Emergency · audio recorder card
One audio take is missing from a recorder session
How can I find one missing recorder take?
Short answer
First look in the recorder's other project or date folders, where a seemingly missing take number often turns up. Use the slate, timestamps and neighbouring take numbers to decide whether it was never finalized, deleted or skipped during copy. Only then scan the recorder card read-only for WAV or BWF.
The situation
A take number is absent while the surrounding WAV or BWF files remain.
Field recorders file takes by project or by date, and the folder on screen is rarely the only one. A take number that seems absent very often sits in a neighbouring folder from the same day, under the name the recorder gave it automatically.
01 / Diagnose
Work out what actually disappeared
Recorders create a new folder when the project, the date or the sample rate changes, and a take started before that switch ends up elsewhere. A recording stopped by an empty battery or a card change may also never have been finalized, which leaves a WAV file whose RIFF header still reports a length of zero.
The take may be in another project folder, never finalized, deleted, or skipped during copy.
Check the last known path, trash and backups without writing to the original device.
02 / Protect the source
Preserve the best recovery chance
- 1
Browse every project and date folder on the recorder card from a computer, not through the small display of the recorder.
- 2
Match the sound report or slate to the takes either side of the gap so the expected length and timestamp are known.
- 3
If the take is nowhere on the card, keep the recorder switched off and scan the card read-only for WAV or BWF files.
- 4
Export the candidates to another drive and listen to each one from start to end before entering it in the sound report.
Do not let the recorder format the card or start a new session on it while a take is missing, and do not delete zero-length files that look broken. A file with an unfinished header can still contain the whole recording and is repairable on a copy.
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.
An unfinalized WAV needs a header repaired on a copy, which is a job for an audio repair tool rather than a recovery scan. File Recovery Hero reads the exFAT or FAT recorder card read-only and exports the audio data it finds; it does not mend broken headers.
04 / Verify
Check the recovered content, not just its name
A recovered take is usable when its duration matches the sound report, the channel count and sample rate are what the recorder was set to, and playback runs without dropouts or a burst of noise where the file was cut.
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 audio recorder card be recovered in this situation?+
Field recorders file takes by project or by date, and the folder on screen is rarely the only one. A take number that seems absent very often sits in a neighbouring folder from the same day, under the name the recorder gave it automatically. The result still depends on what remains readable on the source.
What should I avoid before scanning?+
Do not let the recorder format the card or start a new session on it while a take is missing, and do not delete zero-length files that look broken.
Does scanning write to my memory card?+
Your memory card is only read. Nothing is saved to it.