File Archivers


Stigg

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Windows 11 Pro
I searched for a thread dedicated to file archivers, but I couldn't find one.
So, this thread is dedicated to all things about file archivers.

There are numerous file archivers available for use in Windows. Some are free, and some not.
The two file archivers that I always install are WinRAR and 7-Zip.
I use WinRAR most of the time, but when I'm looking for more compression to produce a smaller file size, I use 7-Zip.

What is your preferred file archiver?
Do you use a third party file archiver or just the built-in Windows functionality?

For reference, here is a list of file archivers compiled by Wikipedia.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Stigg's Build
    CPU
    Intel Core i9-10900X
    Motherboard
    GIGABYTE X299X DESIGNARE 10G
    Memory
    Corsair 64 GB (4 x 16 GB) CMW64GX4M4C3000C15 Vengeance RGB Pro 3000Mhz DDR4
    Graphics Card(s)
    GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 1660 Super Mini ITX 6 GB OC
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC1220
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung 27" FHD LED FreeSync Gaming Monitor (LS27F350FHEXXY)
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 970 Pro Series 1TB M.2 2280 NVMe SSD
    Western Digital Red Pro WD8003FFBX-68B9AN0 8 TB, 7200 RPM, SATA-III
    Western Digital Red Pro WD8003FFBX-68B9AN0 8 TB, 7200 RPM, SATA-III
    PSU
    Corsair HX1200 1200W 80 Plus Platinum
    Case
    Fractal Design Define 7 Black Solid Case
    Cooling
    Noctua NH-D15 Chromax Black
    Keyboard
    Razer Ornata V2
    Mouse
    Razer DeathAdder Essential
    Internet Speed
    FTTN 100Mbps / 40Mbps
    Browser
    Mozilla Firefox
    Antivirus
    N/A
    Other Info
    Logitech BRIO 4k Ultra HD USB-C Webcam
  • Operating System
    Windows 10 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS ROG Zephyrus M GM501GS
    CPU
    Core i7-8750H
    Motherboard
    Zephyrus M GM501GS
    Memory
    SK Hynix 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) HMA82GS6CJR8N-VK 16 GB DDR4-2666 DDR4 SDRAM
    Graphics card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC294
    Monitor(s) Displays
    AU Optronics B156HAN07.1 [15.6" LCD]
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    Samsung MZVKW512HMJP-00000 512 GB, PCI-E 3.0 x4
    Samsung SSD 860 QVO 4TB 4 TB, SATA-III
    PSU
    N/A
    Case
    N/A
    Cooling
    N/A
    Mouse
    Razer DeathAdder Essential
    Keyboard
    PC/AT Enhanced PS2 Keyboard (101/102-Key)
    Internet Speed
    FTTN 100Mbps / 40Mbps
    Browser
    Mozilla Firefox
    Antivirus
    N/A
    Other Info
    USB2.0 HD UVC Webcam
I use WinRAR and 7zip as well ^_^
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro (x64)(v23H2)(Build 22631.4249)
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    [Self-built](custom-build)(June 2020)
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 9 3900X 12-Core
    Motherboard
    Asus PRIME X570-PRO (BIOS_r5013 [03/22/2024])
    Memory
    32GB, 2x G.Skill 16GB (PC3200)(DDR4-2137)
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti 8GB XC3 model by EVGA
    Sound Card
    Realtek® ALC1220A 8-Channel High Definition Audio CODEC
    Monitor(s) Displays
    24" DELL Gaming Monitor - G2422HS - DisplayPort used
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080p at 165Hz (16:9 Aspect Ratio)
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 980 Pro (NVMe)(SSD)
    2TB Samsung 980 Pro (NVMe)(SSD)
    2TB Samsung 870 EVO (SSD)

    NVMe 1TB
    -- OS(Win11 Pro x64),
    -- programs,
    -- programming(MS Visual Studios 2022 Community Ed.),
    -- music

    NVMe 2TB
    video game installs.

