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I have a folder that contains JPEG files that I cannot open. Here is one example mystery file. Can anyone help me to open the file or suggest a way of recovering the data if it is corrupted?

[update] I found the files on an old external hard drive. The linux file command failed to identify the file type (output was like this: mysteryfile.jpg: data). Viewing the files in a text editor, I don't see any obvious file headers or anything in common within several files.

[update] I have tried and failed to open the files with Windows Photo Viewer, GIMP, Infraview, Paint and Picasa on Windows 7. Also, the default viewer on Ubuntu 11.04.

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If @MaxMackie's solution doesn't work for you, maybe you can tell us which operating system you have and which programs you try to open the file with. – slhck Jul 6 '11 at 14:26
Try opening it with Irfanview. It will sometimes find the correct format if it is still an image file. – music2myear Jul 6 '11 at 14:46
Irfanview cannot open the files. – Liam Jul 6 '11 at 14:50
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If you have Ubuntu, from a Terminal, run file mysteryfile.jpeg and tell us the output. – slhck Jul 6 '11 at 14:54
the output you posted means that the file program can't recognize the format or that it is just ... data. – MaxMackie Jul 6 '11 at 15:21
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2 Answers

up vote 3 down vote

It's probably NOT a JPEG image. Chances are somebody changed the extension of the file, so your OS thinks it's an image. I would check the headers of the file in a text editor, that might give you an idea of the true extension. Once you know it, rename the file correctly and view your mysterious content.... (dum dum dum)

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+1 for the dum dum dum! – Thiago M. Jul 6 '11 at 15:21
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up vote 1 down vote

Looking at the file size of your sample image (1.44MB) it seems very likely that these are floppy disk sized chunks of a compressed file.

See if you can open one with winrar or 7zip. You may need to rename them.

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Good spot. Will be interested to find out if that's true. – Jasarien Jul 6 '11 at 15:16
The files all have different sizes and some of them are over 1.44MB, so I don't think this can be correct. I tried renaming some and using 7zip but it doesn't recognise them. – Liam Jul 6 '11 at 15:29
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