes on a floppy) Stop retrieval at sector: 2879 (=the number of the last sector on a 1.44 MB floppy) | ||
| Robert Authier |
Regarding your post "Automated JPG File Recovery On Digital Camera Cards", I am in need of doing the same thing, however, even though my cannon s100 elph connected through usb launches its accompanying image software "zoombrowser", it does not show up as a drive letter in windows explorer. Is it required that your memory card show up as a drive letter in order to use winhex to recover deleted files? Can this be accomplished somehow by simply connecting the camera to a usb port (not working for me), or do I need to get one of those mem card adapters to connect it to my usb port? thanks in advance for any help, Robert | ||
| Ed Pearson |
If the camera driver won't act like a removable media drive then you have no choice but to get a USB/SM reader. There are many available and any one will work with WinHex. These include Zio, Sandisk, ZMate, Microtech, and others. Some cameras with USB ports only work through the supplied software. This is probably the case with the Canon. Some models of Olympus are the same way. It would helpful if you went to http://www.dpreview.com and posted a question on the Canon forum. You'll get specific answers there to your question. | ||
| Robert Authier |
I was able to recover my wifes deleted photos from our compact flash card and save the day. I learned that you must have a card reader to see the mem card as a drive letter, and that you must see the mem card as a drive letter to use winhex to attempt file recovery. I also learned to be more careful using zoombrowser and wrote a batch file and put it on our desktop to backup the whole zoombrowser folder and everything under it including jpegs. Thanks to all!! R. | ||
| Wes Krause |
What spec's would I need to enter if I want to use winhex to recover lost photos from a sony memory stick? | ||
| Stefan Fleischmann (Admin) |
I suggest you look at some files on an undamaged memory stick to determine which common file header they have. With which other specs do you need assistance? | ||
| Wes Krause |
Actually your header specs were good, but when winhex retrieves the deleted files they are small, around 3-4K, not the typical 500K size. The end result is then unview-able. Regards | ||
| Stefan Fleischmann (Admin) |
So I recommend you have WinHex retrieve with a fixed file size of 500000 or 600000 bytes (check that option). Retrieving too large files usually does no harm. The pictures will still be viewable. | ||
| Peter Brooks |
We have just downloaded and registered WinHex, which seems to be an excellent product. I am trying to recover deleted JPGs from some SmartMedia. We use a FujiFilm FD-A2 floppy adapter, and have two cards, a 16mb and a 32mb, so we can also look at JPGs that haven't been deleted. Using the header as 45786966 and the footer as FFD9, I get file sizes of 13k for files that should be around 350k. This happens on both cards, whether the file is marked as deleted or not. Is there some kind of linked list storage going on here? WinHex reports the format as FAT12. Many thanks for any help you can give, Peter | ||
| Stefan Fleischmann (Admin) |
Maybe the footer bytes accidentally also occur within the compressed data, not having the function of the footer there. I recommend you try with a fixed file size of 400000 bytes instead. If the files are not fragmented, you should succeed with that. You can also try to specify the header as the footer. That way WinHex will recover all the sectors following a header until the next header is found. | ||
| Peter Brooks |
Thanks, setting a size worked, and all 15 files were safely recovered. These fies had been deleted. As a tip for others, if you find the filenames on the media and re-write the first character of each to a readable letter then you can look at the file size using Explorer (or whatever). Thanks. | ||
| Stefan Fleischmann (Admin) |
Glad it worked out for you. If you find a filenames on a FAT-formatted drive, you can also apply the appropriate template to that directory entry and see the original file size there. | ||
| Alistair McEwan |
Hi, I'm buying a smart media reader to recover files, Anyone know if there are any that don't require drivers? As I'd like to use it in a cybercafe and I doubt they'd let me install the drivers. thanks, | ||
| Stefan Fleischmann (Admin) |
Maybe the forum visitors of http://www.dpreview.com/ or http://www.steves-digicams.com/Forums/ know. | ||