    #3 FILE Server!
    PSU
    Thermaltake TOUGHPOWER DPS G RGB Titanium Certified 1250Watt
    Case
    Corsair Graphite Series 780T Full Tower PC Case
    Cooling
    AMD Wraith cooler (stock) & 3x Corsair case fans
    Keyboard
    Alienware Low Profile RGB Mechanical USB Gaming Keyboard - AW510K - Lunar Light
    Mouse
    Redragon M602 RGB Wired USB Gaming mouse
    Internet Speed
    1000Mbps Download, 20Mbps Upload
    Browser
    Firefox & Waterfox Classic
    Antivirus
    n/a aka "ABOVE TOP SECRET!" lol ;)
    Other Info
    My System is the ULTIMATE GAMING RIG ^_^
    TP-Link AX6600 Tri-Band Wi-Fi 6 Wireless Gigabit Router,
    Model No. Archer AX90 (v1.26)
    Arris SB8200 Cable Modem
    Nvidia GFX Drivers: (v561.09)
    Realtek UAD Drivers: (v6.0.9735.1)
    Intel LAN Drivers: (v14.00.05.00)(2023-05-01)
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro x64
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    DELL G15 Ryzen edition, model 5515
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 7 5800H
    Motherboard
    DELL G15 Ryzen edition
    Memory
    16GB DDR4
    Graphics card(s)
    Ryzen 7 5800H integrated AMD Radeon Graphics and Nvidia GeForce 3060 6GB
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC3254 with Nahimic 3D Audio for Gamers
    Monitor(s) Displays
    built-in
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    512GB NVMe SSD
    PSU
    unkown
    Case
    laptop
    Mouse
    Logitech B100 USB
    Keyboard
    built-in
    Internet Speed
    1000Mbps download, 20Mbps upload
    Browser
    Firefox & Waterfox Classic
I have switched to the Nanazip for 5 reasons:

1. It was the first one to support Windows 11's context menu.
2. 7-zip stable had not updated for years, it does now, but slowly.
3. It is within the store, so it auto updates itself (via winget as well).
4. It is basically just 7-zip with the new name, so it is like using 7zip.
5. Encryption, since file encryption software is virtually nonexistent.
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Home
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 5 8600G (07/24)
    Motherboard
    ASROCK B650M-HDV/M.2 3.08 (07/24)
    Memory
    2x32GB Kingston FURY DDR5 5600 MHz CL36 @4800 CL40 (07/24)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASROCK Radeon RX 6600 Challenger D 8G @60FPS (08/24)
    Sound Card
    Creative Sound BlasterX AE-5 Plus (05/24)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    24" Philips 24M1N3200ZS/00 (05/24)
    Screen Resolution
    1920×1080@165Hz via DP1.4
    Hard Drives
    Kingston KC3000 NVMe 2TB (05/24)
    ADATA XPG GAMMIX S11 Pro 512GB (07/19)
    PSU
    Seasonic Core GM 550 Gold (04/24)
    Case
    Fractal Design Define 7 Mini with 3x Noctua NF-P14s/12@555rpm (04/24)
    Cooling
    Noctua NH-U12S with Noctua NF-P12 (04/24)
    Keyboard
    HP Pavilion Wired Keyboard 300 (07/24) + Rabalux 76017 Parker (01/24)
    Mouse
    Logitech M330 Silent Plus (04/23)
    Internet Speed
    500/100 Mbps via RouterOS (05/21) & TCP Optimizer
    Browser
    Edge & Brave for YouTube & LibreWolf for FB
    Antivirus
    NoAV & Binisoft WFC & NextDNS
    Other Info
    Backup: Hasleo Backup Suite (PreOS)
    Notifier: Xiaomi Mi Band 7 NFC (05/24)
    Headphones: Sennheiser RS170 (09/10)
    Phone: Samsung Galaxy Xcover 7 (02/24)
    Chair: Huzaro Force 4.4 Grey Mesh (05/24)
    2nd Monitor: AOC G2460VQ6 @75Hz (02/19)
7zip
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Win 11 Home ♦♦♦26100.1882 ♦♦♦♦♦♦♦24H2
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Built by Ghot® [May 2020]
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 7 3700X
    Motherboard
    Asus Pro WS X570-ACE (BIOS 4702)
    Memory
    G.Skill (F4-3200C14D-16GTZKW)
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA RTX 2070 (08G-P4-2171-KR)
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC1220P / ALC S1220A
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dell U3011 30"
    Screen Resolution
    2560 x 1600
    Hard Drives
    2x Samsung 860 EVO 500GB,
    WD 4TB Black FZBX - SATA III,
    WD 8TB Black FZBX - SATA III,
    DRW-24B1ST CD/DVD Burner
    PSU
    PC Power & Cooling 750W Quad EPS12V
    Case
    Cooler Master ATCS 840 Tower
    Cooling
    CM Hyper 212 EVO (push/pull)
    Keyboard
    Ducky DK9008 Shine II Blue LED
    Mouse
    Logitech Optical M-100
    Internet Speed
    300/300
    Browser
    Firefox (latest)
    Antivirus
    Bitdefender Internet Security
    Other Info
    Speakers: Klipsch Pro Media 2.1
  • Operating System
    Windows XP Pro 32bit w/SP3
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Built by Ghot® (not in use)
    CPU
    AMD Athlon 64 X2 5000+ (OC'd @ 3.2Ghz)
    Motherboard
    ASUS M2N32-SLI Deluxe Wireless Edition
    Memory
    TWIN2X2048-6400C4DHX (2 x 1GB, DDR2 800)
    Graphics card(s)
    EVGA 256-P2-N758-TR GeForce 8600GT SSC
    Sound Card
    Onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    ViewSonic G90FB Black 19" Professional (CRT)
    Screen Resolution
    up to 2048 x 1536
    Hard Drives
    WD 36GB 10,000rpm Raptor SATA
    Seagate 80GB 7200rpm SATA
    Lite-On LTR-52246S CD/RW
    Lite-On LH-18A1P CD/DVD Burner
    PSU
    PC Power & Cooling Silencer 750 Quad EPS12V
    Case
    Generic Beige case, 80mm fans
    Cooling
    ZALMAN 9500A 92mm CPU Cooler
    Mouse
    Logitech Optical M-BT96a
    Keyboard
    Logitech Classic Keybooard 200
    Internet Speed
    300/300
    Browser
    Firefox 3.x ??
    Antivirus
    Symantec (Norton)
    Other Info
    Still assembled, still runs. Haven't turned it on for 13 years?
I searched for a thread dedicated to file archivers, but I couldn't find one.
So, this thread is dedicated to all things about file archivers.

