I notice the use of WinRAR a lot around here and was wondering about the availability of a free version. At the RAR site I find only one free one listed and that is for the Pocket PC (not interesting to me). If I do a Google search, I find many sites offering a free version (strangely one was 10 KB - trash or worse). I, of course, DLed none of these. I suspect the free DLs are just that - DL is free but the version is 'trial' that quits working in 30(?) days. I currently use, and am happy with, 7-Zip, but when I saw Kels explanation of how to use WinRAR to make a self extracting installer, I was taken with its feature. I am one cheap guy and would rather not pay for the SW I use when there are good free ones (eg, 7-Zip). I do build self extracting installers with 7-Zip but it sounds like it is much much more complex than WinRAR.

Thanks, John.

WinRAR is not freeware. Either buy it or get it from "other" means

WinRAR 3.5 was given away for free a while ago, but dont think you can get it now.

technically it's nagware - it'll work after the trial, but if you open the main app window it'll ask you to please buy a license.

If you just use the menu options in explorer, there's no nag.

You can use the super duper cool looking freeware TugZip and completely forget the need for a shareware WinRAR with nag screens.

http://www.tugzip.com/

TugZip Features Overview

* Supports ZIP, 7-ZIP, A, ACE, ARC, ARJ, BH, BZ2, CAB, CPIO, DEB, GCA, GZ, IMP, JAR, LHA (LZH), LIB, RAR, RPM, SQX, TAR, TGZ, TBZ, TAZ, YZ1 and ZOO archives.

* Supports BIN, C2D, IMG, ISO and NRG disc-images.

* Support for external plugins.

* Windows® shell integration, for example drag & drop, shell context menu and drop handlers.

* Create 7-ZIP, BH, BZ2, CAB, JAR, LHA (LZH), SQX, TAR, TGZ, YZ1 and ZIP archives.

* Script support which allows you to make automated backups.

* Basic features like: add, extract, delete, rename, run, view, checkout, install, test, comment, SFX, virus-scanning, disk-spanning and much more.

* Repair corrupted ZIP and SQX archives.

* Can extract multiple archives at once using Multi Extract.

* Encrypt archives using 6 different algorithms. Blowfish (128-bit), DES (56-bit), Triple DES (168-bit) and Rijndael (128-bit, 192-bit and 256-bit).

* Create self-extracting encrypted archives.

* Automatic updates using the "Web Update" function.

Besides a good user interface and shell integration I doubt that winrar open up as many compressed file formats as tugzip.

My second choice would definitively be 7zip, really like the .7z results but as you mention it's a bit difficult to use at start.

Don't really understand why so many would like to use WinRAR in first place since it does nag people to hit the button and so many other freeware options with excellent quality exist.

Thanks much, all.

You have confirmed my conclusion that there was no really free version. I will now consider my options.

Nuno Brito, I failed to mention that I am running XP Pro x64 Edition. It looks like TugZip does not support this OS.

Thanks, again. John.

Edited August 7, 200818 yr by johnhc

The main reason Kels and I use WinRAR is because several ISPs will kick ZIP files out of emails since they are notorious for virus'. Outlook and ZIP don't like each other much.

Nuno Brito, I failed to mention that I am running XP Pro x64 Edition. It looks like TugZip does not support this OS.

Well, it does seem to work on x64 XP but I also found some report about missing the context menu:

http://www.tugzip.com/forum/index.php?topi...;prev_next=next

The above link was made in 2005, shouldn't it be fixed by now?

The main reason Kels and I use WinRAR is because several ISPs will kick ZIP files out of emails since they are notorious for virus'. Outlook and ZIP don't like each other much.

.7z is also a nice format to attach on email messages and can quickly be created from right-click menu from either tugzip or 7zip as well.

Advantage is that you'd be supporting an open format with a far more efficient compression algorithim, very cool for big sized files.

Thanks to all for your time and replies.

I think I will just stick with 7-Zip.

Enjoy, John.

IZArc is the ultimate freeware archive utility, IMO this is the best archive program i've ever used and never looked back any other archieve programs, although i do use winrar sometimes as well for specific tasks

It also comes in 64bit edition as well

http://www.izarc.org/

Edited August 8, 200818 yr by shahed26

Never tried it before but it seems good and has the plus of being supported inside x64 windows:

Beta version of the new IZArc shell extension for 64-bit Windows is ready for tests.

It can be downloaded from here: http://www.izarc.org/download/IZArcCM64.zip

See the "ReadMe.txt" file in the archive for details.

Good suggestion!