| Jeremy Pitt |
I have a SmartMedia Card which both reader and PC card claim is unreadable. I tried following the file retrieval process and retrieved a whole bunch of files, but various viewers still claim that the data is corrupted. The camera still views the pictures OK and transfer by the serial port delivers viewable jpeg files. Any help would be very gratefully appreciated. Many thanks | ||
| Stefan Fleischmann (Admin) |
So if transfer by the serial port delivers viewable JPEG files, you do not have to rely on the file retrieval process, do you? If file retrieval generates unviewable files, maybe the files are stored on the card in a fragmented way. Or maybe the recovered files are simply too small? Then try retrieving with a fixed file size that is large enough. I do not know how to repair the SmartMedia card itself, if that's what you need help for. | ||
| Matt |
I accidentally started using a compact flash card without formatting it first. The pictures are there, I can see them on the camera. But I can't figure out how to get at them. Winhex reports an error trying to open the "removable drive." Any ideas? | ||
| Stefan Fleischmann (Admin) |
Maybe it is somehow possible to make the card appear as a physical disk in the disk editor of WinHex? Look in Control Panel -> System -> Device Manager -> Select the device -> "Properties" for an option with name similar to "Int 13h device". If possible, enable this option and reboot your computer. Otherwise: I do not know how formatting the card using the supplied utilities works (I do not have one), but if it's a "simple" formatting, the files on the card will not be physically harmed by the operation. Only their logical file system entries will be erased. In that case WinHex' automatic File Retrieval will probably be able to recover these files. But I wouldn't recommend this without you asking someone who knows about compact flash cards before. | ||
| Matt |
Thanks! I reformatted it and extracted the files no problem. The problem now is that the camera won't recognize the PC's FAT format, and the PC won't recognize the camera's FAT format. Hmmm... this doesn't seem to be a job for Winhex, unfortunately. I'll contact HP about my camera... | ||
| Anonymous |
I have a Fujifilm FinePix 2600 and the %&#$@& of the camera replaces everything with FF FF FF FF when I delete a picture, so pictures are allways lost forever (It's a wipe)... I just wonder why they have a format available... Thanks anyway Klaus KlausAnton@yahoo.com | ||
| Jay Myers |
OK, I am about to give up! I have tried all the suggestions given by all of you. But I dont think the same rules apply for the way my camera formats or something. I have tried the offset of 0, 6, and 8 no luck, I have tried the File Header set to 45786966, tried fixed file size of different sizes, and even the footer. No Luck the most I ever get is 84 files retrieved, which is correct, but they are all only 1 KB in size, and empty. Here is what I have. Olympus D-490 Zoom 2.1 Megapixel Digital 32 Meg Smart Media card just says made in Korea. I used the program Photorescue, and it see's all the pics, but have to register to Save them, not ready to do that yet, I believe I can get it with WinHex. I have also tried the info from what Photorescue report when I chose Display Hex, it shows every picture at Sector 0 (0X0) File Offset 0 (0X0) But I dont think this is help me. Really appreciate any help, these were my edding pictures I lost, Laptop got stolen I had them dumped to, while on my honeymoon, real nice Huh! Thanks and look forward to all replies. | ||
| Stefan Fleischmann (Admin) |
Even with different fixed file sizes you always get recovered files of only 1 KB in size? Please send me a screenshot of the whole screen when then File Retrieval dialog is visible, and a copy of the file "File Retrieval.log" (in the output folder). Also please try the other recovery mechanism built into WinHex (described here). Open the card as a logical drive (I hope this is possible?), use the Access button menu to go to the root directory, and then use the Access button menu command "Recover current directory" to recover the root directory, with all its files and subdirectories. Good luck. | ||
| Klaus (Klaus) |
Hi there, I try to open my flash memory, (Olympus Floppy Adapter, SmartMedia 8Mb) using the Toos->Disk Editor, but all I get is "Error #6: An error occured while reading from Floppy disk 1". However, I can see the non-deleted files just fine in the Windows explorer. What do I do to see the deleted files and to work on them? | ||
