HELP!!! Audacity crashed on me and upon recovering the file, I made sure to save it with a different name, so that way I’d still have the latest version saved before the program crashed. I now have 2 files (one auto-recovered and one that was saved prior to the crash). My problem is that all my audio (waveforms) in both files are gone! The tracks are all still there (I recorded several short audio clips), but the audio isn’t. I’ve attached the logs from both the original and recovered files, as well as the AU files themselves. I’m at a loss for what’s going on. I’ve included the Any help is much appreciated!
log from recovered file.txt (1.87 KB)
log from original file.txt (23.5 KB)
Roles and responsibilities audio RECOVERED.aup (179 KB)
Roles and responsibilities audio ORIGINAL.aup (151 KB)
upon recovering the file
Did it play after you recovered it? The blue soundwaves come from a graphic file and are no guarantee that the actual show is there.
If you missed that step, you may have made a perfect, stable backup copy of a damaged show.
so that way I’d still have the latest version saved before the program crashed.
I don’t think that’s how recovery works. Depending on what failed, you can have a badly damaged recovery.
The only way this counts if you Save As: a copy of the show before the crash In Real Life.
We also recommend strongly Exporting WAV safety copies of each live recording before you start editing.
Koz
What version of Audacity are you running?
2.2.0 and 2.2.1 had a nasty bug that in some circumstances could cause similar behavior.
WC
The recording was done using version 2.1.3. After noticing that all my audio was gone, I updated to 2.2.2 just to see if that would make any sort of difference, but it obviously didn’t. To be honest, I didn’t even realize how old the version was that I was on.
The file did NOT play after I recovered it.
Sounds like I’m screwed here 
I will definitely be exporting each track after recording from now on.
exporting each track after recording
I’ll put my Obsessive Engineer hat on. Many times when I record performers they’re not chums of mine. They’re paid actors and they will not be available after the recording. At all. This is it.
I do quick sound checks after the recording and Export a WAV file while the performer is standing there.
Then everybody goes home.
Koz
I had the same thing happen to me, only I’m on Linux and it didn’t happen after a file recovery: I just cut a track to merge it into another track and suddenly all my tracks disappeared visually. But if I hit play they’re all still there.
(Audacity 2.1.2; it sounds like perhaps this is a known issue?)
There is a known issue with 2.2.1 that has some similarities with the op’s report, but I don’t recall anything similar with 2.1.2.
Also, the op is not on 2.1.2 and is not on Linux, so I doubt that your issue is related.