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General Error and Non-Playable Quicktime Files
Hi,
I recently finished a project, and after I was done, deleted all render files. Set the hard drive on a shelf and haven’t looked at it for a month or so.
Today, I opened the drive up because my client requested a clip from the event. I was touching up one of my sequences when I suddenly came to a clip that was all white. A few of them are like this. In my canvas and viewer, the clip is white and will not play (General Error)
So go to the source I thought. Opened up my Capture Scratch, and whadya know, my quicktime files wont play. Half of them (There’s about 30 hours of footage) will not open with quicktime. Quicktime tells me “The movie could not be opened: The file is not a movie file.” The file sizes haven’t changed. 120GB per clip or so.
These were all captured from HDCAM tapes as Prores422 59.98. The project is complete, but I am supposed to deliver one last item. Not to mention I’d really like to have all my footage so I can go back to it whenever I need to.
Any help is appreciated. Thanks.
MacBook Pro
Intel Core 2 Duo
2.6GHz
L2 Cache: 6MB
4GB Memory
Bus Speed 800MHz -
10 Replies
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Hey Josh —
do your files have movie attachments showing? I’ve run into a similar problem in the past; unfortunately, sometimes the clips were just corrupted. Other times, however, when I’ve added the file type (.mov), it’s solved the problem. –Did you media manage the files onto the drive? Just curious if you pushed them manually or let FCP do the work for you.Hope it’s a simple fix.
Josh
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Hi Josh,
These are the things that happens when your system/HDs need a bit maintenance.
I would start by Diskwarrior or TechTools.
rafael -
Thanks for the responses.
No problem with the extension. My computer recognizes it as a quicktime file, it just won’t open it. I added the extension just to double check. In terms of capturing, I let FCP do all the work for me. I’m not quite sure I understand your question Josh. Up until today, I’ve had no problems with my footage. I discovered the problem through Final Cut, then realized the problem was affecting the actual quicktimes.
I think this might be a corrupt file problem. I just don’t know how they corrupted. I can’t think of any recent time when the drive was unplugged accidentally or anything like that.
If the files are corrupted, will a program like DiskWarrior or TechTools fix the files? 100 bucks is a small price to pay to ensure all my files are working.
I discovered Aero Quartet today and used their application Treasured. It told me my files were corrupt. But to fix all of them is going to cost me 270. Again, a small price to pay, but I’d much rather use Diskwarrior or TechTools, one because it’s cheaper and two because the program will work for any future problems I run into.
So I guess my new question is, will DiskWarrior and TechTools fix corrupt Quicktime files? Do I have any other option besides going through Aero Quartet?
Thanks,
P.S. Later I realized it has affected half of my final quicktime DVD masters. So I have to find some sort of solution.
MacBook Pro
Intel Core 2 Duo
2.6GHz
L2 Cache: 6MB
4GB Memory
Bus Speed 800MHz -
Hi Josh,
With these symptoms, I don’t see any corruption issue but a problem with the system.
Corruption it normally happens to individual files.
A wrong “File Finder Info” can prevent FC or QT open any QT file even not being corrupted.
Treasured works great with corrupted files (I’ve tried) but without being sure the files are corrupted, is a waist of money.
DW are the best 100 bucks you will ever invest in your Mac.
rafael -
I agree with Rafael. DW is an indispensable program for anyone with a Mac. It’s saved me many times.
John
MacPro 8-core 2.8GHz 8 GB RAM OS 10.5.8 QT7.6.4 Kona 3 Dual Cinema 23 ATI Radeon HD 3870, 24″ TV-Logic Monitor, ATTO ExpressSAS R380 RAID Adapter, PDE enclosure with 8-drive 6TB RAID 5
FCS 3 (FCP 7.0.1, Motion 4.0.1, Comp 3.5.1, DVDSP 4.2.2, Color 1.5.1)Pro Tools HD w SYNC IO & 192 Digital I/O, Yamaha DM1000, Millennia Media HV-3C, Neumann U87, Schoeps Mk41 mics, Genelec Monitors, PrimaLT ISDN
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Well, looks like I’m dealing with Corrupt files. Just purchased DiskWarrior, problem NOT solved. Directory rebuilt and Files scanned. Still having the problem.
Unless you have any other suggestions, thanks for the information. Looks like I’m gonna have to go through Treasured. At least I can now keep all my hard drives cleaned up with DiskWarrior 😉
MacBook Pro
Intel Core 2 Duo
2.6GHz
L2 Cache: 6MB
4GB Memory
Bus Speed 800MHz -
[Josh Aderhold] “. At least I can now keep all my hard drives cleaned up with DiskWarrior 😉 “
Don’t stop using it.
I’m very sorry that haven’t work for you.
I live 600 miles away from the closest Apple service and if I’ve been able to survive this situation for 8 years, is thanks to DW.
Still being for me very strange this “massive corruption”.
As I told you I have used the services of Treasured for some XDCAM files from a memory card with problems. The card went wrong and corrupted all the files.
BTW, had you tried to copy the files to other HD and open from there?
Rafael -
Hi Rafael,
Tried copying the files (one file) to a different hard drive and even tried opening it on a different computer. Same problem. Ran DW twice and once did a scavenge, still nothing. It’s very odd to me as well. What’s even more odd is that its only in this projects directory. I have two other projects on the drive (8TB 4big quadra) and everything is fine on the other projects. But in two separate folders, my capture scratch and my export folder for my final quicktimes, half of the files won’t open. I’ve joked with the guys on this project that it was haunted (this isn’t the first problem we’ve had) but now I’m seriously starting to think it is.
Thanks for the help.
MacBook Pro
Intel Core 2 Duo
2.6GHz
L2 Cache: 6MB
4GB Memory
Bus Speed 800MHz -
Small update to my problem.
Oh it’s a problem. I apparently have one of the few “unsolveable” situations. Somehow the corrupt quicktime files are not only mixing up blocks of information, they’re swapping between each other. I have clips of Clip A mixed in with Clip B. And because Treasured’s help file states that to this date no file with such a corruption has ever been resolved, not feeling all warm and fuzzy inside.
MacBook Pro
Intel Core 2 Duo
2.6GHz
L2 Cache: 6MB
4GB Memory
Bus Speed 800MHz -
Hey Josh,
Not sure if you’re still checking this thread or not. I just ran into exactly the same problem as you on a big project. Never had this issue either. FCP screens are white, QT logo won’t play even though I see all file size. Just weird. Did you ever come across a solution?
Thanks,
Alvin.
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