What are ZIP and RAR files? + How to use them

[admin]

What are .zip and .rar files ?

You'll notice that many of the downloads available on this site are stored in ZIP or RAR files. Both of these are what can be referred to as "archive files". The ZIP or RAR files contain other files -- be it a single file, multiple files, or even whole folders full of files -- in a convenient package.

1. Ease: It's easier to download ONE file than a dozen files. This makes it easier for you as a downloader, and easier for me as an uploader.
2. Size and Speed: Archive files compress what's inside of them, and decompress when "unzipped". This compression makes a ZIP or RAR file take less space on a server. It downloads (and uploads) faster, too!

.zip Files

ZIP files use an older method of archiving. Of all the archives available -- and there are quite a few! -- this is the one most people are familiar with. In fact, most operating systems, such as Windows and Mac OS X, have included native support for ZIP files for a few years now. Historically, ZIP files can be harder to recover once damaged, which also happens more often (as observed during my 15+ years of experience with ZIPs).


.rar Files

RAR files are newer than ZIP, and the compression tends to be superior both in size and in stability of the compression. RAR files also have more features for the person doing the compression.

To open an archive you need the free-to-use software WinRAR for Windows, 7-Zip with the k7z GUI for Linux, or unRarX for Mac OS X, available at

• Windows 32-bit: WinRAR @ http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/show...ation-408.html
• Windows 64-bit: WinRAR @ http://www.rarlab.com/download.htm
  
• Mac OS X: UnRarX @ http://www.unrarx.com
• Linux: 7-Zip @ http://www.7-zip.org/download.html -OR- k7z @ http://code.google.com/p/k7z

OS X and Linux users can also use WinRAR; there's a command-line version available. But I personally prefer the GUI-based tools. I left DOS style computer use in the 20th century, thanks! I want to click it, not type it.

If you for some reason simply hate WinRAR on Windows, then you can use 7-zip instead, for unRARing the files. There is a Windows version available, also.


Multiple Parts? --- part1.rar, part2.rar, etc?

Some files are uploaded in multiple parts to avoid file size restrictions on the forum (32MB max file upload) -- for example, file.part1.rar and file.part2.rar. To unRAR the multi-part files, simply save all of the file parts in the same folder on your computer (or save all to the desktop), and then extract part1 only. The other parts will be uncompressed, and the whole set of RAR files will be re-merged into the original large file (now uncompressed).


Hope that helps.

[NCoastTweaker]

I have tried accessing http://www.digitalfaq.com/downloads/software/ but I'm being blocked... I have registered with digital faq.. how do I gain access to the downloads page... I need to find some legacy ATI CCC drivers.. thx.

[admin]

The files are attached to various posts on the forum.

[admin]

We received this email today...

Quote:

tHE SITE APPEARS GREAT, BUT ISSUE IS THAT EVERYTHING IS ZIPPED. EVEN THE DOWNLOAD TO DECOMPRESS THE RAR FILES IS ZIPPED. WINZIP IS NOT FREE. I DON'T WANT TO PAY $30 FOR DOWNLOAD WINZIP FOR A PROGRAM I DON'T EVEN KNOW WORKS. ARE YOU TRYING TO PROMOTE ZIP FOR SOME REASON?

... and this thread is the perfect place to discuss it.

Before I begin: It seems your caps lock key is stuck. That's a common problem with those lousy "free" keyboards that come with computers. If you need need a new one, I highly suggest the Micro Innovations multimedia keyboard, available at both Amazon.com and local/online Microcenter stores. (Tip: Pull the "cover" off. It's not required, if you don't like it. I did that.) Another option is the "HP Classic" keyboards currently sold at Walmart.

Anyway, back to the email...

Everything is zipped because it has to be "archived" in some way, as described earlier in this thread. You cannot safely attach executable files and unknown MIME types to web servers and databases. (Well, you technically can, but it's really stupid to do so, from a security stance.)

Zip is not a commercial format -- it's very much open source (or rather, public domain as per the PKWare founder, who invented pkzip), and "WinZip" does not own it. WinZip is simply one available program that can create or "unzip" zip files -- as well as several other archive formats. Note that WinZip runs in eternal nag mode, even though it's not "free", so you can still use it without buying it. The same applies to WinRAR. Both WinZip and WinRAR works quite well -- especially WinRAR.

If you want fully open-source archive utilities, look no further than 7-zip: http://www.7-zip.org
In addition to the "official" Windows CLI and GUI binaries, versions for Mac OS X and Linux distributions have been created by third parties.

jZip is yet another option: http://www.jzip.com

Note that many more files on this site (most, maybe?) are archived as RAR files, because those tend to be more robust both in compression and reliability. So no, we're definitely not endorsing Zip format in any way. If anything, we'd be endorsing WinRAR and the RAR format. The aforementioned 7zip and jzip can also "unrar" RAR files.

And welcome to the site.