How to handle .rar files?

[Agile]

My main computer is a modern one running Vista home edition and Windows office.

But it does not know how to handle .rar files. ( Hope I have remembered the file extension correctly ).

Can anyone tell me what program I need to add to handle these files and any other tips ?

Tony

 

[tim west]

winrar

 

[EddieM]

or winzip for extraction

 

[mattylad]

http://www.win-rar.com/

 

[holmslaw]

Get it free at the pirate bay.

 

[Diyisfun]

Get it free anywhere as long as you use the trial edition

 

[Agile]

I am always suspicious of these paid for programs as they seem to update or modify them and ask for a further payment.

I have now downloaded one called BitZipper which says it does everything! Not tried it yet though.

It was only free because I ordered something (£8) from one of their partners who gives them a commission.

Does anyone know why Windows does not include a program to deal with these files?

Tony

 

[empip]

A very decent freeware archive utility... IZArc

http://www.izarc.org/

-p-

 

[djrock]

I use 7-Zip.

 

[Rider]

I know that the recommended zip programs will open .rar files but will any of them create them? I think they could only be created by Winrar because of patents/licensing reasons. Not sure if that's still the case.

I actually paid for Winrar many years ago. That payment did entitle me to all future upgrades though.

The .rar format is said to give better compression than .zip. Maybe not so important in these days of large capacity hard disks and fast connections.

 

[EddieM]

I know that the recommended zip programs will open .rar files but will any of them create them? I think they could only be created by Winrar because of patents/licensing reasons. Not sure if that's still the case.

I actually paid for Winrar many years ago. That payment did entitle me to all future upgrades though.

The .rar format is said to give better compression than .zip. Maybe not so important in these days of large capacity hard disks and fast connections.

That would probably / possibly depend on the type of file being compressed.

 

[empip]

Summary of single file-type lossless data compression tests...

http://www.maximumcompression.com/data/summary_sf.php

Haven't spotted any freebies which compress .rar files.

Ooops ... Didn't mean re-compress - Haven't spotted any freebies which compress to .rar files.

-p-

 

[Agile]

Thats shows up an interesting anomality!

No. 172 lists a Windows XP built in !

As I originally asked why dont Windpws programs have this built in this implies XP did include it but the later Vista dropped it.

Tony

 

[EddieM]

Summary of single file-type lossless data compression tests...

http://www.maximumcompression.com/data/summary_sf.php

Haven't spotted any freebies which compress .rar files.

-p-

Well compressing compressed files can make them bigger. If indeed rar files are compressed, the original point of archive files was simply that, concatentating files together to save them onto (usually) tape, no compression was involved. Eg. UNIX .tar files, with the advent of gzip these more frequently became .tar.gz files, however I suspect rar files are compressed archive files. All compression is a size / execution time trade off. For instance run length compression is v.quick and can be performed in "real time" but the compression ratios are not as good as say LZW compresson.

Don't be tempted to use mpeg or jpeg compression on system files though

 

[empip]

Thats shows up an interesting anomality!

No. 172 lists a Windows XP built in !

As I originally asked why dont Windpws programs have this built in this implies XP did include it but the later Vista dropped it.

Tony

Perhaps mentioning the .rar file type was an unintentional red herring?

Did you mean you do not seem to have Compressed Folder and ZIP Support in Vista (Including Cabinet File)?
Peek here
http://www.troublefixers.com/restore-missing-send-to-compressed-zipped-folder-in-send-to-menu/

Windows has the following information about the .rar file type.
http://shell.windows.com/fileassoc/0409/xml/redir.asp?EXT=rar

-p-