So i recently updated my Serato to version 2.1.1 and the first gig following the update was a disaster. It was bad enough that 4 different times my dance floor grooves were replaced with silence but if you factor in my band mates clapping and yelling “where did you get that crappy software?”… well you get the idea. After posting to the Serato forums I felt as if the solution was not really acceptable. So off I went looking for my own solution.
The issue I had resulted on sudden, unexpected crashes. The Serato support advised that I re-analyze my collection and delete and corrupt files. I didn’t know how to re-analyze…very cool! (Just drag the file(s) to the Analyze Files button) .. Thanks, RafaelM!
But alas, the re-analyze process for my Serato collection resulted in crashes after 11+ hours and I was only a third through my tracks. To top it off another 300 files were listed as corrupt that previously were listed as fine. As I looked at the files I noticed many had a consistent error of “Invalid Audio Data”. Additionally, these files seemed to play fine in Serato (and VLC, and Quicktime). But I knew if I ignored the advice of tech support, my problem would never get fixed. As an audio professional, I didn’t understand how the content of the audio could be valid but clearly, something was funky. It was either delete cool mixes from library or get on the research path. Off I went.
After some research through the web I found a tool that has successfully resolved my “Invalid Audio Data” corruption reported in Serato.. I just had to share. I would urge Serato and or Native Instruments to include this automatic functionality in their software. But until then, here’s my solution.
Repair Steps
The first step is to download a nifty tool I found on sourceforge.net called MP3Val. Hey it’s FREE!
Windows file can be downloaded here: http://www.gromkov.com/faq/repair/mp3_validator.html
MAC users can get it here: http://triq.net/mac/mp3-validator-mac-os-x
Download and install.
**Edit** Make sure you download the app not the link to the advertisements…
Now here is the fun stuff.
Open both Serato (or Itch or Traktor, etc.) For this example, I’m using Serato.
1. Make sure you do not have the corrupt file on either deck.
2. Take a look at the corrupt error. Hover the mouse over the icon and review the error message.
3. Drag the corrupt file(s) over to the mp3Val application. This is easy if you are now in full screen mode with Serato
4. Scan through the list by clicking the scan button. It’s the one with the magnifying glass.
5. You’ll get an OK dialog once the scan is finished. Click it.
6. Note the status column next to each file. Anything with a Problem status should be repaired.
7. If you click on any files in the list you can get more details regarding error.
8. Run the repair function. It’s the little gear icon.
9. Once the repair finishes, click on the OK dialog.
10. Now just reanalyze the track in Serato. (That cool tip of dragging to the Analyze Files button.
Voila! All fixed
The next thing I need to figure out is to repair “This mp3 contains frames with corrupt data” and ” This file contains corrupt frames that may result in audible glitches”.
Here are the images in gallery format. Happy fixing!
Great tutorial! Thanks for the help:)
I have added this to my support links and will be sure to share it with our users:)
This helped alot
You can edit audio files with audacity.
hello!This was a really splendid topic!
I come from roma, I was luck to come cross your topic in digg
Also I learn much in your topic really thanks very much i will come every day
You can also fix corrupt files using ITunes. Simply click on the track that’s corrupt, right click the track playing in ITunes player, select (create MP3 version), go to your ITunes folder under music, created track and drag to your selected folder. This always works for me and I never had any issues with corrupted files again.
Found this on Google and I’m happy I did. Interesting article.
thankyou for putting together this article. I’m decidedly frustrated with struggling to search out pertinent and intelligent commentary on this issue. Everybody today goes to the very far extremes to either drive home their viewpoint that either: everyone else in the planet is wrong, or two that everyone but them does not really understand the situation. Many thanks for your concise, pertinent insight.
I gotta say, your site helped out a lot and I appreciate it. Any luck on those other solutions? I had a least one album that I had added into the mp3Val for scanning and although Serato had the file labeled as having a problem, mp3Val said the files were OK…after re-analyzing the files, it still name those as corrupt…
hey guys…i used this software and was excited but out of soo many files it only fixed 5 or so…is there anything else or any other software i can use…coz im conerting avi to mov…
I’m still trying to find something for videos… I am testing out using YAMB, splitting, fixing, and rejoining. Will update if I’m successful.
Hey guys , am unable to drag and drop the files.
Any advice ?
Are you running PC or MAC?
If you are PC make sure both the app and windows explorer are running in the same mode (i.e., Run As Administrator)…
Hey Knappy,
Thanks for posting this info. I recently ran into this problem with some old mp3s I had transferred to my serato record cases. It really did the trick. Hopefully I will see you again at this years VDJC .
DJ Rage
This is not working in my Serato, it still freezes & crashes my serato.
Thank you so much for this. After analyzing my library of MP3 files almost half of them had the lightening bolt that listed them as corrupted. This program is in the process of fixing them all! Another thread recommended Mediamonkey but I couldn’t figure out how to scan the files or fix them. I’m not sure if it was just me or if Mediamonkey is not designed for fixing corrupted MP3 files. Thanks again Knappy!
Thanks for this, it’s really a shame that Serato still has such graceless error handling for corrupted MP3s (or even problems in the ID3 tag) after all this time. A bad file should produce an error message, not a crash.