| Stefan Fleischmann (Admin) |
It seems the disk editor has problems reading sectors via this floppy adapter, I'm afraid. | ||
| Klaus (Klaus) |
Sorry, was my fault. I used an older version. Now I can open it fine. However, I have another question. I have two images that I recoverd and in thumbnail view the are complete, but when I try to open them, they are only partially complete and the rest cut off. Any suggestion what to do? How to I find the part of the file that is corrupted and how do I deal with it so that the information beyond it can still be used? | ||
| Stefan Fleischmann (Admin) |
My guess is that these files were fragmented. This recovery method in WinHex relies on files not being fragmented. Sorry, manually finding the correct clusters with the missing end parts of the pictures is practically impossible or at least extremely toilsome. | ||
| Alton Yu |
I just accidentally formatted my Memory Card - it's formmated through a Sony DSC-S75 - a 60MB card. I'm sorry, but I don't understand the Format introduction of the Smart Media and am not sure where to start. Is my data recoverable? If so, can I have some hints as to which direction I should go? Thanks! | ||
| Stefan Fleischmann (Admin) |
Please follow the instructions at the very beginning of this topic. If you have further questions, don't hesitate to ask. | ||
| Alton Yu |
When I bring up the simulated drive in winhex, it shows at the top that it's fat12 and then has some 00's and then FF's. Does this help? Does this mean it's unrecoverable? | ||
| Stefan Fleischmann (Admin) |
No and no. Since we are in this topic, I assume you had .jpg pictures on the memory card. Please try the File Retrieval function (menu Tools | Disk Tools). As the file header, specify the hexadecimal values 45786966 (standing for "Exif") and a header offset of 6. If WinHex says something like "No headers found", while all the parameters specified were correct, then the pictures seem to be lost. | ||
| Frank (Frank) |
Hi, by accident I am a new member in the "Community of Camera Owners Mourning for Lost Digital Pictures". Camera: Olympus C-2100 Ultra Zoom Card: SmartMedia 128MB SmartMedia Reader/Writer: KESM-USB OS: Windows98 Problem: 1) about 240 pictures on card (each between 400 and (sometimes) 1200KB) 2) camera states "picture error" 3) normal PC access delivers 3 pictures 4) I was able to get a copy of the complete directory giving the name and the length of all stored files 5) first trial with 1st level of PhotoRescue demo delivered about 50 complete thumbnails and many more partial pictures 6) This seems to indicate that most of the pictures are fragmented. Now my question: Let us assume that the FAT entries are damaged. We get nevertheless the beginning of a fragmented JPEG file. Let us further assume that I were prepared to spend the enormous time necessary to put this picture puzzle together with the help of WinHex. What are the individual steps (and which are the functions of WinHex to be used) in order to do (and succeed with) this "patch work" ??? Many thanks for your answers !! Frank | ||
| Stefan Fleischmann (Admin) |
You would need scripting to concatenate the clusters in all possible combinations (or better yet, the WinHex API, to have the flexibility of your programming language of choice). The problem I see is how to automatically determine if a found combination is correct, i.e. gives a valid .jpg files. | ||
| Frank (Frank) |
Many thanks for your quick answer, Stefan ! The completion of fragmented pictures must be done in an interactive approach, but SW support could speed up enormously this tedious activity. It would be fine to have a program or a script which (by showing the partial picture "glued together" with the clusters in question) asks "is this still your picture ?". On YES it constructs the new larger partial picture, on NO it offers a new variant. It should also (in order to avoid unnecessary interaction) have a list of "already used" clusters. If anybody knows about a similar solution (or an ongoing project) I would be very happy to learn more about it. | ||
| Anonymous |
hi all i have created an online manual for the fuji film mx-1200 camera plese check it out on www.geocities.com/fujifilm_mx1200 | ||
| Niall Saunders |
