A complete guide to using WinRAR

[CyberGod 1,234]

What is WinRAR ?

WinRAR is a data compression utility. It supports compressing of files into two popular formats, namely ZIP and RAR.

 

Why do I need WinRAR ?

 

1. It enables you to compress your files and helps you save precious HDD space.

 

2. If you want to upload your files into Rapid Share ( RS ) or Mega Upload ( MU ). These sites impose a restriction on the size of the file which can be uploaded. You can create split archives using WinRAR.

Guys may want to know why they should use WinRAR to split their files, there are plenty of tools available which will allow me to split my files, EXAMPLE :- HJSPLIT. The answer is pretty simple. Say you have a 700 Meg ISO image which you want to share via RS, HJSPLIT can split your ISO image into 7 parts which are 100 Megs each. When you create split archives with WinRAR, your ISO file could be compressed to 600 Megs and you'll end up having 6 parts which are 100 Megs each. This will help save time you spend uploading and the users save precious bandwidth downloading your stuff.

 

3. WinRAR supports the extraction of 7Z, ACE, ARJ, BZ2, CAB, GZ, ISO, JAR, LZH, TAR, UUE, Z archives. You don't need any other program other than WinRAR to extract files of these type.

Compressing files with WinRAR - How to achieve maximum compression ?

There are settings in WinRAR which can be changed to achieve the maximum compression level possible. I'll show you the way to save these settings so that you don't have to change them repeatedly for each file you want to compress.

 

Click start --> All Programs --> WinRAR

 

Now click on Options --> Settings --> Compression tab --> Create Default button

 

 

Change the Compression method to Best. Check the Create solid archive option and click ok twice.

 

 

Go to Options --> Import/Export --> Export settings to file. Now, your settings will be saved and will be restored even when you open WinRAR from a different user account.

 

 

How can I create split archives ?

 

To create split archive right click on the file --> WinRAR --> Add to Archive

 

 

Enter the size of each split archive in the split to volumes, bytes combo box. Look at the picture below. There is no need to enter the size in bytes.

 

 

 

If you were successful, you folder will now contain files like this.

 

 

Where can I get WinRAR ?

 

Get it right here

 

 

http://rapidshare.com/files/43180319/WinRAR3.70_with_Patch.exe'>http://rapidshare.com/files/43180319/WinRAR3.70_with_Patch.exe

Some common queries

 

1. How do I know that I have a split archive ?

 

1. If your archives have file extensions like .r00, .r01, .r02 etc or .r00.exe, .r01, .r02 etc or .part01.rar, .part02.rar, .part03.rar etc or .part01.rar.exe, .part02.rar, .part03.rar etc

 

2. When you open your RAR archives, you will see arrow marks like this.

 

 

Arrow marks of the type above imply that the current file starts from this archive and will continue in the next split archive

 

Note that the file 9L0-611v2.21.rar was small enough to be stored inside the split archive and didn't require spanning.

 

 

Arrow marks of the type above imply that the current file began in the previous archive and ends with the current archive.

 

 

Arrow marks of the type above imply that the current file spans over more than 2 archives and the file is still incomplete.

 

If you don't see any arrows in any of the files; congrats, you've got all the parts in one folder.

 

2. How can I test my split archives ?

 

 

 

You can test files in a split archive provided that all the parts of an individual file are available. Just select the files and click on the Test button.

 

 

3. I have downloaded all the parts and I find that a few files have been corrupted.

 

You need to identify in which part your corrupt file(s) lie and download only the corrupt part.

 

4. I have downloaded N ( N = 5,6,7... ) RAR files. When I extract each of those RAR files, I get the same file.

OR

How do I extract the files from a split archive ?

 

OR

 

I try to extract my files and WinRAR says that some files or corrupted or missing.

First make sure that you have got all the parts. Then make sure that they are all in the same folder. If your first file is an exe, just double click on the exe and choose the location to extract to. If your first file is a RAR file, right click on it and choose extract to and choose the location to extract the files.

 

Clicking extract on different parts will produce the same result. Please understand how split archives work. Refer to the answer for the question "Why do I need WinRAR ?"

 

 

5. I am using WinRAR to compress my files and I see that my files haven't been really compressed or I note that no significant decrease has occurred

 

Some files are already compressed. They cannot be compressed further. Some examples are AVI, MP3 etc. For these type of files you need to encode them into other formats. This may result in loss of quality.

 

If you don't like WinRAR, try WinUHA or KGB. KGB is free. Here is the link to the latest stable version of KGB.

 

 

 

http://switch.dl.sourceforge.net/sourceforge/kgbarchiver/kgb_arch_win_gui_v1.2.1.24.exe

6. I have the first part of a N part RAR file. I need to see preview the movie inside it.

 

Ger Dziobas Rar Player is a FREEWARE program that plays rar files, mvk, avi, mpeg or ogg without any windows codecs.

