How to Recover Corrupt JPEG (Photo, Image, Picture) Files

JPEG, an acronym for Joint Photographic Experts Group is a compression method used by number of digital image file types. JPEG, Exif, and JFIF are the most common format for transmission on the WWW or storing in memory. These three file types are collectively called as JPEG. Nowdays, most of the cameras have gone digital and store the shot pictures in memory cards. All the memory cards used by digital devices are more prone to damage. If not the device, the image files becomes corrupt with time. Images become inaccessible, resulting in loss of your priceless captured moments. Sometimes JPEG images files stored on memory card becomes inaccessible and you cannot view your stored images. You can always use a good JPEG Repair Software to tackle such corruptions.

Cause of JPEG Image File Corruption

 

JPEG files become inaccessible due to damaged memory or broken data bus. If the hardware is in good condition, then it may be that header of the image file has got corrupted. JPEG header can get corrupted while transferring the image over network, or another storage device. Reason of header corruption can be formatting of memory card, or plugging out the card when the camera is active. It may also be possible that you will not find your image in the memory because you have accidentally deleted it. Underlying are the major reasons of inaccessible JPEG file. 

• Unknown file type
  
• Invalid JPEG marker type
  
• Unknown JPEG marker
  
• Corrupt JPEG data
  
• Cannot read JPG header
  
• Invalid JPEG file structure
  
• Drawing Failed
  

Repair Corrupt JPEG File by help of Hex Editor

 

If the problem is in the memory device or the software, you have to fix it using the applicable methods. If the problem is in file, you can use a hex editor to repair it. We will discuss this method in detail in this article. Make a copy of the file to avoid chances of total corruption.

1. Install a Hex Editor.
   
2. Open the damaged JPEG file in hex editor. Byte Number, Hex Data, and ASCII data are shown.
   
3. ff da in hex data resides between header and image data. These markers can be two or three in number per file.
   
4. Hex editor give a find option that can be used to find the ff da data.
   
5. Highlight the da byte in the searched ff da. On the Edit menu, click Block.
   
6. Enter x0 for the starting offset and leave the ending offset as it is. Click OK.
   
7. This highlights from the beginning of the file to da byte selected in step 5.
   
8. Press Delete key to delete all the highlighted data. Only the image data is left now.
   
9. Save the resultant file in JPEG format.
   
10. Open a JPEG file in Hex editor and delete all the data leaving the header part.
    

• Follow the steps till 5 and at step 5, select 00 byte present after da byte.
  
• On the Edit menu, click Select Block. Change the last offset to xffffff
  
• Press Delete key to delete the selected data.
  
• Save this as File1.JPEG file.
  

11. Move to end of the file. On the File menu, click Insert File. Locate the file save in step 9. Click Open button.
    
12. Save the file in .JPEG file format. Your file is now recovered. Open it in any image viewer.
    

If the above solution does not solve your problem, you can try JPEG Recovery Software