# jpg files won't open



## mtthompson

A few weeks ago some of my digital photos - .jpg files - suddenly would just not open. It seems that one by one a succession of folders fell victim to this problem -- and it's continuing. The files are still there, there is no virus (at least not one Norton can detect), the files are not corrupted -- in fact, I can't find any problem at all. The files will simply not open with any program -- nor do they show a preview. Help please!


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## kiwiguy

When you say "will not open", surely they give some sort of explanation or error in the process?

If so, could you tell us what it is?


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## omfgtori

sadly it sounds like we are in the same boat.
and i havent found any piece of information that i have found anywhere helpful.






if i find out how to fix it i will definitely inform you.


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## buck52

what program are you trying to open them with?

What operating system are you using?


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## mtthompson

To clarify, if I try to open the files with MS Photo Editor I get a message that says, "Can't determine type." Other programs just say, "No preview available" or just display an "X" in the box. There is no preview when looking at the files in "my documents."

Thanks for any help!


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## mtthompson

Oh yes, I'm using Windows XP, Home Edition 2002, Service Pack 2


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## buck52

is this all jpg files or just a certain few?

if you right click on one and select "open with" then select windows picture and fax viewer do they open?

maybe try the jpg fix from here...http://www.dougknox.com/xp/file_assoc.htm


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## mtthompson

No, it is not all jpg files -- but it is all in selected folders (seemingly random folders). In other words, if one .jpg file will not open in a folder, none will open. For the most part the effected folders seem to be the most recently added folders (although some very recent folders are not effected). It is a bit bizaar. And, Windows picture and fax viewer will not open the files -- I just get the "preview not available" message.

I'll try the fix you suggested. Thanks!


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## mtthompson

The suggested fix -- http://www.dougknox.com/xp/file_assoc.htm -- did not help. Thanks for the suggestion, though.


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## mtthompson

Anyone else have any ideas to help solve this problem???


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## ultraclassic

mtthompson,
What program did you use to create the 'photo files?' Say you used 'Photoshop Elements 4' for instance. Right click on the photo and you should get a 'Dialog Box' scroll down to 'Open With' Click and then click on the program you used to create the photo and see if it opens.
ultra


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## Noyb

You got a "bad" jpg picture (under 300k) that you can attach here ???


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## slipe

I would get a second opinion on the virus scan: http://housecall.trendmicro.com/ The scan is free. They want you to pay to remove things but it isn't necessary.

There have been way too many posts lately with files auto-corrupting. I have no idea whether each has its own separate cause or whether there is something common causing it.

Are all of the files being corrupted in your My Pictures folder? There have been posts where only those files are affected. You might consider moving your remaining photos to another folder if that is the case.

Are you using any sort of image organization software like Picasa, EasyShare or an album program?


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## mtthompson

Interesting -- I tried to attach one of the effected .jpg files and it would not upload -- I got an error message that it was not a valid image file.


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## Noyb

Try Zipping it


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## katt2

If its only jpgs and not any other file with ext like gif or png did you check your file association. If you go into start, my computer click on tools folder options and file types what association beseid jpg is directed to open it. dont no if this will help . also to i no this will sound korny but rename the pic with the same extension jpg and see if it will open .


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## mtthompson

OK, I tried the Trendmicro scan. It found some adware problems and one other "malware" -- BKDR_DELF.DUW. I looked this up and it seems to be a "backdoor" file where someone else can monitor keystrokes, etc. The 2 files "infected" with this were riched20.dll and f3restub.dll. Trendmicro deleted these files along with the adware cookies.

To answer the other questions-
> No, all the pictures are not corrupted -- but all in each effected folder are corrupted.
>Yes, I use Faststone image viewer -- but have used it for well over a year with no problem
>The pictures were taken on a digital camera and downloaded onto my computer -- they were not created by any program

I'll try to attach a zipped file of one of the corrupted image files.