There are numerous file archivers available for use in Windows. Some are free, and some not.
The two file archivers that I always install are WinRAR and 7-Zip.
I use WinRAR most of the time, but when I'm looking for more compression to produce a smaller file size, I use 7-Zip.

What is your preferred file archiver?
Do you use a third party file archiver or just the built-in Windows functionality?

For reference, here is a list of file archivers compiled by Wikipedia.
For creating archives, Windows is fine. For unarchiving files, it is fine for most, but sometimes you need to use say 7 zip. I tend to install whatever too I need and then uninstall it afterwards. These tools tend to clutter up context menus.

More accurately, I create an incremental backup using paid version of Reflect, install the unarchiver, do the job (unarchiving to my data drive), the restore the incremental backup.

This is better (imo) than straight install/uninstall as it totally eliminates all the garbage of hangovers of the archivers in explorer context menus etc.
It is always a good plant to make a backup first, and then it only takes about a minute to restore such an incremental on paid version of Reflect due to Rapid Delta Restore.

Incidentally, I use (paid) version of Peflect for archiving files and folders if I need to compress data for my backup purposes. I use windows zip functionality, if I am sending data to others.

It has been years since I used self extracting archives - if emailing them, most firewalls/email systems just bounce them.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro + Win11 Canary VM.
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS Zenbook 14
    CPU
    I9 13th gen i9-13900H 2.60 GHZ
    Motherboard
    Yep, Laptop has one.
    Memory
    16 GB soldered
    Graphics Card(s)
    Integrated Intel Iris XE
    Sound Card
    Realtek built in
    Monitor(s) Displays
    laptop OLED screen
    Screen Resolution
    2880x1800 touchscreen
    Hard Drives
    1 TB NVME SSD (only weakness is only one slot)
    PSU
    Internal + 65W thunderbolt USB4 charger
    Case
    Yep, got one
    Cooling
    Stella Artois (UK pint cans - 568 ml) - extra cost.
    Keyboard
    Built in UK keybd
    Mouse
    Bluetooth , wireless dongled, wired
    Internet Speed
    900 mbs (ethernet), wifi 6 typical 350-450 mb/s both up and down
    Browser
    Edge
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    TPM 2.0, 2xUSB4 thunderbolt, 1xUsb3 (usb a), 1xUsb-c, hdmi out, 3.5 mm audio out/in combo, ASUS backlit trackpad (inc. switchable number pad)

