HI there, i was hoping i might be able to find some information about fixing an MXF file.

I was a retard, and i popped out the P2 card during recording thinking it was hot swappable, but it ended up Yelling at me.

The file for the MXF is 3.12 gigs so i know there is information there, it just didnt get closed i guess. At the moment i am at home with the files -xml and lastclip.txt trying desperately to get the footage back.

When I try to import using FCP, it says its corrupt.

I managed to swap XML files, and it started to import, but then said it couldnt. The two files are two different sizes and the XML kinda doesnt like that.

I tried using our Avid Machine, but it seems to hang when trying to identify the files.

I have tried MXF Player, but it just hangs up. I have created a Virtual P2 card using P2 Viewer, but it doesnt see anything in the folder i give it.

Plz On my knees, is there anything i can do to salvage this. I need it desperately.

Thank you very much
Greg Almond

Put the card back in the camera, and look at it -- does it have an "X" on it? If so, select that clip and choose "repair clip" -- that should solve your problem.

Cards *are* hot-swappable, but you can't eject the card that it's currently writing to, you have to swap the card that's not being written to.

Thank you, Very Very Much.

The file is on my P2Store, is there an easy way to get it back onto the card?

And yes, there is an X on the file.

On the PC you could just use Windows Explorer to copy the contents from the P2 Store back onto a card.

Don't know if the Mac lets you do that or not.

Once again, you're wisdom is greatly appreciated

Greg Almond

I managed to get the files off of my P2 Store. But when trying to transfer to the P2 Card, it says the card is write protected. I soon found out that if running through the p2 store it keeps everything write protected.

But when running thru the HVX, i could access the card, but then gives me an error about some redundant cylinder.

Is there a special procedure i have to go through to write to the card?

Thanks Again.
Greg Almond

Fixed it, I just went out and grabbed a laptop, and used the PCMCIA slot in it to read and write to the card. I figured because i was having problems using the PC and Mac with the Camera and P2 Store, that if i got rid of the two from the equation the problem would fix itself and it did.

I bet it also works on Powerbooks to the same effect, i think there is something inside the P2 store and the HVX that limits it from editing cards, but if you go directly to card from the Computer, there is nothing blocking it.

I am looking into get a PCMCIA slot drive for my Desktop because of things like this.

And yes, the Repair worked like a charm. I've gone through so much i half expected it not to just because it never ever seemed to go my way, but when i just popped the card it, and drag and dropped it worked like a Peach.

Anyway, Thank you so very much Barry, I appreciate you're help, you just about saved my job. I owe you very much.

~Greg Almond

Fixed it, I just went out and grabbed a laptop, and used the PCMCIA slot in it to read and write to the card.
Glad it worked!


I bet it also works on Powerbooks to the same effect, i think there is something inside the P2 store and the HVX that limits it from editing cards, but if you go directly to card from the Computer, there is nothing blocking it.

I wouldn't bet on that. I think it's the Mac that's introducing the difficulty. I can read & write to the card in the HVX all day long from the PC, but Macs appear to be a lot more hesitant about writing to the card.

I am looking into get a PCMCIA slot drive for my Desktop because of things like this.

Well, if I'm not mistaken, the 5-slot reader that Panasonic sells requires the cards to be write-protected, so that certainly wouldn't solve the issue! I wish Apple would just fix whatever it is that doesn't let them format cards and write back to them properly. Works on the PC platform just fine.

Anyway, Thank you so very much Barry, I appreciate you're help, you just about saved my job. I owe you very much.

No problem, and glad I could help!