# Ack!  Help with repairing possibly corrupt MP3 files?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ack-help-with-repairing-possibly-corrupt-mp3-files/160682>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 11, 2003, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ack-help-with-repairing-possibly-corrupt-mp3-files/160682 "2003-03-11T23:18:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\
**Post date:** [March 11, 2003, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ack-help-with-repairing-possibly-corrupt-mp3-files/160682/1 "2003-03-11T23:18:59Z")

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I have some MP3s that Windows Media Player (version 9, latest update) will not play, instead giving me the error “The parameter is incorrect.” I tried a free product by AShampoo that is supposed to be able to detect and repair corrupt or damaged MP3 files, but it seems to think they are just fine. I have also tried to convert them to other formats, such as .wav with similar nonresults. Anyone know how to fix these?

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**Author:** ![EasyPhil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e47c2d/32.png) [@EasyPhil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EasyPhil)\
**Post date:** [March 12, 2003, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ack-help-with-repairing-possibly-corrupt-mp3-files/160682/2 "2003-03-12T00:28:09Z")

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You could try loading them up into a sound file editor, I use the one that comes with Ahead’s Nero. If they’ll load and play correctly you can then save them as MP3 or WAV.

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**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\
**Post date:** [March 12, 2003, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ack-help-with-repairing-possibly-corrupt-mp3-files/160682/3 "2003-03-12T00:29:51Z")

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I have Nero. I’ll give that a shot, thanks.

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**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\
**Post date:** [March 12, 2003, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ack-help-with-repairing-possibly-corrupt-mp3-files/160682/4 "2003-03-12T00:40:52Z")

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Nope, that’s not it. The files are typical MP3 song length, about 3 to 5 MB, but there’s only about a second or so of sound in them, according to Nero’s editor. It seems the data that tells the player about length and other parameters is messed up. Anyone know how to edit that?

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**Author:** ![bdgr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a87d85/32.png) [@bdgr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bdgr)\
**Post date:** [March 12, 2003, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ack-help-with-repairing-possibly-corrupt-mp3-files/160682/5 "2003-03-12T00:43:49Z")

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Load it into an audio editor  
Change the bit depth or sample rate  
Save it back again.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\
**Post date:** [March 12, 2003, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ack-help-with-repairing-possibly-corrupt-mp3-files/160682/6 "2003-03-12T01:04:05Z")

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Feh. Tried that too, and all it did was distort what was there already. I think it may be hopeless.