jlgraupera2,
Here's a couple of thoughts for you: First of all, just because you have recovered data files from the HD, does not mean that other software might not be able to help you. In particular, take a look at BadCopy Pro (
http://www.jufsoft.com/badcopy/) and PhotoRescue (
www.datarescue.com - for both Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X). Each of these can deal with corrupted graphics files, and help repair the damaged files. I've had my best success with PhotoRescue, although sometimes images can be fixed in one of these and not the other.
Also, some times the file can be opened in a text editor or a Hex editor, and the headers slightly, allowing them to be opened with a graphics program. However, if there is a lot of information missing from the files, it is impossible to fully recover the images. The basic procedure is something like the following:
* always work on COPIES, not on your originals *
Open a working image files from the same source (same digital camera, or same software used for last save, etc.) as your corrupted files in your hexeditor, and take a look at the begin of the files - it should begin with FFD8, followed by a string of other characters. Compare the first characters until they differ. The more non-corrupted images you can compare, the more accurate your header is likely to be.
Then, open a corrupt file, and look at the first few bytes. Essentially, you want to transplant the working header from the images that are not corrupt, so look to see if you care replace the first few characters (trying to spot where the images diverge in the header, based on your previous examination of working images).
It's a trial and error process, so try a few and see what happens. If you can get it right, then you may be able to automate the process - although that's rare, because often the headers are corrupted at different points.
Hope that helps,
LHerrou
