Audacity Files problem.

[SimonXXX]

Hi..

I am running Windows XP, Service Pack 3, Audacity 1.2.6.

Two days ago, my Audacity stopped recognising its own files. It cannot open any of the ones that I had saved prior to the problem.

Having had a "data decay" problem a couple of years ago (unreported) when some of my .aup files and project data files became corrupted somehow, I thought that this was happening again. So.. I uninstalled and installed version 1.2.6, rebooted, and I still have the same problem. I get a window that says: "can't open file {file address} error 2: the system cannot find the file specified" (and the file is right there- it part loads but won't play) or a small window that says: "couldn't find the project data folder" which again will be right in its usual place, but which goes unrecognised by Audacity. I then checked in the project data files, and 75% have been wiped somehow (?!!) but even those that remain untouched are not being recognised when I try to open the associated .aup or .aup.bak file.

I restored my whole system to a pre-problem backup status, but it doesn't make any difference.

Let me add that anything that I have recorded and saved since the problem has been fine-no problems saving, closing and reopening.

So.. anyone out there with a magic "fix"?

Thanks in advance for any replies.

Simon.

[steve]

For a project to open correctly, ALL of the required data files must be perfect. If just one small fragment is damaged or missing, an error will come up.

Audacity 1.3 is much better at recovering from errors than the old 1.2 version, but you should still treat Audacity projects with great care, especially if your computer is not guaranteed 100% stable. Exporting tracks in WAV format as soon as you have recorded them is a good way of keeping back-up copies of the recordings.

Avoid moving, deleting, renaming, or in any other way altering any files that may be associated with your project until the project is completed and safely exported. Audacity projects are not good for long term storage as it is very easy to inadvertently move or delete some file that is required. Although WAV files do not store the additional information that makes up a project, they are portable and robust and very reliable. (to save space, but keep perfect sound quality, you can export in FLAC format instead of WAV which will save around 60% disk space).

Ironically, if you are aware of the potential pitfalls (use Audacity 1.3.7, treat projects with care, don't "tidy up" until you have finished, and keep backups), problems of disappearing data are likely to be very rare.

[SimonXXX]

Thanks for your reply.

I am always very careful about backing up, saving etc., but without the Audacity project files working, you have to start again from scratch if it's a multi-track "work in progress". Very frustrating. My PC has always been 100% stable, apart from Audacity files which seem to have a propensity to corrupt from time-to-time. I just don't know why.

S.

[steve]

Have a go with Audacity 1.3.7 - many users find it more stable than 1.2.6, and it is certainly better at recovery if anything does go wrong.