July 12, 2010 at 11:08Putting order after PhotoRec
Many people know the free (Open Source) utility PhotoRec , which allows you to recover files from different types of media, even if the file system of these media is seriously damaged or even formatted. There was already a topic on Habr (author: eeexception ) on how to use this utility to restore photos from the camera’s memory card after formatting. This case alone indicates that the utility is serious despite its free download. And if we take into account the fact that the program is cross-platform - it simply does not have a price.
But there is one minus in this program. If you restore content of various types - from text documents to video files, and even in large quantities, then the result is not a very attractive picture. Before you appear restored files, mixed by type and with unknown names for you. Is there anything you can fix in this situation?
The project’s official page provides several options that can facilitate restoring order after restoration.
Happy users of Unix-based platforms may not have to resort to additional sorting programs, since you can get by with regular means for expanding files. For example, if you need to put all pdf files in a separate folder called PDF, then you can use a similar command:
If you are a happy Windows user, you can also use the same command, only for this you need to install the Cygwin emulator. But you can use a special utility, which logically is called PhotoRec Sorter . This program will scan the recovered files and put them in folders with a name that corresponds to the extension.
It is clear that this will not give as much as we would like, but this is, after all, an order. But what can be done with the file names? It’s a pity that you won’t be able to return the real file names, but you can still do something. Most often you have to restore large quantities of photos and music, since inside these files information can be stored that will allow you to sort files by certain criteria.
There is a utility called Exiv2 . Using it you can get information about the picture: One of the important items for sorting from all of the above is probably the date of the picture. Therefore, you can rename photos based on this parameter:
Programs that allow you to rename files, given the information in the tags are enough. One of them is - EasyTAG . With it, you can use the information in the tags (if, of course, the tags were filled) to rename the restored music collection.
PhotoRec developers advise using OpenOffice to repair damaged Microsoft Office files. Sometimes, to restore some office documents (for example, * .xls, * .ppt), you need to change the extensions to .doc. To restore .pst files, it is recommended to use the Scanpst utility .
But there is one minus in this program. If you restore content of various types - from text documents to video files, and even in large quantities, then the result is not a very attractive picture. Before you appear restored files, mixed by type and with unknown names for you. Is there anything you can fix in this situation?
The project’s official page provides several options that can facilitate restoring order after restoration.
Sort by extension
Happy users of Unix-based platforms may not have to resort to additional sorting programs, since you can get by with regular means for expanding files. For example, if you need to put all pdf files in a separate folder called PDF, then you can use a similar command:
find ./ -name \*.pdf -exec mv -v {} ./PDF/ \;If you are a happy Windows user, you can also use the same command, only for this you need to install the Cygwin emulator. But you can use a special utility, which logically is called PhotoRec Sorter . This program will scan the recovered files and put them in folders with a name that corresponds to the extension.
It is clear that this will not give as much as we would like, but this is, after all, an order. But what can be done with the file names? It’s a pity that you won’t be able to return the real file names, but you can still do something. Most often you have to restore large quantities of photos and music, since inside these files information can be stored that will allow you to sort files by certain criteria.
Sort photos (JPEG)
There is a utility called Exiv2 . Using it you can get information about the picture: One of the important items for sorting from all of the above is probably the date of the picture. Therefore, you can rename photos based on this parameter:
# exiv2 -p s 1.jpg
Filename: 1.jpg
Filesize: 1285238 Bytes
Camera make: FUJIFILM
Camera model: FinePix F601Z
Image timestamp: 2005:08:07 14:31:22
Image number:
Exposure time: 1/70 s
Aperture: F3.5
Exposure bias: 0
Flash: No, auto
Flash bias:
Focal length: 6.1 mm
Subject distance:
ISO speed: 200
Exposure mode: Auto
Metering mode: Matrix
Macro mode: Off
Image quality: NORMAL
Exif Resolution: 2736 x 1824
White balance: Auto
Thumbnail: JPEG, 9612 Bytes
Copyright:
Exif comment:# exiv2 -t rename *.jpgSort mp3 files
Programs that allow you to rename files, given the information in the tags are enough. One of them is - EasyTAG . With it, you can use the information in the tags (if, of course, the tags were filled) to rename the restored music collection.
Lastly
PhotoRec developers advise using OpenOffice to repair damaged Microsoft Office files. Sometimes, to restore some office documents (for example, * .xls, * .ppt), you need to change the extensions to .doc. To restore .pst files, it is recommended to use the Scanpst utility .