[How To]: Send To>UPX Compression for EXEs

[prathapml]

the term slower does not make justice on nowdays computer

If you are referring to today's multi-GHz speed monsters, let me point you in the direction of today's 120,160,200 GB hard-disks, and DVD-writers

And also see the 2nd point I'd said in prev. post above - that will tell you that from a uA setup CD stand-point (where you want more space on CD), UPX is not useful.

[SiMoNsAyS]

@prathapml, i'm not going to start a discussion... but... ... it is too useful for me and a simple example:

administrative installation point of acrobat reader7, AcroRd32.dll...

NON-UPX: 8,68 MB (9.109.504 bytes)

UPX: 3,16 MB (3.314.688 bytes)

after your exe files are upx-compressed the size will be nearly similar to rar compressed and now you can run the installation from your cd with a slowdown of 1sec (i haven't found any slow but maybe on old computers...)

[RyanVM]

I found that UPX compression of EXEs isn't really any better than LZX-compressed CAB files or maximum compression 7zip archiving. I personally use UPX to compress the 7zip SFX file and that's it.

[Astalavista]

what about winrar sfx files , can i also use upx?

[SiMoNsAyS]

@RyanVM i suppose in that case you just simply don't need it

@Astalavista they are already compressed B)

[prathapml]

I agree with ryan.

Do your RARing/7ziping, and *THEN* try a UPX on the resulting file. If you see a space-saving, well and good, put the new UPX'ed file on your CD. Otherwise, just stay on with the RAR/7zip itself.

[jdoe]

I use UPX for PE for a while now and I agree with prathapml and RyanVM.

For getting SFX smaller or few EXE's it's very great but I would not recommand using it on every DLL or EXE. Performance are getting weak and it can be very significant when you need speed or repeating call of a program.

Last point, the -force switch is not a good idea. If the EXE or DLL is not recognize as good by UPX then it's not a good idea to force UPX to compress it. The result can lead to a not working program.

Conclusion... if you don't have problem with disk spaces, don't use it.

[totoymola]

what about winrar sfx files , can i also use upx?

No. If you try to compress it with UPX, you will not be able to use it.

[prathapml]

@prathapml, i'm not going to start a discussion... but... ... it is too useful for me and a simple example:

administrative installation point of acrobat reader7,  AcroRd32.dll...

NON-UPX: 8,68 MB (9.109.504 bytes)

UPX: 3,16 MB (3.314.688 bytes)

after your exe files are upx-compressed the size will be nearly similar to rar compressed and now you can run the installation from your cd with a slowdown of 1sec (i haven't found any slow but maybe on old computers...)

@SiMoNsAyS

eh... but discussion is what we're here for!

What I mean to say is this:

Let's say you RAR-SFX the *ENTIRE* AIP for acro-read7. It will end up being X MB.

Let's say you UPX AcroRd32.dll, and then RAR-SFX the AIP. You will see size of archive is (X+Y) MB (that is, it is bigger this time after using UPX). That's why I say UPX is no use if you will anyway RAR a file.

On the other hand, take a properly made (non-UPX'ed files inside) RAR-SFX, and try UPXing it. If the final result saves atleast 500 KB, then I'd say its useful. If it doesn't save 500 KB (or if it increases space used ), then its not really that much beneficial....

Of course, I don't mean to say that UPX or your idea is bad... I'm simply telling the situation in which it won't be useful. In most other cases, UPX is pretty good.

[XPero]

@SiMoNsAyS

eh...  but discussion is what we're here for!

"Discussion" is a kind of "false friend" for Spanish speakers: Discussion--->Discusión (usually used with the meaning of "Argue")

Btw, very good job with this SiMoNsAyS

[SiMoNsAyS]

well let leave the thing like this: if you find it useful then use it

for me it is, i've applied this method to my installers and some compressed programs always succesful

[totoymola]

                    Ultimate Packer for eXecutables
   Copyright (C) 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004
UPX 1.25d        Markus F.X.J. Oberhumer & Laszlo Molnar        Jun 29th 2004

Usage: upx [-123456789dlthVL] [-qvfk] [-o file] [@]file..

Commands:
  -1     compress faster                   -9    compress better
  --best compress best (can be very slow for big files)
  -d     decompress                        -l    list compressed file
  -t     test compressed file              -V    display version number
  -h     give this help                    -L    display software license

Options:
  -q     be quiet                          -v    be verbose
  -oFILE write output to `FILE'
  -f     force compression of suspicious files
  --no-color, --mono, --color, --no-progress   change look

Backup options:
  -k, --backup        keep backup files
  --no-backup         no backup files [default]

Overlay options:
  --overlay=copy      copy any extra data attached to the file [default]
  --overlay=strip     strip any extra data attached to the file [dangerous]
  --overlay=skip      don't compress a file with an overlay

Options for dos/com:
  --8086              make compressed com work on any 8086

Options for dos/exe:
  --8086              make compressed exe work on any 8086
  --no-reloc          put no relocations in to the exe header

Options for dos/sys:
  --8086              make compressed sys work on any 8086

Options for djgpp2/coff:
  --coff              produce COFF output [default: EXE]

Options for watcom/le:
  --le                produce LE output [default: EXE]

Options for win32/pe & rtm32/pe:
  --compress-exports=0    do not compress the export section
  --compress-exports=1    compress the export section [default]
  --compress-icons=0      do not compress any icons
  --compress-icons=1      compress all but the first icon
  --compress-icons=2      compress all but the first icon directory [default]
  --compress-resources=0  do not compress any resources at all
  --strip-relocs=0        do not strip relocations
  --strip-relocs=1        strip relocations [default]

  file.. executables to (de)compress

This version supports: dos/exe, dos/com, dos/sys, djgpp2/coff, watcom/le,
                       win32/pe, rtm32/pe, tmt/adam, atari/tos, linux/386

UPX comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY; for details type `upx -L'.