encoding info in file header

[WFD]

I have hundreds of files recovered from a deleted disk. The recovery software assigned ".doc" extensions as if they are MS-Word Doc files, but most of them evidently are not, since attempting to open them with MS-Word results in garbage, even when I use Recover Text From Any File from Tools-->Options-->General-->Confirm Conversion at Open. Do files ordinarily have some header bits that identify the software that created them and/or what is the encoding in the file ? Does a list of encoding identifiers exist somewhere to enable files to be identified by a header code ?

 

[eyec]

yes, files have header info. use a hex editor and look at the beginning of the raw file to see what program created the file.

 

[WFD]

Eyec -
Thanks, but I expected that there is a header identifier and I have already looked at some headers in binary and/or hex. My question is where can I get a list of many of the headers that identifies the software and shows exactly what header code they create?

 

[eyec]

i have not run across a comprehensive list. most of the time, once the header info is viewed I have or can get the program to open them, unless they have been bit shifted. then a lot more is involved.