    Macrium Reflect Home V8
    Office 365 Family (6 users each 1TB onedrive space)
    Hyper-V (a vm runs almost as fast as my older laptop)
I use 7zip, but I'm going to give Nanazip a try as per @TairikuOkami's suggestion.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro 24H2 RP channel
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Home built
    CPU
    Ryzen 9 5900X
    Motherboard
    MSI MPG X570S Edge Max WiFi
    Memory
    Corsair Vengeance RGB PRO 64GB (2x32GB) DDR4 3600 (PC4-28800) C18
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS GeForce RTX 4070 Super OC 12GB DDR6 / ZOTAC RTX 3060 Twin Edge OC 12GB GDDR6
    Sound Card
    Proprietary on MB / FiiO K5Pro DAC
    Monitor(s) Displays
    ViewSonic XG2530 25"/Benq XL2411P 24"/ ASUS VA24DQSB) 23.8"
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080 240Hz/144Hz/60Hz (based on monitor setup above)
    Hard Drives
    SK hynix Gold P31 1TB PCIe NVMe Gen3 M.2 2280 Internal SSD
    ADATA XPG SX8200 Pro 1TB
    Samsung SSD 860 EVO 1TB 2.5 Inch SATA III Internal SSD
    PSU
    Corsair RM1000e
    Case
    Phanteks Enthoo Pro Full Tower Chassis with Window
    Cooling
    Corsair iCUE H60i RGB PRO XT Liquid CPU Cooler
    Keyboard
    Corsair K70
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    ~950Mb/s download / ~700Mb/s upload
    Browser
    Edge (Chromium)
    Antivirus
    Norton 360
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Home Built
    CPU
    Ryzen 7 3700X
    Motherboard
    MSI B550 Gaming GEN3 Gaming Motherboard
    Memory
    32MB DDR4
    Graphics card(s)
    I forget, but it's old. I can't see the need to upgrade it.
    Sound Card
    Propietary
    Monitor(s) Displays
    ACER LED 24"
    Screen Resolution
    1920X1080
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung SSD 3.5"
    Case
    Corsair
    Cooling
    Stock
    Mouse
    Logitech
    Keyboard
    Logitech
    Internet Speed
    ~750Mb/s download / ~750Mb/s upload
    Browser
    Edge
    Antivirus
    Defender and Malware Bytes
There are numerous archiving apps in the Windows Store.
A lot of them get bad reviews and don't appear to offer anything more than what I'm using now. In fact, they offer less.

@TairikuOkami Nanazip may be the best of the Windows Store archivers. And as you said, it's a fork of 7-Zip.
The only thing with open source forks, you never know how long it will be supported.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Stigg's Build
    CPU
    Intel Core i9-10900X
    Motherboard
    GIGABYTE X299X DESIGNARE 10G
    Memory
    Corsair 64 GB (4 x 16 GB) CMW64GX4M4C3000C15 Vengeance RGB Pro 3000Mhz DDR4
    Graphics Card(s)
    GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 1660 Super Mini ITX 6 GB OC
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC1220
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung 27" FHD LED FreeSync Gaming Monitor (LS27F350FHEXXY)
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 970 Pro Series 1TB M.2 2280 NVMe SSD
    Western Digital Red Pro WD8003FFBX-68B9AN0 8 TB, 7200 RPM, SATA-III
    Western Digital Red Pro WD8003FFBX-68B9AN0 8 TB, 7200 RPM, SATA-III
    PSU
    Corsair HX1200 1200W 80 Plus Platinum
    Case
    Fractal Design Define 7 Black Solid Case
    Cooling
    Noctua NH-D15 Chromax Black
    Keyboard
    Razer Ornata V2
    Mouse
    Razer DeathAdder Essential
    Internet Speed
    FTTN 100Mbps / 40Mbps
    Browser
    Mozilla Firefox
    Antivirus
    N/A
    Other Info
    Logitech BRIO 4k Ultra HD USB-C Webcam
  • Operating System
    Windows 10 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS ROG Zephyrus M GM501GS
    CPU
    Core i7-8750H
    Motherboard
    Zephyrus M GM501GS
    Memory
    SK Hynix 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) HMA82GS6CJR8N-VK 16 GB DDR4-2666 DDR4 SDRAM
    Graphics card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC294
    Monitor(s) Displays
    AU Optronics B156HAN07.1 [15.6" LCD]
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    Samsung MZVKW512HMJP-00000 512 GB, PCI-E 3.0 x4
    Samsung SSD 860 QVO 4TB 4 TB, SATA-III
    PSU
    N/A
    Case
    N/A
    Cooling
    N/A
    Mouse
    Razer DeathAdder Essential
    Keyboard
    PC/AT Enhanced PS2 Keyboard (101/102-Key)
    Internet Speed
    FTTN 100Mbps / 40Mbps
    Browser
    Mozilla Firefox
    Antivirus
    N/A
    Other Info
    USB2.0 HD UVC Webcam
I use 7-zip too. Never had a need that 7-zip couldn't solve. I don't mind the bare bones appearance as long as it is fully functional.

I do quite a bit of research to find the best app for my requirements, and then keep it installed. I find it foolish to install/ uninstall apps that I use frequently.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Envy dv7
    CPU
    Intel Core i7 3630QM
    Motherboard
    HP
    Memory
    16 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel HD Graphics 4000 & Nvidia GeForce GT 635M
    Sound Card
    IDT High Definition
    Screen Resolution
    1080p
    Hard Drives
    1 TB Crucial MX500 on bay 1.
    1 TB Seagate HDD on bay 2.
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
PeaZip Portable, when I need it.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS ROG Strix
  • Operating System
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS VivoBook
I use 7-Zip installed in the default location .

