Combining Video Files

Video editing software really does just hate me.

Spoiler for Explanation:

I'm working on backing up my DVDs so I can immortalize them. I was first looking for a program that would let me take the files right out of my disks. I eventually found just such a program. But giving me the exact files from my DVD presents two new problems: My computer is a bit skippy playing them,  and the films come in pieces while TV episodes are often combined. Which leads me to need the next two pieces of software: One thing I can use to separate two episodes or combine several pieces of a film, and one thing that can convert the finished file into something that my computer can read fluently without skips.

I thought I'd found a piece of software that does both at once with PowerDVD 6, a program that came pre-installed on my laptop. But no such luck. After I combine files, the production options are very limited. And when I start producing, it usually crashes 30% in, telling me it's stopped working and has to close. Apparently a lot of people have this problem. None of the quick fix solutions worked for me. I've also been experimenting around with MediaCoder to try to get my existing movie and show files to work on my Xbox or my iPod. But it's a pretty complicated program and only works through trial-and-error. And since it's video encoding we're talking about here, each "trial" takes a long time. MediaCoder isn't bad in that it eventually does what you want it to do, but it takes a lot of attempts to arrive at that point.

Basically I'm going to need new editing software. So what I'm currently looking for is a new piece of software that can combine video files. Not PowerDVD because that crashes. And not Windows Movie Maker because Microsoft apparently doesn't include that on Windows 7, and Movie Maker doesn't work with .VOB files anyway. So, any suggestions for software I can use to combine video files with?

EDIT: I've found the solution! Handbrake! Sorry MediaCoder, but Handbrake solved all my problems.