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donal017
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Can I recover an audio file from CFA/ PEK file?

Apr 29, 2012 7:20 AM

Hello all:

 

I've somehow "lost" some important audio files, and the only related artifacts I can find are the .CFA and .PEK files in Adobe's "Media Cache Files" folder.

Any ideas on how I might recover a usable audio file from there?

 

Many thanks,

Donal

1397 Views   12 Replies   Latest reply: able123, May 10, 2012 12:18 PM
 
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  • able123
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    1. able123,
    Apr 29, 2012 10:32 AM   in reply to donal017
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    im pretty sure I did some research on this a while back..and basically found out ( if my memory is correct ) that the pek files are basically graphic representations of the sine wave of the sound file..and once generated and saved it speeds up the amount of time it takes to "show" the graphic representation of the waveform...

    if the pek has to be generated each time you open the audio file it takes longer than if you generate it and " save " the pek file.

     

    there is no sound information per se ...in the pek files.. no way to make sound from it.

     

    if my memory is correct about this then there is no way to get audio out of the pek files.... its just a graphic basically.

     
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  • donal017
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    2. donal017,
    Apr 29, 2012 1:13 PM   in reply to able123
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    Thanks able123, thought that was the case with PEKs, but hopeful the CFAs include the actual sound data...

     
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  • Jim Simon
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    3. Jim Simon,
    Apr 29, 2012 2:59 PM   in reply to donal017
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    They do, but they're for PP's internal use, so I don't know of any way to open one in another program to convert it back to WAV.

     
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  • donal017
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    4. donal017,
    Apr 30, 2012 3:05 PM   in reply to Jim Simon
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    Thanks Jim:

    I know almost nothing about this, but I was hoping there might be some way to recreate a dummy version of the original file which PP would think was linked to the CFA, thereby fooling it into opening the CFA which I could then save in a usable audio format.

    I may be talking nonsense, but I'm a bit desperate as they are old recording of my kids saying cute things that I'd really love to recover.

    Any ideas?

    Donal

     
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  • Jim Simon
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    5. Jim Simon,
    Apr 30, 2012 5:18 PM   in reply to donal017
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    Sorry but, to the best of my knowledge, the CFAs won't help you here.

     
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  • Bill Hunt
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    6. Bill Hunt,
    May 5, 2012 1:19 PM   in reply to donal017
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    My experiences mirror those of others here - CFA's can only be used by Premiere, when the original media files are available. I have never found a way to convert them to a self-contained audio file.

     

    Sorry, but good luck,

     

    Hunt

     

    PS - if the original audio files were Deleted, then you might be able to recover them. I have had good luck with Stellar-Phoenix and also Recover My Files - two file recovery utilities, but I would try those ASAP, before the areas of the HDD are overwritten.

     
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  • able123
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    7. able123,
    May 6, 2012 5:15 PM   in reply to Bill Hunt
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    OHHHHHH... i forgot all about that stuff...duh....i use this one

     

    http://www.piriform.com/recuva

     

    worked pretty good for me but you gotta catch it quick ..sorry...shoulda thought of that before !

     
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  • donal017
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    8. donal017,
    May 7, 2012 6:56 AM   in reply to able123
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    Thanks Bill and able123.

     

    I tried a few recovery programmes but had left it too late -- only recently discovered that source files were missing, but may have been deleted up to two years ago.

     

    Think it's a lost cause, thanks for your advice though, much appreciated.

     

    Donal

     
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  • Bill Hunt
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    9. Bill Hunt,
    May 7, 2012 4:47 PM   in reply to donal017
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    Sorry about that. Unless the HDD had seen virtually no use in that time, no defragmentation, etc., recovery will be impossible, this side of the NSA, and maybe not even then - they are in byte-heaven - RIP.

     

    I was hoping that someone would drop by with "Oh, that's easy. Just run the CFA through _____, and it'll produce a WAV for you."

     

    Just some radonm thoughts:

     

    Were those files from a miniDV tape, and Captured?

    Is that/those tape(s) still available?

    Was the audio recorded onto tape (remember that flimsey brown stuff)?

    If music, does another copy of it exist elsewhere?

     

    Probably a big NO to all, but just thinking.

     

    Good luck,

     

    Hunt

     
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  • able123
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    10. able123,
    May 7, 2012 5:01 PM   in reply to Bill Hunt
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    here's another idea....

     

    =========

    I may be talking nonsense, but I'm a bit desperate as they are old recording of my kids saying cute things that I'd really love to recover.

    Any ideas?

    ==========

     

    soooo, you figure out what they were saying.... ( read their lips maybe on footage ) .... and you get ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS to do a Voice Over for you !!!!

     

    fun for kids as they laugh at their chipmunk voices.. fun for the whole family !

     

     
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  • donal017
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    11. donal017,
    May 10, 2012 4:41 AM   in reply to able123
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    Now why didn't I think of that

     
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  • able123
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    12. able123,
    May 10, 2012 12:18 PM   in reply to donal017
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