Corrupt JPGs

Windows XP screensaver is very nice and pleasant as it displays your photos and allows you to see all your photos randomly.

Lately, I have been seeing some really corrupt pictures like the ones attached! Unfortunately the backup of the files has also been damaged!

It seems to be targeting more and more pictures with time, randomly - appears to be only JPEGs. Any idea what's going on?

Few years ago I had this problem, so I format. Recently it's been happening again and corrupting my file! Including backups! The thumbnails of the photos appear fine however.

Any ideas! Please help if you can.

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I suspect a failing hard drive, or there's some weird problem with the hardware that's corrupting the data. I'd try replacing the hard drive.

Your screensaver comment is confusing and seems unrelated. How could a screen saver have anything to do with corrupted JPGs?

Ah, sorry for confusing you.
I only notice that the files are corrupt because they are displayed on the screensaver.

You really think it's hardware? It is strange though that the JPG only are being targeted, while TIF and RAW are not.

I am really unsure of how to diagnose it - your input is appreciated.

It could be any component in your computer - memory, hard disk, or even a cable. Start by running Memtest overnight to see if it's a RAM problem.

Good morning!

Neat little program!
Ran overnight with no problem.

I think SiSandra has a system test program. Basically you want software that does a burn in of your computer, checking all the components. Try google for that.

I am so frustrated with this crap. I tihnk I want to get a new pc or a mac.

I think the problem might have been with either the backup program, the usb interface or the backup storage device. The same problem happened years ago on another backup source (external hdd). This is really frustrating and making me very sad. I tried to google SiSandra and couldn't understand it.

Thanks for trying to help.

loony33 wrote in post #7071660
I am so frustrated with this crap. I tihnk I want to get a new pc or a mac.

If there is a problem with a hard drive, or your back up process, then a new computer will not solve anything.

You need to better understand how a computer works, and build up a safe and reliable back up process.

Then if this does happen again, you havn't lost anything but the time involved in restoring the lost or damaged data.

Ok. I had previously formated this pc and bought a new external hard drive. I ran the memtest that tim linked to.

I believe this eliminates the source of the problem being:
1) RAM (no problem there)
2) External hardrive
3) Software issues.

What else could it be?
1) Internal HDD? Disk utilities report it being fine.
2) Backup program? But why? I use syncbackup.
3) Cable connectors / USB controllers? How can I tell?

The pictures are fine one day and then the next they are corrupted? Are you sure that the pictures that are corrupted were good in the first place?

Yes, they were fine. I processed some from RAW and others I scanned. Some were even wallpapers from the web that got corrupted.

I believe the problem occured in the either the process or backing up or the restore process. I am not sure why it happened or what might be causing it. I operate windows xp 3Ghz pentium 4 with 4gb SDRAM 533. As mentioned above RAM was deemed fine.

Now I feel a bit more at ease that the corruption is happening on backup and restore (I hope). However, I still can't pinpoint the problem.

Moppie, how would you suggest I backup? I do have basic knowledge of pc's. Please enlighten me. I typically use SyncBackup to sync "my documents" to the external hard drive via USB cable.

I don't understand what you mean by "restore". Since you are backing up your files, do you have one good copy and the backup copy is bad?

If so, it could be as simple as a back USB cable.

I typically backup after every shoot or at least once a week.

The same corrupt files are present on the backup drive and on the local drive. I restored the data back to the pc from the external drive after formatting few months ago.

Considering that I had a similar problem few years ago (on the same computer but different backup drive and USB cable), it might mean that the problem is the USB port or something in the backup process. Wouldn't you think so?

loony33 wrote in post #7072158
Moppie, how would you suggest I backup? I do have basic knowledge of pc's. Please enlighten me. I typically use SyncBackup to sync "my documents" to the external hard drive via USB cable.

I am not any kind of expert, but I do believe that unless you are going to pay for a high end solution, then it is best to keep it as simple as possible.

I have 4 500gb drives, 1 I work from, the other 3 are back ups.

2 of the drives are internal, and 2 are external, allowing me to keep 1 or both off site.

I use a simple program called Karens Replicator to just copy from the working drive to the other 3 drives on a regular basis.
All this program does is copy the files and the directory structure, which means I can check each back up by just accessing it and using it like any other hard drive.

It also means if I was to suffer a failure I could just plug one of the back ups in in place of the failed drive, and a buy a new drive.

To keep things really simple, I only keep my photos on these drives. NOTHING else, no exceptions.

It means that if I needed to, I could build a whole new PC, plug any of the drives into it and be up and running again as if nothing had happened to my images.