Recovery methods · exFAT source or image
media file signature scan: measure recovery success
How do I judge the result of media file signature scan?
Short answer
Not by the number of hits: a signature only marks where a file probably begins. Check each important candidate for a plausible size, a correct ending and complete playback, because fragmented clips can start correctly and then contain foreign data. Sort out duplicates and false positives before calling the scan successful.
The situation
Candidate files exist, but their completeness and production value are still unknown.
A hit is a location, not a file. The scan has recognised a pattern that usually starts a picture or a clip; where that data ends, and whether it stays coherent in between, is not part of the finding. Everything that matters is decided after the export.
01 / Diagnose
Work out what actually disappeared
Typical distortions in a candidate list are easy to name. Embedded thumbnails inside raw files register as separate images, a clip cut off at a fragment boundary keeps playing into foreign data, and the same recording can appear twice when an older copy still sits in the free area. Counts therefore run high while usable files run low.
File count, names and thumbnails measure something different from a full stream and format test. For media file signature scan, this matters because signatures locate possible starts while endings, fragmentation and structure still need validation
Check the last known path, trash and backups without writing to the original device.
02 / Protect the source
Preserve the best recovery chance
- 1
Group the exported candidates by size, discarding entries far too small to be a full frame from that camera.
- 2
Open the largest files first and watch for the point where a clip turns into noise or stops without an ending.
- 3
Compare remaining duplicates by content and keep the version that plays furthest, deleting only exact copies.
- 4
Note a verdict per file and rename confirmed exports away from .UNVERIFIED once they have played completely.
Do not measure the run by how many candidates appeared, and do not release files to an editor before watching them through. A list swollen by thumbnails and duplicates says nothing about usable footage, and a clip that fails mid-timeline costs more time later than a check does now.
03 / Choose the method
Match the tool to the source
For stable, readable exFAT, NTFS and FAT16/FAT32 or uncompressed IMG, DD, RAW and BIN images.
Unconfirmed exports are marked .UNVERIFIED.
Checking tells you which candidates failed; it does not make them work. File Recovery Hero neither repairs a truncated container nor reassembles fragments a signature cannot follow, and files exported before the review keep the .UNVERIFIED suffix until you confirm them.
04 / Verify
Check the recovered content, not just its name
A candidate becomes a result when its size fits the format and the recording length, the file ends where it should instead of trailing into garbage, and playback runs from the first to the last second with picture and sound together. Photos need full resolution and clean corners.
Keep the source until two verified copies exist. One working preview is not enough.
Sources and technical references
FAQ
Questions about this recovery case
Can exFAT source or image be recovered in this situation?+
A hit is a location, not a file. The scan has recognised a pattern that usually starts a picture or a clip; where that data ends, and whether it stays coherent in between, is not part of the finding. Everything that matters is decided after the export. The result still depends on what remains readable on the source.
What should I avoid before scanning?+
Do not measure the run by how many candidates appeared, and do not release files to an editor before watching them through.
Does scanning write to my memory card?+
Your memory card is only read. Nothing is saved to it.
How do I know whether the result is complete?+
A candidate becomes a result when its size fits the format and the recording length, the file ends where it should instead of trailing into garbage, and playback runs from the first to the last second with picture and sound together.