Unable to open some jpg images

[Bangkok Barry]

 

I am unable to open some, only some, jpg images in a number of folders. There is no preview in the icons and if I click on the icon I get a black screen for a number of seconds before I am able to esc. Right clicking Properties/Security tells me I have to have Read permissions to view the properties. I've also been to C:/Users, right click on Properties, and in the list of Permissions for Administrators all boxes are ticked Allow except for the last one, Special Permissions which I am unable to tick. Below that box is 'For special permissions or advanced settings click Advanced', and that window then shows I have full control. Obviously I do not.

 

There seems to no logic for this, as dates of the images are not after a particular date and I can view over 95% of my many images. I've tried Explorer and Faststone Image Viewer to Open. A Google search hasn't helped, but AseanNow readers are a clever bunch so I've come to you for advice. I'm using Win 11 BETA - official and not a pirated version - but had the same problem with Win 10. 

[KeeTua]

Are you able to move or at least copy those jpgs to another folder? If so create a folder on your desktop and move the files there. The permissions of your new folder should propagate to the files and folders within.

 

If the files can't be moved or copied you can take ownership of the files. Don't mess with security settings at the C:\Users folder! Dig down to a single folder with problem files within your own profile.

 

Take ownership: Even if it shows your name as owner at the top of the advanced security settings window of the folder go through the steps of taking ownership by clicking 'Change' and choosing your profile name in the dialog that opens. After choosing your name and clicking ok to close that dialog you'll see 'Replace owner on subcontainers and objects' is now available in the advanced security settings window, select that and apply. See if you can now view the files.
 
If the files still won't open or allow access to read their properties: on the folder you just took ownership of go to the advanced security settings window and select 'Replace all child object permission entries with inheritable permission entries from this object' and apply.

[Bangkok Barry]

3 hours ago, KeeTua said:

Are you able to move or at least copy those jpgs to another folder? If so create a folder on your desktop and move the files there. The permissions of your new folder should propagate to the files and folders within.

 

If the files can't be moved or copied you can take ownership of the files. Don't mess with security settings at the C:\Users folder! Dig down to a single folder with problem files within your own profile.

 

Take ownership: Even if it shows your name as owner at the top of the advanced security settings window of the folder go through the steps of taking ownership by clicking 'Change' and choosing your profile name in the dialog that opens. After choosing your name and clicking ok to close that dialog you'll see 'Replace owner on subcontainers and objects' is now available in the advanced security settings window, select that and apply. See if you can now view the files.
 
If the files still won't open or allow access to read their properties: on the folder you just took ownership of go to the advanced security settings window and select 'Replace all child object permission entries with inheritable permission entries from this object' and apply.

Thanks. I've tried to copy to another folder and also from my backup . That didn't work. I'll go through the change ownership procedure, which I had been reluctant to do in case it locked me out of everything.

[KhunBENQ]

Have you already done basic (file)system troubleshooting?

sfc /scannow

chckdsk /f

[lungbing]

Perhaps try different programs to open the jpeg, eg Paint,  If it opens save it.

[KeeTua]

32 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

Thanks. I've tried to copy to another folder and also from my backup . That didn't work. I'll go through the change ownership procedure, which I had been reluctant to do in case it locked me out of everything.

Don't worry you won't lock yourself out, just be sure not to take ownership of a folder if the current owner isn't you to begin with.

 

Its possible some process has a hook in those files blocking your access and a restart may free them up if you haven't already done that.

[KhunBENQ]

10 minutes ago, KeeTua said:

Its possible some process has a hook in those files blocking your access and a restart may free them up if you haven't already done that.

Restart in safe mode.

To me this sounds by no way like an ordinary problem with applications or the like.

 

[Bangkok Barry]

2 hours ago, lungbing said:

Perhaps try different programs to open the jpeg, eg Paint,  If it opens save it.

I wrote that I tried Explorer and Faststone Image Viewer. But I'll try Paint too ????

 

[Bangkok Barry]

1 hour ago, KhunBENQ said:

Restart in safe mode.

To me this sounds by no way like an ordinary problem with applications or the like.

 

I don't think it's anything major. Just a small number of images that won't open. More irritating than anything else. And puzzling.

[Stef]

It happens to me sometimes too. I can always view the jpeg that causes problem with ImageGlass (freeware)

[WorriedNoodle]

I have this issue very occasionally also, always with jpg photos and always older ones. No image viewer will open them, none mentioned by any posters above, whereas once they opened fine. Indeed the file names are unchanged and the file sizes look reasonable , but if you open the jpg in a hexadecimal viewer you can see the contents are not correct standard for jpg so the files have somehow been corrupted and are lost forever.  How this happens but the file explorer still lists the filename correctly is an unknown to me. They usually appear in my Windows Explorer preview thumbnails thus, and I find one or two extra like this each year out of a few thousand photos. I guess jpg format is not that stable and not easy to recover from small faults.

 

Edited September 18, 2021 by WorriedNoodle

[KeeTua]

1 hour ago, WorriedNoodle said:

if you open the jpg in a hexadecimal viewer you can see the contents are not correct standard for jpg so the files have somehow been corrupted and are lost forever.  How this happens but the file explorer still lists the filename correctly is an unknown to me

The filename and other information is stored in the Master File Table separate from the jpg file so even if the file is corrupt you should still see the filename.

 

From the OP: "Right clicking Properties/Security tells me I have to have Read permissions to view the properties."

 

Have you tried right clicking to check Properties/Security tab for one of the corrupted jpgs? In theory the security information should still be intact in the MFT even if the jpg is corrupted.

[WorriedNoodle]

17 hours ago, KeeTua said:

Have you tried right clicking to check Properties/Security tab for one of the corrupted jpgs? In theory the security information should still be intact in the MFT even if the jpg is corrupted.

Yes, the properties tags of corrupt jpg's (right below) look exactly similar to working jpg's (left below).

 

[KeeTua]

On 9/18/2021 at 6:28 PM, WorriedNoodle said:

I guess jpg format is not that stable and not easy to recover from small faults.

I think you're correct that jpg does not handle small faults very well.

It sounds like your issue is different from the OP in that he appears to have some kind of a permissions issue.

[EcureuilTenace]

One possibility is that they are not jpeg files but another picture format (BMP or PNG for example).

Try renaming or copying whatever.jpg to whatever.bmp etc.

I have seen that before: changing a file extension to get a particular software to read it or some software rewriting in another format. Indeed, some of those pictures formats are so similar that you can rename in complete immunity.

Kind regards

Bernard