Video · exFAT video card
MP4 mdat without moov: recover after an interrupted recording
What can I do with video payload with missing MP4 metadata after a recording interruption?
Short answer
Often yes: this is the classic interruption case, where the frames reached mdat but the moov index, usually written at the end, never did. Power the camera down, keep an untouched copy, and rebuild the index on a duplicate from a reference clip recorded with the same camera settings.
The situation
video payload with missing MP4 metadata is missing, too short or unreadable after power loss, a card error or an unsafe stop.
What happened here is the textbook version of the problem: the camera streamed frames into the mdat block until power failed, and the moov index that normally follows at the very end of the file was never written. The footage exists without a table of contents.
01 / Diagnose
Work out what actually disappeared
MP4 writes payload first and metadata last, so an unsafe stop hits the file at its most fragile moment. The exFAT directory entry may report zero bytes or a stale size while the blocks are fully allocated. Nothing about the picture data is damaged; what is missing is the description of where each frame and each audio sample begins.
The payload may have been written before duration fields, indexes, directory entries or closing structures were committed. For MP4 mdat without moov, this matters because a large mdat can contain frames while the moov structure needed for playback is missing
Check the last known path, trash and backups without writing to the original device.
02 / Protect the source
Preserve the best recovery chance
- 1
Switch the camera off at the power switch, wait for the write lamp to go dark, then remove the card.
- 2
Copy the card, or at least the affected file, to a computer disk before you try to open or convert anything.
- 3
Record a reference clip with the same body, codec, resolution and frame rate, since the rebuild copies its structure.
- 4
Give the repair tool the duplicate and the reference, and keep the first copy in its original state for a retry.
Do not let the camera or the computer run a disk check on the card, and do not keep recording after the interruption. Both write into the area the interrupted take occupies, and a recording that is still fully readable can be lost in a single take.
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.
File Recovery Hero reads exFAT, NTFS and FAT16/FAT32 sources read-only and exports the file as it lies on the card; building the missing moov structure is the job of a repair tool. Frames after the interruption were never recorded. Export requires the 50 € license.
04 / Verify
Check the recovered content, not just its name
A successful rebuild plays from the first frame to the moment the power failed and then stops. Confirm the duration is close to how long you were filming, check that audio runs for the same length, and scrub through the last thirty seconds where damage shows up first.
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 video card be recovered in this situation?+
What happened here is the textbook version of the problem: the camera streamed frames into the mdat block until power failed, and the moov index that normally follows at the very end of the file was never written. The footage exists without a table of contents. The result still depends on what remains readable on the source.
What should I avoid before scanning?+
Do not let the camera or the computer run a disk check on the card, and do not keep recording after the interruption.
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 successful rebuild plays from the first frame to the moment the power failed and then stops.