Mirrored files corrupt

[edieppa2@aol.com]

Several mirrored files (MP4) cannot play because they are unsuported because they're either corrupt,or incorrect. But the original plays fine with no problems. Using Windows 11, 128MB RAM, AMD Ryzen 9 5950X 16-Core Processor (3.00 GHz), 64-bit operating system, x64-based processor,

[TGRMN Software]

Hi, sorry you're seeing that - here are focused troubleshooting steps and checks to find and fix why mirrored MP4s play corrupted on the target while the originals are fine.

Quick checks
- Verify the target filesystem: FAT32 cannot hold files >4 GB and will truncate large MP4s. If the target is FAT32 (or some NAS filesystems) that can corrupt video files.
- Compare file sizes and timestamps between source and target. If sizes differ the copy wasn't complete.
- Play the mirrored file with a robust player (VLC) to confirm the problem isn't just a player codec issue.

ViceVersa-specific checks and fixes
1. Enable CRC (verification) and CRC comparison and re-copy
- In the profile settings enable CRC verification (ViceVersa can verify file integrity after copy). Re-run the profile to detect and fix bad copies.

2. Check NTFS streams / metadata options
- If target is over a mixed OS network (older Windows / non-Windows), copying NTFS additional streams may fail (see KB about "Can not copy NTFS Additional File Streams..."). Try disabling copying of additional streams in Profile _ Advanced _ Details, then re-copy.

3. Test direct manual copy
- Manually copy the same MP4 from source to target using Windows Explorer to see if the file is intact when not using ViceVersa. If manual copy also fails, the problem is lower-level (network, target disk, NAS, antiviirus). If manual copy succeeds, the problem is likely a ViceVersa configuration.
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TGRMN Software Support
http://www.tgrmn.com
http://www.compareandmerge.com

[edieppa2@aol.com]

Ran with enabled CRC and recopied. No errors found but still many files did not copy correctly, at least they will not play. None of the MP4 files are >2 GB. Manually copied 2 of the files and they opened with VLC but not with Windows Media Player. Using the latest updated version of Media player. I uninstalled Media player, downloaded and reinstalled, with no luck.

[TGRMN Software]

Are CRC / Hash values of source and target files the same?
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TGRMN Software Support
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http://www.compareandmerge.com

[Guest]

Yes, they're the same. And program shows 0 errors. Don't know what's happening. After several dozen files copy and playback fine, the rest, even more than those that copied ok, all will not play back. After a certain amount of files copy fine, the rest don't. File size has nothing to do with it.

[TGRMN Software]

The key clues here are:

[OK] CRC/Hash values match (source = target)

[OK] ViceVersa reports 0 errors

[OK] Files play in VLC

[x] Files do NOT play in Windows Media Player

[x] After a batch of files copy fine, the rest won’t play in WMP

[x] File size is not the issue

That strongly indicates this is not file corruption and not a copy problem.
If CRC matches, the files are bit-for-bit identical.

Since they open in VLC media player, but not in Windows Media Player, this is almost certainly a Windows Media Player codec/container parsing issue — not a ViceVersa issue.

Another option is an issue Alternate Data Streams (ADS).

Alternate Data Streams exist only on NTFS file systems. Here are the easiest ways to check them:

Using Command Prompt

List streams attached to a file:

dir /r filename.ext

Example:

dir /r example.txt

If the file has alternate streams, you’ll see something like:

26 example.txt:Zone.Identifier:$DATA

If nothing extra appears, the file has no ADS.

Using PowerShell

List all streams for a file:

Get-Item -Path .\example.txt -Stream *

Read a specific stream:

Get-Content example.txt -Stream Zone.Identifier

Using Microsoft Sysinternals Streams Tool

Download the “Streams” utility from Microsoft Sysinternals.

Then run:

streams.exe example.txt

Scan a whole folder recursively:

streams.exe -s C:\Folder

Notes:

ADS only exist on NTFS volumes.

They do not work on FAT32 or exFAT.

The most common stream you’ll see is Zone.Identifier (added to files downloaded from the internet).

Make sure all match between source and target.
_________________
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TGRMN Software Support
http://www.tgrmn.com
http://www.compareandmerge.com

[edieppa2@aol.com]

VLC now not playing. Looks like only one file worked with VLC. Can't find that file. Have a total of 86 files did not copy correctly (will not play on VLC nor Media Player) and 121 files play correctly on both VLC and Media player. Wish I could send you a file so you could see problem for yourself. Is there a way to copy a few files using ViceVersa Pro or it has to be the complete flash drive?

[TGRMN Software]

Copying just a few files in ViceVersa Pro

Yes, you absolutely can copy just a few specific files without having to run the entire flash drive. Here is the easiest way to do that:

Set your Source (the flash drive) and Target folders.
Click the Compare button.
Once the comparison window populates, you will see a list of all your files.

Simply highlight the specific file(s) you want to test, right-click them, and select the option to copy them to the target. (Alternatively, you can select the files you don't want to copy and choose to exclude them before hitting Execute).


A quick troubleshooting note:

When a copy operation results in some files working perfectly (121 files) and others failing (86 files), it often points to a physical issue with the flash drive itself (like bad sectors) or an interrupted USB connection during the transfer. I highly recommend checking the ViceVersa log file for that specific run to see if it reported any "Read" or "Write" errors for those 86 files.
_________________
--
TGRMN Software Support
http://www.tgrmn.com
http://www.compareandmerge.com