My computer is a "desktop". The C (SSD) drive uses Bitlocker, and my D "data" (HHD) drive uses one of the 3rd party encryption programs. There is also another HHD that holds my backups.

Some of my files are backed up one for one to the backup drive like music and photos, but my personal "data" and the Appdata/Roaming folder are also copied to the backup drive as they are written, but ENCRYPTED.

There is a great program called CryptSync that is easy to use. You point to a folder you want to copy from (my data and Appdata/Roaming) and tell it where you want to copy it to and specify a password. CryptSync will monitor those folders and copy and encrypt those folders to the destination. It is basically a shell for 7-Zip and was designed to monitor certain folders and make secure versions before they are backed up to the cloud, but I use it to copy to my backup drive .

CryptSync works fairly seamlessly and fast. If the original drive fails, I now have a backup on the backup drive (but it is encrypted) and just reinstall CryptSync and do a one time reverse of the procedure. Without my passwords, no one will be able to access my working or backed up data.

CryptSync keeps the folder structure and you can not only encrypt the files, but the file names too. (I don't in case I want to recover just one file). You can also tell it to use the extension .7zip or .cryptsync. I use the latter as it may not be so obvious if someone was trying figure out how to open them.

If you back up files to a drive or the cloud, I recommend this program.

 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
Last edited:

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Stigg's Build
    CPU
    Intel Core i9-10900X
    Motherboard
    GIGABYTE X299X DESIGNARE 10G
    Memory
    Corsair 64 GB (4 x 16 GB) CMW64GX4M4C3000C15 Vengeance RGB Pro 3000Mhz DDR4
    Graphics Card(s)
    GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 1660 Super Mini ITX 6 GB OC
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC1220
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung 27" FHD LED FreeSync Gaming Monitor (LS27F350FHEXXY)
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 970 Pro Series 1TB M.2 2280 NVMe SSD
    Western Digital Red Pro WD8003FFBX-68B9AN0 8 TB, 7200 RPM, SATA-III
    Western Digital Red Pro WD8003FFBX-68B9AN0 8 TB, 7200 RPM, SATA-III
    PSU
    Corsair HX1200 1200W 80 Plus Platinum
    Case
    Fractal Design Define 7 Black Solid Case
    Cooling
    Noctua NH-D15 Chromax Black
    Keyboard
    Razer Ornata V2
    Mouse
    Razer DeathAdder Essential
    Internet Speed
    FTTN 100Mbps / 40Mbps
    Browser
    Mozilla Firefox
    Antivirus
    N/A
    Other Info
    Logitech BRIO 4k Ultra HD USB-C Webcam
  • Operating System
    Windows 10 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS ROG Zephyrus M GM501GS
    CPU
    Core i7-8750H
    Motherboard
    Zephyrus M GM501GS
    Memory
    SK Hynix 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) HMA82GS6CJR8N-VK 16 GB DDR4-2666 DDR4 SDRAM
    Graphics card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC294
    Monitor(s) Displays
    AU Optronics B156HAN07.1 [15.6" LCD]
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    Samsung MZVKW512HMJP-00000 512 GB, PCI-E 3.0 x4
    Samsung SSD 860 QVO 4TB 4 TB, SATA-III
    PSU
    N/A
    Case
    N/A
    Cooling
    N/A
    Mouse
    Razer DeathAdder Essential
    Keyboard
    PC/AT Enhanced PS2 Keyboard (101/102-Key)
    Internet Speed
    FTTN 100Mbps / 40Mbps
    Browser
    Mozilla Firefox
    Antivirus
    N/A
    Other Info
    USB2.0 HD UVC Webcam

