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Can't open some .mov files

When I try to open some of my older (2007) .mov files with either QuickTime Player or QuickTime Player 7, I get two error messages in series from QuickTime. First: "Searching for movie data in file "NC 051large.mov". After a minute or two, Quicktime says the file can’t be found. If I cancel the search before it completes on its own, another message appears: "The movie could not be opened. The operation couldn't be completed. (OSStatus error -128)”. I did Spotlight searches, but the NC file apparently does not exist on my iBook. Many related .mov files of the same vintage open fine in both versions of QuickTime, but many others have the problem I am describing.

When I double click the icon for any of the problem .mov files in the Finder, Snow Leopard tries to open them with QuickTime Player 7, which is the program the movies originally were saved in. In desperation, I’ve tried unsuccessfully to open and/or convert three of the problem files with a variety of video editing applications, including: File Juicer, iSkysoft Video Converter, iSquint, Prism, and MacTheRipper. Nothing can either open or convert them. Attempts at conversion hang the application(s).

The Get Info window identifies all three files as QuickTime movies with the following Codecs: Sorenson Video 3, ACC, and Sprite. Curiously, the Preview section of the Get Info window is able to play one of these movies just fine, but the other two play in this window only as black boxes.

While my searches on the web, Apple’s support site, and this forum have found many problems where QuickTime is unable to open .mov files, none of these problems appear to be like the one I’m having. I’m at a loss at this point and would appreciate any suggestions that might be implemented by a mid-level user like myself.

MacBook4,1, Mac OS X (10.6), Intel Core 2 Duo

Posted on Apr 11, 2010 1:05 PM

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4 replies

Apr 11, 2010 1:39 PM in response to Joe Briskey

"Searching for movie data in file "NC051large.mov"...

How large are these files according to the finder? Sounds as if this file is a QT "reference" file which merely "points" to the second file which actually contains the data. If you deleted the file (or did not copy it along with the reference file), then you cannot open/play the reference file. The second message error, -128 (userCanceledErr) is a Menu Manager Error telling you it could not complete the current operation because you cancelled what it was doing.




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Apr 11, 2010 2:56 PM in response to Jon Walker

Thanks for the reply, Jon. The three unplayable .mov files I'm using as examples range in size from 52.8 MB to 93.2 MB according to the Finder. I have related files that are both smaller and larger, and they all play fine. All of the three files appear to be there but QuickTime doesn't seem to be recognizing them either in whole or in part.

Thanks for the clarification about the "userCanceledErr;" if that message had been displayed instead, I would have understood.

Apr 11, 2010 3:47 PM in response to Joe Briskey

The three unplayable .mov files I'm using as examples range in size from 52.8 MB to 93.2 MB according to the Finder.

Then they are obviously not normal "reference" MOV files. Still there is the possibility that some track data is "resourced/paired" with a secondary file. (E.g., an M2V video in one container paired with AIFF audio in another container?)

Am grasping for answers here...




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Can't open some .mov files

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