Read time 5 minutes
Digital media plays a crucial role in complementing several activities such as events, promotional tasks, functions, personal storage for keeping memories, etc. Capturing the vivid information into a digital graphical file keeps the old memories alive; more importantly when the event occurs once in a lifetime like wedding ceremony, business startup, birthday celebrations, business promotional purposes, and forensic investigation, etc.
One can’t think of losing the critical photographic images as they are captured for accomplishing the special purposes. But, as the photographic cameras, DSLRs, camcorders, smartphones, etc. runs on distinct Operating Systems and memory cards; data corruption and deletion can be possible by several means.
The user always have an advantageous situation if they want to convert damaged image file format into another as there are enormous image file formats available such as JPG, JPEG, PNG, GIF, TIFF, MPEG, PCX, MPG, GIFF, BMP, etc. However, with the inventions of versatile image capturing devices, image viewer software, and display technologies; a lot of distinct image file errors have evolved over time. Out of this, many users are facing troublesome situations in opening the most popular JPEG image files and face critical error like “Can’t read file header! Unknown file format or file not found”.
What is JPEG file and how the JPEG image files get corrupted?
Joint Photographic Expert Group or JPEG is the lossy compression technique used for saving the digital images; it is the most popular image file format used by many cameras, handhelds, DSLRs, etc. It is noted that the chances of .jpeg file corruption becomes maximal during sharing and accessing the file inefficiently.
Furthermore, one of the interesting facts about photographic devices is that it captures and stores .jpeg graphic images in two distinct parts. The primary component contains image meta-data that stores shooting modes, captured date/time, etc., and small thumbnail image; whereas the secondary part contains the full-fledged image data file.
Based upon this fact, one should acknowledge that the corruption of the JPEG file occurs only after transferring the file, but not at the time of creation. Some predominant reasons that establishes a direct relationship with the “Can’t read file header! Unknown file format or file not found” error are:
- Unexpected ejection of memory card during JPEG file saving process
- Memory card or hard drive errors
- Accidental formatting and deletion of stored image files
- Memory coherence or interface errors
- Virus intrusions inside the memory device or computer’s hard drive
One couldn’t stop adding the list of image file errors, but getting the root cause of these errors is the primary counter mechanism to not lose the important photographic images. We can imply several preventive measures which restrict the origination of reason that transforms into image file error such as “Can’t read file header! Unknown file format or file not found”.
Tips & tracks to open corrupt JPEG file
You can run beyond the standard techniques to safeguard the integrity of JPEG file headers. Once you have encountered with the “Can’t read file header! Unknown file format or file not found”, it is suggested to access the image by any other means rather than using the default JPEG image viewers.
- Try to convert the corrupt or inaccessible .jpeg file into .bmp or .gif file formats by using the MS paint or any third-party image converters.
- Use the hex editor to open JPEG file, and then remove the garbage values from the beginning.
- Try using the UNIX program to detect and remove access permissions from the inaccessible JPEG file.
Precautionary measures to bound uncontrolled JPEG corruption errors
Things would always be in your hands to diminish any JPEG corruption reasons in advance if you carefully handle the JPEG files by taking some precautionary steps such as:
- It is recommended to pause all computer activities while burning the CD or DVD having critical image files.
- Adopt the regular practice of formatting the memory card rather than deleting unwanted image file one by one or by deleting all operations.
- It is an intelligent move to run the memory diagnostics after any up-gradations of RAM is facilitated on your computer machines.
- Follow standard practice in removing or ejecting the memory cards by simply clicking the Safely Remove Hardware option before removing the card physically.
- It is suggested to restrict all computer-related tasks during the USB file transfer process.
After practicing all the troubleshooting and preventive steps, if you are still stuck with the “Can’t read file header! Unknown file format or file not found” error, then one should guess the intensity and level of corruptions that have infected the JPEG files. At this instance, employing the result-driven and intelligent third-party image recovery solution is an expert move.
Solution – Kernel Photo Recovery Tool
Kernel Photo Recovery is a powerful photo recovery software that is designed with the capability to recover image file formats such as JPG, PCX, MPG, GIFF, JPEG, PNG, MPEG, GIF, BMP, TIFF, etc. The software expediently recovers Permanently deleted photos from several external devices like Micro SD card, digital card, hard disks, USB drive, Memory sticks, etc. The tool has a unique feature which lets a user to either save selected images or all the recovered images at once. It is compatible with all versions of Windows OS, from older to newer.