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Stigg's Build
    CPU
    Intel Core i9-10900X
    Motherboard
    GIGABYTE X299X DESIGNARE 10G
    Memory
    Corsair 64 GB (4 x 16 GB) CMW64GX4M4C3000C15 Vengeance RGB Pro 3000Mhz DDR4
    Graphics Card(s)
    GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 1660 Super Mini ITX 6 GB OC
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC1220
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung 27" FHD LED FreeSync Gaming Monitor (LS27F350FHEXXY)
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 970 Pro Series 1TB M.2 2280 NVMe SSD
    Western Digital Red Pro WD8003FFBX-68B9AN0 8 TB, 7200 RPM, SATA-III
    Western Digital Red Pro WD8003FFBX-68B9AN0 8 TB, 7200 RPM, SATA-III
    PSU
    Corsair HX1200 1200W 80 Plus Platinum
    Case
    Fractal Design Define 7 Black Solid Case
    Cooling
    Noctua NH-D15 Chromax Black
    Keyboard
    Razer Ornata V2
    Mouse
    Razer DeathAdder Essential
    Internet Speed
    FTTN 100Mbps / 40Mbps
    Browser
    Mozilla Firefox
    Antivirus
    N/A
    Other Info
    Logitech BRIO 4k Ultra HD USB-C Webcam
  • Operating System
    Windows 10 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS ROG Zephyrus M GM501GS
    CPU
    Core i7-8750H
    Motherboard
    Zephyrus M GM501GS
    Memory
    SK Hynix 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) HMA82GS6CJR8N-VK 16 GB DDR4-2666 DDR4 SDRAM
    Graphics card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC294
    Monitor(s) Displays
    AU Optronics B156HAN07.1 [15.6" LCD]
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    Samsung MZVKW512HMJP-00000 512 GB, PCI-E 3.0 x4
    Samsung SSD 860 QVO 4TB 4 TB, SATA-III
    PSU
    N/A
    Case
    N/A
    Cooling
    N/A
    Mouse
    Razer DeathAdder Essential
    Keyboard
    PC/AT Enhanced PS2 Keyboard (101/102-Key)
    Internet Speed
    FTTN 100Mbps / 40Mbps
    Browser
    Mozilla Firefox
    Antivirus
    N/A
    Other Info
    USB2.0 HD UVC Webcam
I have both WinRAR and 7-Zip installed.
I use WinRAR the most, so it's the default. But when I need better compression, I use 7-Zip.

But I got sick of the juvenile looking 7-Zip icons, so I'm currently using the Glyfz 2016 theme.
There are plenty of other good themes available.

