Data recovery – Quicktime files won’t open

[13]

Have you used so far to try and recover the files?

it sounds like it was able to get most of the file but not all of it, thus leaving a corrupted file. And there is nothing I have ever seen that can fix a corrupted file like that.

[Kevin]

Thank you for your prompt response. I used techtool to recover the file. I think TT gets everything but maybe the data fork or someother info integral to a QT gets lost in the recovery.

It’s tough to be so close to recovery but then have the moves and thuse the project files not be functional so I’m not sure data recovery is the way to go.

For background, the way I wiped out several drives was by deleting system volume aliases (didn’t even know they existed but they were visible and I trashed them and completely wiped the drives they pointed too. I’ve been running data recovery software and that’s pulling back everything but not all of it is functional.

I have a feeling a mac coding guru could do something in the terminal to “unghost” the info on these drives so I can see and work with them and have the info back that way.

If by any chance you know of a forum where I could reseach this further I would be very grateful.

Warmest,

Kevin

[13]

I don’t know of any other forums specifically about data recovery.

I hope that you kept your FCP project file on a different drive, they you can just recapture your video. That is something I and many others practice.

[Kevin]

I have some project file, mostly ones in the autosave vault, but I’m hoping for a miracle to unghost these drives as some are huge and have hundreds of hours of footage so it will be months to recover if I have to recapture. Fingers crossed. A lot of the files I am tryin to recover are final output Quicktimes that were the archived version. Going forward I guess I need to output to tape to archive.

Thank you for all you feedback. I appreciate it.

Warmest,

Kevin

[13]

Yes ALWAYS make tape masters.

[Ben Holmes]

I don’t know how important/valuable this data was, but have you considered using a professional data recovery company?

Sorry for vague response, but thought this may be an avenue you have not considered.

Ben

Editec Broadcast Editing Ltd

EVS & FCP specialists for live OB operations.

New HD edit/slomo truck on the road this month. Dual FCP systems/6 slomo positions.

[Kevin]

Hi, I inquired to two data recovery services and their prices started were between $12-20K, so as that’s not an option, I’ve started the long haul or recapturing and evening reediting years of editing. I have to decide then if it’s an option to continue an editing business as it might not be feassible to resurrect every thing and have time for new work. It’s a big lesson about backing up, but in this scenario, deleting volum aliases, every drive connected to the machine, including backup would have been wiped. I like many things about the digital age but this experience has been spooky.

Peace,

K.

[13]

Is there a reason that you need to have years of editing still on the computer I always make it a practice to only keep ongoing projects on my computer once it is edited and mastered to tape it is taken off of the computer.

[Kevin]

I make high end wedding and event videos which I have to keep on line to accomodate updates for up to a year. And I usually juggle around 35-40 of these on an ongoing basis each being around 10 hours long. I also shoot a lot of VNRs and promos and Chromakey work which again can be ongoing. I used to have all this stuff on FW drives but last count I had about 20 of those working and I would easily lose track of what was where. The raid was a great solution, everything was available at any moment to put in some work andI had a consistent directory structure so all media was arranged consistently and easily accessed.

At the end of the story, I think the raid is really the only way to do what I do somewhat efficiently, but two raids is really the only semi safe way not to wipe out your business in one swoop. Having said that i would definitely have had my second drive attached to mycomputer so both would have been wiped in deleting the volume aliases.

I guess the smart thing would be to have a second raid connected to a differnt machine but the reality is if you want to really be safe you should have third raid offsite in case of fire or theft. I might also look into a taped backup system. but either way this experience has thought me not to be exposed to losing a year’s work of work in one accident.

warmest,

Kevin

[13]

[Kevino] “I make high end wedding and event videos which I have to keep on line to accomodate updates for up to a year”

WOW I have never known any one that offers changes up to a year later. I and everyone else I know offers a preview viewing where the client can request changes, then there is a final viewing. Any changes that are requested after that are billed extra. If no requests are made at the final viewing then the project is mastered and taken off of the computer. If the client called later asking for changes then they are billed hourly for those changes.

As long as you logged the clips before capturing it is easy to recapture later. You burn the project file and any other data files such as music and artwork to a Data DVD when mastering, there for all you have to do is copy it back over to the computer and recapture. They are paying by the hour for these extra changes so it is no sweat off your back. If the client wishes to have there media kept on the computer for quicker changes in the future then you bill them for the price of an additional drive to keep just there projects on.