How to Repair a VOB File

DVDs store track information in IFO and BUP files, and video data in VOB files, so if you have a corrupt VOB file, your video may play poorly or not at all. Depending on the nature and extent of the damage, you may be able to use media repair software to correct individual VOB files or an entire DVD. VOB files are usually numbered and stored in order in a VIDEO_TS folder, along with their associated IFO files, which have similar names as the VOB files but different file extensions.

Visit the Video Help site to download the latest version of FixVTS (link in Resources). This free tool focuses on fixing DVD files, and gives you the option of repairing a single VOB file or scanning an entire VIDEO_TS folder for problems.

Launch FixVTS, and then select “Remove Unref and Blank Cells” and “Fix Wrong PGC LBA Pointers” from the pop-up window. These options clean up errors in your VIDEO_TS folder that may contribute to improper playback. Leave the last option, “In Place (No Backup),” unselected if you want to create a backup of your files. Selecting this option permanently alters your DVD files so that you can't undo your changes.

Click “Open,” and then select your “VIDEO_TS.VOB” file from the browser window. Repair the entire VIDEO_TS folder by clicking “Full DVD.” Alternatively, if you know which VOB file is damaged, select that file instead, and then choose “Cleanup” to save time.

Open the VIDEO_TS folder in Windows, and then locate the FixVTSBackup directory. This folder contains your corrected video files; if you repaired the entire disc, it contains a full copy of your DVD. If you only repaired one file, replace the original, damaged file with the new file.

Visit the Real Convert site to download All Video Fixer (link in Resources). This simple program can fix VOB files you know to be broken.

Launch All Video Fixer, click “Add File,” select a VOB file from your VIDEO_TS directory, and then click “OK.” Because All Video Fixer repairs files in batches, you can add multiple files at the same time.

Click “Start” to repair the chosen files. The process can take a few seconds to several minutes, depending on the file sizes. As each file is corrected, a green check mark appears next to the file in the window.

Visit Softpedia to download Bad CD/DVD Recovery (link in Resources). This program corrects problems in a DVD's file structure and extracts video files to your computer. Use this option if your VOB file is stored on a damaged DVD.

Launch Bad CD/DVD Recovery, insert the disc in your DVD drive, select the drive from the "CDROM" menu, and then click “Recovery” in the menu bar to begin repairing the disc. The process can take up to 30 minutes for a feature-length DVD.

Select the VOB files to extract from the "Disc" menu, and then click “Save.” The files are copied to a Softpedia directory in your Videos library.