Wavelab LE ate my audio file!

WaveLab
#1

Using a macbook pro running OS 10.8.5 and Wavelab LE.

Transferred an mp3 file from my Yamaha PR-7. I was adding markers and editing the file. Went to save it, and it would not save no matter what name I gave the file. The program would not quit either.
The program asked if I wanted to create a backup of the file so I ticked yes. Then I quit without saving, assuming I at least had the original file on my desktop.
The program quit. I no longer had my original mp3. All that remained was an exec file with a “.bak” suffix.
No application will open it.
Has anyone else experienced this? Can I recover my audio file? It was an amazing live performance that I captured.
Is it gone forever?

Thanks in advance.

#2

Make a safety copy of the file (copy/paste or option_drag), and remove .bak from the file name. If it asks you if you want to add .mp3 extension, answer “add”. No guarantee, but it should work.
Also there’s a thread about the issues of MP3 editing, since it usually involves double encoding I would think:
http://www.steinberg.net/forums/viewtopic.php?p=81718

#3

Bob99 you are awesome!

That worked like a charm. I thought that audio file was gone for good.

Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

Gotta make sure that doesn’t happen again.

Thanks again.

md.

#4

Glad it worked. You might want to try one of the utilities mentioned in the thread, or mp3TrueEdit
http://download.cnet.com/Mp3TrueEdit/3000-2170_4-75629371.html to keep the quality without re-encoding to MP3.

#5

Sorry, forgot you were on Mac:
http://download.cnet.com/mp3TrueEdit/3000-2170_4-75629336.html