All files orphaned after crash - recovered file is in mono?

Audacity Help Forum macOS
1

Hi everyone, I am new to audacity (3rd episode of a podcast). I was working on a file recorded last year that contained 2 stereo tracks - an interview between 2 people. Audacity 2.3.0 crashed.When I reopened the program I was given the chance to recover the last project, which I did. However it contains a mono file which seems to be he audio from one mic - I can hear the other person however it is very low.

When I reopen the original file, the audio is completely blank and a warning jumps up saying there are almos 2,000 orphan block files not being used - I presume this is the audio but the project is no longer linked to it (or something). I have tried listening to the odd one and fear it’s the same as the recovered file - one mic audible and the other just barely in the background.

Is there any way of recovering the original file, or re-linking the orphaned files to the project?

I backed up the project on Dropbox - although maybe that was a mistake as it seems to be constantly syncing in order to save files as I’m working on them. Any help much appreciated - have found Audacity so great so far but am desperate to get the original file back if possible! All help greatly appreciated…

Operating on MacOS High Sierra 10.13.6

2

Dropbox may be used to store backups, but there’s a right way (safe way) to do that:

  1. Save the project
  2. Close Audacity. This is important as it allows Audacity to clean up after itself.
  3. Make a Zip archive of the entire project (the “.aup” file and the “_data” folder)
  4. Upload the Zip archive to Dropbox.

Don’t try putting Audacity projects in your Dropbox folder without zipping them first, and never try working on a project that is in your Dropbox folder.

I very much doubt it. It’ll be like trying to do a 2000 piece jigsaw where all the pieces look very much the same, without a picture on the lid to show you what it should look like.