Corrupt picture folder

Question

I look at my pictures in my computer today and noticed that one folder containing hundreds of picture were corrupt. I can't open the images.

• Is this a common problem?
• I wonder what possibly is behind this.
• Is there any why to fix jpg and AVI files?

I don't know if this is a hardware problem/virus or what is behind it. Please share your experience if you have had the same problem.

Answer 1

It's very unlikely that this is virus activity. Also, it's not common at all to specifically target one folder.

I would recommend running a file system check on your hard drive just to be sure no other files are corrupt, even though I don't think that is the problem.

As far as your damaged files are concerned, there's little that can be done to recover damaged images and videos. If you don't still have the source (I assume it was a memory stick from a camera), and you don't have any backups, you may be out of luck.

For what it's worth, I've had corrupt photos on my camera's memory stick, which of course get carried over as corrupt to my computer, and there's no chance of recovery because the problem was on the stick itself.

Good luck!

Answer 2

No not common. Although some systems are the proverbial LEMON, yes even among apple, I've had over 40 and there were a couple lemons, just like with a Toyota that I once had.

Could be a lot of things behind it. If nothing is wrong with your system, Stellar Phoenix Mac Photo Recovery or anything like that will most likely recover the pics.

First things first, if you have any backups in time machine of that directory, check backing them up, try this before anything. Yu should be making daily or weekly backups, it's automatic and will almost always give you an identical setup, even stuff under the hood, if you break it and back it up it will be broken on a restore, broken exactly like the original in 99.9999999999999999999999% of the cases, but not all. Likewise the Same for your Normally operating system.

Next you can - Before anything - turn on your firewall.

Turn on stealth if available.

Change your wireless Airport ID every boot - if you are able.

If you can't figure these out, skip this step and come back after the scan and fix of your system.

If you do not already have a SECOND ADMIN account set-up, create one. If you are paranoid create two extra.

Install a program like SMARTReporter to ee if your HDD is going out on a continual basis.

Programs like DiskWarrior, Drive Genius, TechTool should be run if you have them. They will fix MOST but not all HDD problems you are likely to encounter.

Free programs you may want to grab are like: OnyX, Maintenance, Cocktail, Snow Leopard Cache Cleaner, MainMenu.

Now, if you have antivirus, scan the directory. If not then Go get sophos and Clamxav... you may also try macscan, it's trialware but still good. After you download --- install and update software.

If you don't have the fancy 3rd party programs like techtool: Then Use "Disk Utility" or terminal with commands, to fix any hard drive issues. If you can't find it or it's missing, it will be on your install disk (which is BEST and safest for a FIX if there is HDD damage), if you have no install disk, it can be found on the web with a search. You can also boot into SAFE mode holding the SHIFT key when you bootup. If you have no boot disk, and even if you do, a very great program that saved my skin can be used --- applejack.

Now, download the RIGHT AppleJack for your system, then install it.

If you know how to turn on verbose boot, do that, if not there are programs that do. Verbose will help you identify if there is anything hanging on boot.

Boot computer into Single user mode:single user mode (by holding Apple + S key) after the "bong" or Continuously press F8.

Then follow the applejack prompts, this could take awhile (maybe 8-40 minutes).

Then do the virus scans over that directory, if there is nothing there, do one on the whole drive.

Main thing is do not panic, only under RARE circumstances, NOT under NORMAL usage would anything serious happen to your system.

Most viruses on a mac can be removed with a cleanse or wash or trashing of some sort, you just have to get all the right files. Many problems can be simply trashed and securely deleted with no more problems. Some take reflash of the PRAM and other steps, I know I have purposely installed a majority of mac viruses over the years to see what would happen, I've even wiped my disk with the terminal command rm. There are rare instances that the problem can not be corrected, main thing is not to do anything drastic until after you found the problem, and corrected it, and your system is working fine for some time, then do a backup (time machine is awesome).

Answer 3

Congratulations you have a virus.

Scan your computer with hwatever AntiVirus software you are runnung. If your images were mostly off the net then try to be a bit more careful with the sources you use.