This is a general message for everyone - and is NOT specific to users of WinHex (a wonderful program Stefan). Having used various Olympus digital cameras for the last 5 years, I have had MANY total losses of data on the SmartMedia cards - most associated with a particular USB external card reader (which has now been unceremoniously thrown out!). In all cases the failure was due to the card reader corrupting the SmartMedia card itself. Often the card format was corrupted to the point where neither PC nor camera would accept the card and, most annoyingly, the camera would no longer reformat the card. If this happens to you - DO NOT REFORMAT THE CARD FROM YOUR PC. The PC format (FAT16 or FAT32 is incompatible with the FAT12 specification required by the camera). [A side note here, I did manage to recover a SmartMedia card once, by reformatting it inside an MP3 player attached to my PC - you could always try that!!] Another VERY IMPORTANT WARNING. You should NEVER DELETE any files from the SmartMedia card other than within the Camera software itself. This includes 'Drag and Drop' or 'Cut and Paste' operations that would delete the original from the SmartMedia card. This is because you cannot rely on your PC not to rewrite the SmartMedia FAT in a manner incompatible with the Camera's requirements. HOPE THIS HELPS !! Niall Saunders | ||
| Venkatesh |
Hi Stephan, I tried to recover the files from my SmartMedia card and it recovers 90 headers but they are in .dat format. I can see the pictures using another software...How should I do this w/ WinHex. Venkatesh | ||
| Stefan Fleischmann (Admin) |
Most probably just a filename, not a file format problem. Specify "file~~~~.jpg" instead of "file~~~~.dat" as the output filename pattern in the File Retrieval dialog window. (Or rename already recovered files from *.dat to *.jpg.) | ||
| Susan |
Thumbnails When retreiving deleted pics off my smartmedia card, some of the pictures are coming back as thumbnail size, though they are the same physical size as the good pictures. ie - a full size 1024-2048 pic is 758k, the thumbnail size pic is also 758k. Is there an area in the file I can change to tell the picture what size to be? There is data throughout the file, which seems to be similar to the good big files. This leads me to beleive that there is something in the file telling it to only display the thumbnail size. help! Thanks - Susan | ||
| Stefan Fleischmann (Admin) |
I rather think you are recovering files with a fixed file size (which is wise to do), so all .jpg files found are recovered with that files, both thumbnail pictures and normal pictures. Are both kinds of pictures usually stored on your card? With luck you should get the bigger version of the small pictures as well. > There is data throughout the file Probably because most of this data already belongs to the next picture, which is recovered as well separately. > This leads me to beleive that there is > something in the file telling it to only > display the thumbnail size. I think it is highly unlikely that such a switch is inadvertantly enabled by the recovering process and that such a switch even exists in the file format. | ||
| Susan |
The thumbnail files are not the same as the larger recovered files. of the 40+ recovered files, 22 are of the large size and the rest are thumbnail size. But the file size for both (as recovered by both file header/footer search and by photorescue) are similar. It just seems strange that a 755k file could be both a thumbnail and a full size picture. I have also used an exif reader to determine if there are any clues there - but the file size on the thumbnails is "greyed" out - strange... | ||
| Terry Baier |
I have a Smartmedia card from a FujiFilm FinePix 1400 Camera (my daughter's) She accidently deleted 3 months worth of pictures. I have tried to recover the files using the File Retrieval Function, it can't see or recover the files and the Recover Current Directory will recover the files but my viewer program says they are PCD files and then won't open them. I have looked at the file structure usinf Winhex and it appears that all of the files are marked FF FF FF FF ..., Is there a way to recover these files? | ||
| Stefan Fleischmann (Admin) |
The files have been filled with hexadecimal FF values throughout? In that case, I'm afraid the deletion was very thorough. The files cannot be recovered with WinHex or any other conventional method. All I can recommend is contacting a specialized data recovery such as Ontrack, Ibas, Vogon, or ActionFront. Since this page has become too big meanwhile, the topic is continued here. |