Recovered JPG's corrupt

[eyedoc]

My business associate managed to delete the pics on his smart media card in his Fuji camera. I was able to recover the files using Get Data Back and they appear with typical file sizes. However, trying to open the file returns a plain "can't open file" in most applications but Photoshop LE adds "Could not open because JPEG marker segment length too short". Any advice on how to repair these jpg's?

Thanks in advance for your wise and considered opinions.
Larry

[NooNoo]

See if internet explorer will open them...

this might do it (http://www.ontrack.com/easyrecoveryfilerepair/index.asp)

[eyedoc]

See if internet explorer will open them...

this might do it (http://www.ontrack.com/easyrecoveryfilerepair/index.asp)

I've tried the free evaluation version of the Ontrack EasyRecovery repair and recovery software and each found the files but couldn't view them. They won't open in IE, Mozilla, Photoshop 5LE, Fireworks 3, Illustrator 9, or Irfanview. I've recovered them with several other freeware and trial file recovery programs and even used zefrjpg (for recovering virus damaged jpg's) but they always are unreadable. These files are beginning to smell like toast to me.

Thanks for your reply.
Larry

[NooNoo]

Any chance of getting the smart card and retrying the original recovery?

[eyedoc]

Yes, the card is still available.

[NooNoo]

Then try other card recovery proggies, there is a bunch of them out there.

this is a free one and worked well for me in other situations. (http://www.webattack.com/get/pcinspector.shtml)

[eyedoc]

Yes, that one recovered them, but they were still unreadable. I've been able to get the files back with several programs but I can't find one that repairs jpg's. Maybe the files were truncated in the deletion process and I don't know enough about the internal details to figure out what's broken.

Thanks,
Larry

[Platypus]

According to an opinion here:

http://www.winhex.com/winhex/forum/messages/174/701.html?1065797072

Fuji cameras delete in a way that is unreversible. If that's true, then I guess you're sunk.

Further: I've noticed references on several data recovery sites to not being successful on deletions with Fuji cameras, some say "some" Fuji cameras.

For instance, Davory:

"Files deleted by a FUJI camera are usually not recoverable, because FUJI cameras initialize the actual image data when deleting, not just mark a file as deleted in the file system."

In other words, the data describing the image file has been replaced with the initialised data for a new image to come, there is now nothing describing the parameters of the original image.

[confus-ed]

Methinks, you did your own answer ...

the files were truncated in the deletion process and I don't know enough about the internal details to figure out what's broken

Files are very rarely held in one 'lump' as far as any file system is concerned, all those 'recovery' tools do is find you the most likely candidate that contain the start of the file, then 'prays to god' that the offset file pointers (the bits that link up all the 'whatever size' chunks into one file) actually do still point (if they are present) to the next bit ...

I think what Platypus is saying IS correct, about how it 'zaps' not only the start segment, but any subsequent segments, so unless you know all about the 'internal' structure of JPEGs then you are SOL ...

[eyedoc]

Thanks to everyone for your help. You confirmed what I had feared. When Fuji says "are you sure?" you'd better believe it.
Thanks again,
Larry