What is 7-Zip?
7-Zip is a file archiver with the highest compression ratio. The program supports ZIP, 7z, RAR, CAB, ARJ, GZIP, BZIP2, TAR, CPIO, RPM and DEB formats. Compression ratio in the new 7z format is 30-50% better than ratio in ZIP format. Also 7-Zip compresses to ZIP 2-10% better than PKZip and WinZip. 7-Zip has additional powerful command line version and FAR Manager support.
Get 7zip HERE
How do I use it?
It's quite simple, first install the program, and to make sure you are using the program fully:
1. Open 7zip.
2. Go to Tools > Options
3. In System Select All, Aply and Ok.
Now you can open a lot of filetypes with 7zip without a problem, remember that if you use another aplication to open .ISO files you can just deselect it from the list.
How do I uncompress?
Simply open the file with 7zip and then extract it using the Extract button displayed, you can also use the Context Menu without opening 7zip, for that do this:
1. Open 7zip.
2. Go to Tools > Options > Plugins
3. Inside the Plugins Tab select 7zip > Options...
4. Check "Integrate 7-zip to shell in context menu" and "Cascade context menu" .You are free to custimize the context menu items if you feel like to, but the default settings are pretty handy.
After doing this Apply and Ok.
What you just did is enabling 7zip options every time you right-click on a file using windows normal windows. Now you can compress and uncompress filetypes using this.
For example you can right-click an xxxx.rar file, select 7-Zip > Extract Here.
How do I compress?
This process is very similar, opening 7zip and clicking on the Add button should do it.
Here we have several options: format, compression lvl, volumes, password and others.
Remember that 7zip is one of the most capable compresion methods, higher compression rate than WINRAR or WINZIP, so you should take advantage selecting it as the Archieve Format. Otherwise you can select one of the other Archieve Formats available.
The most important thing is that you learn about compression level. The higher you choose the slower the compression will take, Ultra is the method that has the higher ratio, while Store simply saves the files on a single file, no compression will take place.
Splitting to Volumes is hadfull when it comes to great Files, for example CDs or DVDs. So if a File or Folder sizes 1 GB, and you want to save it on CDs you can split the file in two, in that case you will have to choose a volume of "700M". Or write your own number.
The other options are pretty obvious so you can just figure them out if you need to.
Remember that you can use the context menu items for compression also. Right-Click > 7-Zip > Add to Archieve...
You can also drag and drop items from 7-zip to other windows or viceversa, experiment with it.