7-Zip Glyfz 2016 Theme.png
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Stigg's Build
    CPU
    Intel Core i9-10900X
    Motherboard
    GIGABYTE X299X DESIGNARE 10G
    Memory
    Corsair 64 GB (4 x 16 GB) CMW64GX4M4C3000C15 Vengeance RGB Pro 3000Mhz DDR4
    Graphics Card(s)
    GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 1660 Super Mini ITX 6 GB OC
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC1220
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung 27" FHD LED FreeSync Gaming Monitor (LS27F350FHEXXY)
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 970 Pro Series 1TB M.2 2280 NVMe SSD
    Western Digital Red Pro WD8003FFBX-68B9AN0 8 TB, 7200 RPM, SATA-III
    Western Digital Red Pro WD8003FFBX-68B9AN0 8 TB, 7200 RPM, SATA-III
    PSU
    Corsair HX1200 1200W 80 Plus Platinum
    Case
    Fractal Design Define 7 Black Solid Case
    Cooling
    Noctua NH-D15 Chromax Black
    Keyboard
    Razer Ornata V2
    Mouse
    Razer DeathAdder Essential
    Internet Speed
    FTTN 100Mbps / 40Mbps
    Browser
    Mozilla Firefox
    Antivirus
    N/A
    Other Info
    Logitech BRIO 4k Ultra HD USB-C Webcam
  • Operating System
    Windows 10 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS ROG Zephyrus M GM501GS
    CPU
    Core i7-8750H
    Motherboard
    Zephyrus M GM501GS
    Memory
    SK Hynix 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) HMA82GS6CJR8N-VK 16 GB DDR4-2666 DDR4 SDRAM
    Graphics card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC294
    Monitor(s) Displays
    AU Optronics B156HAN07.1 [15.6" LCD]
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    Samsung MZVKW512HMJP-00000 512 GB, PCI-E 3.0 x4
    Samsung SSD 860 QVO 4TB 4 TB, SATA-III
    PSU
    N/A
    Case
    N/A
    Cooling
    N/A
    Mouse
    Razer DeathAdder Essential
    Keyboard
    PC/AT Enhanced PS2 Keyboard (101/102-Key)
    Internet Speed
    FTTN 100Mbps / 40Mbps
    Browser
    Mozilla Firefox
    Antivirus
    N/A
    Other Info
    USB2.0 HD UVC Webcam
Using 7-zip only, it has all the functions I ever needed.
Biggest plus is that it can open any archive and it's free.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro 23H2
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    MSI / MS-7B29
    CPU
    Intel i3 8100 @3.6Ghz
    Motherboard
    H310M PRO-VDH (MS-7B29)
    Memory
    1 x 16GB DDR4 @2400 MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Nvidia GeForce GT 1030 2GB SDDR4
    Sound Card
    Realtek VEN_10EC&DEV_0887 / NVIDIA VEN_10DE&DEV_0081
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Acer V226HQL
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    SSD 500 GB Crucial MX500 / HDD 1 TB TOSHIBA DT01ACA100
    PSU
    ATX, details unknown
    Case
    Everest 551B
    Cooling
    details unknown
    Keyboard
    Mechanical Gaming Hydra R7 - Rampage
    Mouse
    Logitech G703
    Internet Speed
    Down: 28Mbps / Up: 19Mbps
    Browser
    Microsoft Edge
    Antivirus
    Microsoft Defender Antivirus
    Other Info
    Bluetooth: TP Link 5.0 Nano USB adapter UB500
    WLAN: D-Link 150 Pico USB adapter, N standard
    Web camera: Logitech C270 HD 720p @30fps
    Microphone: Trust MICO, model 23790
Using 7-zip only, it has all the functions I ever needed.
Biggest plus is that it can open any archive and it's free.
Yeah, it can open a lot of archives.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Stigg's Build
    CPU
    Intel Core i9-10900X
    Motherboard
    GIGABYTE X299X DESIGNARE 10G
    Memory
    Corsair 64 GB (4 x 16 GB) CMW64GX4M4C3000C15 Vengeance RGB Pro 3000Mhz DDR4
    Graphics Card(s)
    GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 1660 Super Mini ITX 6 GB OC
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC1220
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung 27" FHD LED FreeSync Gaming Monitor (LS27F350FHEXXY)
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 970 Pro Series 1TB M.2 2280 NVMe SSD
    Western Digital Red Pro WD8003FFBX-68B9AN0 8 TB, 7200 RPM, SATA-III
    Western Digital Red Pro WD8003FFBX-68B9AN0 8 TB, 7200 RPM, SATA-III
    PSU
    Corsair HX1200 1200W 80 Plus Platinum
    Case
    Fractal Design Define 7 Black Solid Case
    Cooling
    Noctua NH-D15 Chromax Black
    Keyboard
    Razer Ornata V2
    Mouse
    Razer DeathAdder Essential
    Internet Speed
    FTTN 100Mbps / 40Mbps
    Browser
    Mozilla Firefox
    Antivirus
    N/A
    Other Info
    Logitech BRIO 4k Ultra HD USB-C Webcam
  • Operating System
    Windows 10 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS ROG Zephyrus M GM501GS
    CPU
    Core i7-8750H
    Motherboard
    Zephyrus M GM501GS
    Memory
    SK Hynix 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) HMA82GS6CJR8N-VK 16 GB DDR4-2666 DDR4 SDRAM
    Graphics card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC294
    Monitor(s) Displays
    AU Optronics B156HAN07.1 [15.6" LCD]
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    Samsung MZVKW512HMJP-00000 512 GB, PCI-E 3.0 x4
    Samsung SSD 860 QVO 4TB 4 TB, SATA-III
    PSU
    N/A
    Case
    N/A
    Cooling
    N/A
    Mouse
    Razer DeathAdder Essential
    Keyboard
    PC/AT Enhanced PS2 Keyboard (101/102-Key)
    Internet Speed
    FTTN 100Mbps / 40Mbps
    Browser
    Mozilla Firefox
    Antivirus
    N/A
    Other Info
    USB2.0 HD UVC Webcam
7zip is all that I have used for years and years and years.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Beelink SEI8
    CPU
    Intel Core i5-8279u
    Motherboard
    AZW SEI
    Memory
    32GB DDR4 2666Mhz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel Iris Plus 655
    Sound Card
    Intel SST
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Asus ProArt PA278QV
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    512GB NVMe
    PSU
    NA
    Case
    NA
    Cooling
    NA
    Keyboard
    NA
    Mouse
    NA
    Internet Speed
    500/50
    Browser
    Edge
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    Mini PC used for testing Windows 11.
  • Operating System
    Windows 10 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom
    CPU
    Ryzen 9 5900x
    Motherboard
    Asus Rog Strix X570-E Gaming
    Memory
    64GB DDR4-3600
    Graphics card(s)
    EVGA GeForce 3080 FT3 Ultra
    Sound Card
    Onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQ. ASUS ProArt Display PA278QV 27” WQHD
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    2TB WD SN850 PCI-E Gen 4 NVMe
    2TB Sandisk Ultra 2.5" SATA SSD
    PSU
    Seasonic Focus 850
    Case
    Fractal Meshify S2 in White
    Cooling
    Dark Rock Pro CPU cooler, 3 x 140mm case fans
    Mouse
    Logitech G9 Laser Mouse
    Keyboard
    Corsiar K65 RGB Lux
    Internet Speed
    500/50
    Browser
    Chrome
    Antivirus
    Defender.
New user here. I still have Win10, but this is a command line question. I tried sending an email to WinRAR support but it failed. Hopefully someone knows! Thanks in advance for any help. Here's the original message I sent to WinRAR:

I have numerous files grouped in alphabetical subfolders in one main folder. for example:

C:\Main_Folder\Individual_Folders\

Each of those folders gets individually RAR'd and stored in a separate backup folder.

