How to Extract Subtitles from Corrupted mkv file?

[MounaLafi]

I've tried to use MKVextract to extract the subtitle streams (idx/sub) from the mkv file, but it seems that there is a problem with the mkv file itself. It only extracts the subtitles partially (i.e. first 40 Minutes only). I'm wondering if there is a solution for this problem. By the way, I can play the mkv file without any problems using Media Player. I think there is a glitch in the mkv file that is causing this problem.

Any suggestions?

[Ai Haibara]

Software players are usually more forgiving of errors in a video file than anything else (converters, hardware players, etc.), so it's not uncommon to see other programs having problems with a video while a software player doesn't.

Are you sure you're using the latest versions of mkvtoolnix and MKVExtractGUI, both installed to the same directory?

[MounaLafi]

Thanks for your reply Ai Haibara,

I made a clean installation for Windows XP and then installed the latest version of mkvtoolnix and MKVExtractGUI from Videohelp. The problem is still there. I'm wondering if there is a tool for mkv files that would do to them what DivFix tool used to do for divx files.

[poisondeathray]

You can try re-wrapping the mkv with mkvmergegui (i.e. make a new .mkv by repackaging it, so if there was damage in the structure, it might fix it), then try mkvextract

If that doesn't work , try re-wrapping with gdsmux (haali muxer, comes with the haali splitter package), then mkvextract

[MounaLafi]

Hi poisondeathray,

Thanks for your feedback.

Using mkvmergegui & mkvextract yielded the same results as mkvtoolnix and MKVExtractGUI did (i.e. first 40 Minutes only).

When I tried gdsmux, it is stuck at 1.4% and doesn't move.

[poisondeathray]

Maybe you can try avimux-gui

[MounaLafi]

Well, there is some progress here. 41 Minutes generated

Here is the log file from avimux-gui, if anyone can benefit from it:

02:16:46.234  Creating Matroska v1 file
02:16:46.234  Matroska file specification will not be stretched
02:16:46.328  size of floats: 32 bits
02:16:46.328  Using own cache for output file: Yes
02:16:46.328  Using 4 cache lines of 2,048 kBytes each
02:16:46.343  Begin muxing...
02:16:48.640  Estimated raw stream size: 1,463,584,010 bytes
02:16:48.656  Estimated overhead: 6,526,372 bytes
02:16:48.656  Estimated total size of output: 1,470,110,382 bytes
02:16:48.656  Size of files being overwritten: 320,316,628 bytes
02:16:48.656  Free disc space on target: 497,311,358,976 bytes
02:16:48.656  unbuffered write enabled
02:16:48.656  asynchronous output disabled
02:16:48.656  new file at 0:00:00.000 (frame 0):
              D:\DVD Rebuilder\The Right Stuff.mkv
02:16:48.656  Output timecode scale: 500,000
02:16:48.656  random element order enabled
02:16:48.656  Cues for video stream enabled
02:16:48.656  Cues for audio streams enabled
02:16:48.656  Cues for subtitles enabled
02:16:48.671  writing CueBlockNumber
02:16:48.671  Clusters will not be indexed in seekhead
02:16:48.671  Lacing for video stream is off
02:16:48.671  number of audio streams: 2
02:16:48.671    track: 1
02:16:48.671      lace size: 200 ms
02:16:48.671      language code: fre
02:16:48.671    track: 2
02:16:48.671      lace size: 200 ms
02:16:48.687      language code: eng
02:16:48.687  number of subtitles: 4
02:16:48.687    track: 1
02:16:48.687      language code: mis
02:16:48.687      subtitle format: VOBSUB
02:16:48.687      compression: zlib
02:16:48.687    track: 2
02:16:48.687      language code: fre
02:16:48.687      subtitle format: VOBSUB
02:16:48.687      compression: zlib
02:16:48.687    track: 3
02:16:48.687      language code: eng
02:16:48.703      subtitle format: VOBSUB
02:16:48.703      compression: zlib
02:16:48.703    track: 4
02:16:48.703      language code: ara
02:16:48.703      subtitle format: VOBSUB
02:16:48.703      compression: zlib
02:16:48.703  size of headers: 197,294 bytes
02:16:48.703  Cue target size: 98.0% of the available space
02:17:01.187  614 clusters written causing 16,533 Bytes of overhead
02:17:01.187  track 1
02:17:01.187    EBML lacing used in 8,957 blocks containing 58,886 frames
                Size of lace headers: 73,711 bytes
02:17:01.187    fixed lacing used in 1 blocks containing 5 frames
                Size of lace headers: 1 bytes
02:17:01.203  track 2
02:17:01.203    EBML lacing used in 8,958 blocks containing 58,891 frames
                Size of lace headers: 70,188 bytes
02:17:01.843  Created 2,453 cue points, 2,453 of which have been written
02:17:01.906  Size of seekhead: 512 bytes
02:17:01.906  Overhead written:       1,408,183 bytes
02:17:01.906  done!
02:17:01.921  =========================================

[poisondeathray]

Do you still have the original source? e.g DVD ? maybe you can re-rip the subs?

You can sometimes find .srt subs on subtitle databases, but rarely idx/sub

How was the .mkv damaged?

Try ogmcleaver ... not hopeful though