Thanks to all for your suggestions!!! It does seem strange to see that several people are having very similar problems.


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## mtthompson

OK, a zipped file of an effected image file is attached. Thanks!!


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## mtthompson

I did check the jpg file association (that was one of the first things) -- it is set to MS Photo Editor. And, I tried renaming the files -- file still will not open.

Thanks!!!!


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## slipe

Strange. The zip file downloaded to my computer as a 1k file. It unzipped to a 96k JPG. JPGs are compressed and usually can&#8217;t be compressed any more by zip compression. Which means the file is toast. I opened it in a hex editor and there is nothing there.

Irfanview says it can&#8217;t read the header. But the entire file is trashed. It wouldn&#8217;t do any good to fix the header. And no JPG repair program will be able to fix it.

My computer rounded it up to 1k. It is actually a lot smaller. I saw bytes and thought k.


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## katt2

I got the same thing as Slipe. it almost looks like its encrypted.


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## pjhutch

Are the files saved as JPEG or other format such as JPEG2 or JPEG 2000 format which is not as widely supported as the original JPEG format? You may need to change the default save format in your Photo package.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JPEG_2000


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## Noyb

Looks like your Image was just plain corrupted.
Also sounds like you don't have a good Image Viewer and Editor.

This may not have caused your problem ... 
But maybe you'd like to join many of us here at TSG, and use Irfanview ...
http://www.irfanview.com/

Some initial Irfanview setup tips here ...
http://2noyb.home.insightbb.com/


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## mtthompson

Thanks everyone! The files are simple .jpg files. The image file I attached is 97.6 kb before I zipped it -- afterwards it is 184 bytes. Some of the effected image files are quite large -- over 1 mb. When I zipped a 1.2 mb files it reduced to 354 bytes. Doesn't sound good I know. I'm not using win-zip -- I'm using a freeware program called 7-Zip. Would this make any difference???

Thanks so much for trying to help! Any idea what might have caused this aggravating problem?


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## Noyb

mtthompson said:


> I'm not using win-zip -- I'm using a freeware program called 7-Zip. Would this make any difference???


Probably not .. But why don't you just use W-XP to Zip and Unzip ??

In XP .. Anything you extract from a zip folder .. will be unzipped when extracted.


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## Noyb

mtthompson said:


> .. Any idea what might have caused this aggravating problem?..


Maybe M$ Photo Editor ??? ... It looks a little old from what I read.
I have M$ Office Picture Manager.

If this is your only Imaging program ... I'd suggest using the freeware Irfanview instead.
Irfanview's Very popular here at TSG ... Then we can all talk the same language.


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## slipe

mtthompson said:


> Thanks everyone! The files are simple .jpg files. The image file I attached is 97.6 kb before I zipped it -- afterwards it is 184 bytes. Some of the effected image files are quite large -- over 1 mb. When I zipped a 1.2 mb files it reduced to 354 bytes. Doesn't sound good I know. I'm not using win-zip -- I'm using a freeware program called 7-Zip. Would this make any difference???


It makes no difference what you zipped the file with. If a 1.2 Mb file compresses to 354 bytes the entire file is just a continuous repetition with no useable information. The hex file confirmed that for the other image.

Dont get talked out of 7-Zip. It is the Swiss Army Knife of compression. I prefer Irfanview as a viewer only because I know how to use it fairly well. Faststone has a good reputation.

Those answers to other questions had no relation to anything I asked if they were in reference to my post. I was wondering where the corrupted folders were stored and whether you used organization software.

The keystroke worm probably didnt have anything to do with your corruption. They lay low and try to call as little attention to themselves as possible. I would be a little uncomfortable if I had ever typed in a credit card number though. Adware and spyware doesnt attack files.

I have no idea what might cause that. It might be instructive if you could tell us where your corrupted folders were stored. Another poster said only the folders in My Pictures were being corrupted. It they were my photos the uncorrupted ones would be on CD or DVD by now.


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