C:\Backup_Folders\

To update them, I use the Windows version of WinRAR and do the following:

1. Right click on the source folder in C:\Main_Folder\Individual_Folders\.
2. WinRAR > Add to archive...
3. Browse to and select the existing archive to update in C:\Backup_Folders\.
4. Change the Update Mode to Skip Existing Files
5. Click OK.

That works perfectly, every time.

What I'd like to do is be able to create a batch file to do this for me, as there are 29 separate folders, and, well you know - I'm lazy. :)

In trying to figure this out myself, I checked all the command line options and switches, and this was the best I could find:

f (Freshen files) unfortunately, it doesn't add new files.
u (Update files) I don't want to "Add and update"

then I found the -o- switch. but that didn't work either, even after trying a, f and u, hoping at least ONE of them would work!

I've Googled everywhere to try and find a solution, but found nothing.

I really really hope you can help! I could easily just re-archive them each time, but even with my fast computer and SSD drives, it still takes close to an hour and I have to do each one manually.

Thank you!
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win10Pro

WinRAR 6.23

WinRAR 6.23 changelog:

Added extraction of XZ archives utilizing ARM64 filter.
Rar$LS* temporary files, created when extracting or testing multiple archives from Windows context menu, are now deleted immediately. Previously they were deleted only on next WinRAR runs and only if they were at least 1 hour old.

Bugs fixed:

a security issue involving out of bounds write is fixed in RAR4 recovery volumes processing code. We are thankful to goodbyeselene working with Trend Micro Zero Day Initiative for letting us know about this bug;
WinRAR could start a wrong file after a user double clicked an item in a specially crafted archive. We are thankful to Andrey Polovinkin from Group-IB Threat Intelligence unit for letting us know about this bug;
if both NTFS and Unix time extra fields were available for a file in ZIP archive, extraction command ignored the second extra field even if it provided more time fields than first one;
interface themes were applied to archive icons even if "Apply to archive icons" option in "Organize themes" dialog was turned off.

 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom Build
    CPU
    Intel Core i9 12900KF
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus Z690 Hero
    Memory
    Corsair 64GB DDR5 Vengeance C40 5200Mhz
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS GeForce RTX 3090 ROG Strix OC 24GB
    Sound Card
    OnBoard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Acer Predator XB323UGP 32" QHD G-SYNC-C 144Hz 1MS IPS LED
    Screen Resolution
    2560 x 1440
    Hard Drives
    1x Samsung 980 Pro Series Gen4 250GB M.2 NVMe
    1x Samsung 980 Pro Series Gen4 500GB M.2 NVMe
    2x Samsung 980 Pro Series Gen4 2TB M.2 NVMe
    PSU
    Corsair AX1200i 1200W 80PLUS Titanium Modular
    Case
    Corsair 4000D Black Case w/ Tempered Glass Side Panel
    Cooling
    Noctua NH-U12A Chromax Black CPU Cooler, 4x Noctua 120mm Fans
    Keyboard
    Logitech MK545
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    Fixed Wireless 150mbps/75mbps
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Kaspersky
    Other Info
    Thrustmaster TS-PC RACER
    Fanatec CSL Elite Pedals with the Load Cell Kit
    Yamaha Amp with Bose Speakers
Hi folks
I think -- although I assume the OP means "Compressing files" that archiving is a whole different topic - It's possible you might have 80GB of files you want "archived" and saved to external storage for example -- manually compressing them individually with 7-zip etc is IMO far too much work if you have loads of files and loads of sub-directories -- you really need some sort of Windows equivalent to GRSYNC (Gui version of rsync) that can recursively navigate through entire top level and sub directory lists even from a root directory say D:\ and all the the sub directories and files files within them to create an output that preserves the directory and file names.

Screenshot_20230805_123147.png
For individual files .zip seems to be the most universal format although things like lsx compression etc are used too -- rar and unrar are usually best avoided as a many of these files come from torrent sites with some "not nice payloads" in them and a lot of A/V software doesn't detect viruses in these files.

For audio you've got .mp3, .M4a, .flac etc. Archiving really is a whole different ballgame to compressing files and individual directories.

Cheers
jimbo
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows XP,7,10,11 Linux Arch Linux
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    2 X Intel i7
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