www.makemkv.com

VLC no longer plays them, acts like it will but stalls and then quits trying. No error.
An orange streak runs back and forth along the play progress bar for about 20 seconds and then resets and allows hitting play again, which repeats the same thing if you do.
No other players work. Cyberlink PowerDVD can play MKVs because I tried one that wasn't deleted or recovered, but on these recovered it doesn't recognize the format.
So that seems to be the main issue however VLC doesn't say there's a problem with the format.
Is there an easy way to repair over 200 MKVs or do I have to start by ripping to MKV all over again?
Seems they can't be repaired. Wondershare's product is useless.
Steve

Sorry about your bad luck recovering those files. Try remuxing a few mkvs with MKVToolnix. Though the new file may be better or worse.

Hello jinx100,
I understated the amount of MKV files by over x2. I have 449 of them.
I do have the latest MKVToolnix installed but I don't see a clear procedure on how to remux them.
If you know how I would greatly appreciate it. I can deal with modifying a batch file if it proves to work.
Thanks,
Steve Sybesma

late addition:

When I attempted to load one MKV it said "Unrecognized file format -- The file <filename> was not recognized as a supported format. exit code:0"
(NOTE: I left out the actual filename.)

All files give that same error. So nothing to do but delete the bunch and start from scratch? Got a lot of hours of work ahead of me.

There are a few other tools - mkvalidator, mkvclean at https://www.matroska.org/ you can try.

Most likely you will need to re-rip the BRs. Search for "multiple instances" on MakeMKV and use an SSD for the destination drive.

Interesting, I'll read up and see if the tools fit the problem.
Thanks!

mkvclean is actually mkclean...

I tried it and it's kind of an odd tool.
It seems to hang for a few mins, but then flies past a prompt and then exits without giving a chance to answer 'Y'

E:\Recovered\EXTENDED(E)\Deleted Files\Videos\MakeMKV\Land of the Giants>mkclean "~DVD 1 SCENES.MKV"

<STALLS HERE FOR A FEW MINUTES, THEN...>

EBML head not found! Are you sure it's a matroska/webm file?

<THEN IMMEDIATELY EXITS WITH NO CHANCE TO ANSWER PROMPT >

E:\Recovered\EXTENDED(E)\Deleted Files\Videos\MakeMKV\Land of the Giants>

FOUND THIS TOOL!!!

https://www.matroska.org/downloads/third_party.html

Meteorite near the bottom. It claims to repair damaged MKV files.
Giving it a shot. Last hope.

Steve