 

Dziobas Rar Player plays partially downloaded AVI movies, with subtitles support. Dziobas Rar Player can also play dvix/xvid movies from rar files. Get the latest version of the player by visiting this link below.

 

 

http://ds6.ovh.org/drp.html

7. I'm unable to use WinRAR on windows vista.

 

Make sure that you have the latest version of WinRAR. Otherwise get it here.

 

 

http://rapidshare.com/files/43180319/WinRAR3.70_with_Patch.exe

8. I need to decompress RAR files from my MAC machine.

 

You need the tool RarMe. Google it. I don't know where a cracked version is available.

 

9. How to extract an individual file from WinRAR?

 

 

If it is an EXE then right click on the exe and choose Open with WinRAR else double click on the file. Provide the password if the file is encrypted.

 

Select the files using mouse. To select different files, hold the control key and the arrow keys to navigate and the spacebar key to select or deselect a file. Then click on the big extract button and choose a location to extract the files.

 

10. I don't know the password for my WinRAR file.

You'll have to look for it from the place where you originally got the links. Unfortunately there is no effective password cracking tool to do the job.

11. I've tried everything mentioned here and still my problem remains unsolved.

 

Post your questions on the HelpDesk. Someone should help you out.

 

Other Questions and Opinions

 

1. I don't use WinRAR. OR I know all this stuff.

 

Then this tutorial wasn't meant for you.

 

2. I don't like your tutorial

 

Please help me improve it.

[CyberGod 1,234]

WinRAR for mac?

 

http://www.rarlab.com/download.htm

Command line only though, so its not going to be easy to use for most people who are used to GUIs. Last I heard the easiest way to get a GUI for RAR on MacOSC was with Rarme-

 

 

 

http://www.armelline.com/RarMe.html

I'm not exactly current with OSX, so its more than possible that something newer has come along.

 

I'd probably use a different compression method, I've never liked .rar that much. Probably 7z or zip.

 

Keka will compress to 7z, Zip, Tar, Gzip, Bzip2, and uncompress far more formats, including .rar. Its easy to use and free (as in cost, I havent checked the licence its using)-

 

 

 

http://www.kekaosx.com/en/

[dirtylow 188]

U can also pack UR own eXe from WinRaR.

 

I did it 4 JDownportable because FileServe inserts some code 2 prevent U even if U get a new ip from downloading for somthing like 16 mins.

 

So what I did waz configure JDown the way I will want it 2 b 99.9% of the time.

Then went 2 the install folder.

highLighted all files that I wanted.

Right clicked clicked add to Archive.

Once the Archive is open we just tweak some settings.

Here I will walk U through if u dont know how.

The Pic below is what I just stated. & U see my default settings.

k, now just click on "Create SFX archive". Then click on the Advanced tab. Find SFX options & click on it.

Choose UR path [Mine is in place so I am choosing "Create in current folder"]. Also 2 in my case I want 2 run a program after the extraction [Java]. So I will input the Java path & eXe.

 

Then I go 2 the Modes tab & in the Silent mode section I select "Hide all".

Then I go 2 the Update tab & in the Overwrite section I select "Overwrite all".

& if U want U can go 2 the Text & icon tab. I like 2 add a icon. So I browse to the folder that haz the icon I want & double click.

Thats it 4 the setup. So click on "OK"

1 last thing I like 2 do is give the Archive a name that is unmistakeable. So 4 this package it will b :::| JDoWNPoRTaBLe.exe |:::

Click on ok.

When done U will have a nice little exe that will alwayz b static. & Call a program b4 or after extraction 4 U.

& it can b taken much further if say I packed Java 2 run another Program after its call or extraction.

So now we r automating some routine tasks.

& for me I can down from Fileserve as quick as it take for me 2 get a new ip.

Because after mine was setup I repacked it 2 do everything but re-add the link container.

So sweet 1 double click & everything else is done.

 

Have Fun I hope this is clear 2 All.

[c3c1c3 1]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

[mynewname 0]

I want to split a movie into several RAR files to upload but I don't want to compress as I don't want to take a chance on losing any quality. How do I set it to not compress? After lots of searching I finally found the answer, if you don't want to compress files set compression method to "Store".

[dirtylow 188]

Um, I dont think Ur ? should b here. We have a help section that Ur ? would get better attention. But 2 answer Ur ? I dont know, I would create an ISO image then compress with WinRaR. Good-Luck.

dirty;}

[gustav2007 18]

Hi CyberGod,

                    I love that you have this Tutorial on here . Can I copy or make a print of it. If yes how do I do that?

Regards

Gustav2007