What to do right now
- Copy the original recording to another disk and work on the copy.
- Use header repair for a WAV that shows 0 seconds, and broken frame removal for an MP3 that cuts out.
- Listen to the whole repaired file to check for missing parts.
How to repair it
Copy the original
Copy the original from the recorder or card to another disk on the PC. Do not make new recordings on the recorder.
Identify the symptom
A large file that plays as zero seconds or very short is a WAV header problem. A file that plays but cuts out or crackles at certain points has damaged MP3 frames.
Inspect it in damaged file repair
Add the copy to FileFix Ultimate's damaged file repair. It checks the RIFF and data sizes of WAV files and the frame headers of MP3 files, and reports the problem.
Run the repair
From version 1.0.4, a WAV header is rewritten to match the actual data length, and an MP3 has its unreadable frames removed and the rest joined, saved as a new file.
Listen and check
Listen to the repaired file from start to finish. Where broken MP3 frames were removed you may hear a very short skip.
Why a WAV shows zero seconds
A WAV file records the total size and the audio data size at the very start. The recorder fills in these values when recording stops; if the battery dies or the card comes out, they stay at zero or at their initial values. Players trust these values, so the file appears to be zero seconds long.
The audio data itself is still in the file, so rewriting the header to match the real file size usually makes most of the recording playable. The last few seconds may never have been written.
Why an MP3 cuts out or crackles
An MP3 consists of thousands of very short frames, each with its own header. If a transfer error or recovery replaces some frames with other data, players stop or crackle. Removing the broken frames and joining the rest usually sounds natural.
When repair will not work
- The audio data itself was overwritten or never written.
- Other recording formats such as M4A, AMR or WMA are not covered by this repair.
- The recorder encrypts its files or uses a proprietary format.
How FileFix Ultimate helps
- From version 1.0.4, fixes WAV RIFF and data sizes to match the actual data.
- From version 1.0.4, removes broken MP3 frames and joins the rest.
- The result is a new file; the original is never modified.
- Deleted recordings can be found first with deleted file recovery.
FileFix Ultimate is free, works offline and never writes to the drive you are recovering from. Check the signature before you run it.
Frequently asked questions
My recorder battery died and the recording shows 0 seconds.
The WAV header was usually never filled in. Fixing it to match the real size often makes the recording playable again.
My MP3 recording cuts out halfway.
Some frames are damaged. Removing the broken frames lets you hear the rest of the recording.
Can phone recordings (M4A) be fixed?
This repair is for WAV and MP3. M4A is not covered.