# Cannot read jpg headers



## tommy2k8 (Jan 25, 2011)

I am doing data recovery for a client of mine, but I am now stuck. I managed to use Recuva to recover a lot of photos, some of which are viewable and some of which aren't. I clicked on one which I cannot open. 
When I try to open it with Irfanview, it says 'Can't read file header! Unknown file format, empty file or file not found. (For Unicode file names please activate the Unicode plug-in (Properties - Languages)'. I have done that, but I stil get the same message. Is there any way I can recover the photo to (some of) its former glory?)
Properties says it is 4.12MB! (I cannot attach it as I get 'This is not a valid image file!)


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## JimE (Apr 16, 2009)

The file wasn't recovered. The "files" that don't work, are just garbage. Try using a different tool.

And I assume you are recovering to a different drive, not the same drive, correct?


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## tommy2k8 (Jan 25, 2011)

I am recovering to a different drive, yes


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## JimE (Apr 16, 2009)

Then try a different recovery tool.

Files either recover properly or they don't. Some software works better than others. Files that don't work are just bits of random data improperly labeled as a file.


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## tommy2k8 (Jan 25, 2011)

Thankyou.

I noticed that many files are duplicates, presumably renamed by Recuva, and most of the 'originals' are intact. What I think I shall do (as I recovered them to a spare external drive) is delete the duplicates, give it back to him, and if there are any that have not recovered, I shall point photorec to the hard drive.


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