How to collect files into an archive. How to merge rar archives? Self-extracting multi-volume archive

Using the program WinRAR. Let's now look at two more features of this program - archiving a file in parts, and creating a self-extracting archive.

Archiving a file in parts

If the file is large and it is impossible to transfer it due to size limitations of mail or a file hosting service, then you can split it into parts, more precisely, into several archives, and transfer these archives.

In the WinRAR program you can do archiving in parts. Let's do this now.

To archive files you will need WinRAR archiver installed. If you don’t have it, you can download the archiver from the link at the beginning of the article.

In the window My computer , or in the program Total Commander , right-click on the file that you want to archive in parts, and select the item in the context menu WinRAR - Add to archive . If you have an English version of the archiver, then you need to select Add to archive .

A window appears Archive name and parameters , in which you open the tab General, if it is not already open by default. In the English version of the archiver this tab is called General .

At the bottom, find the window under the item. In the English version the inscription will be Split to volumes, bytes .

In this window, enter the size of the parts into which your file will be divided.

For example, if you have a file of 6GB in size, and you need to split it into archives of 600 MB each, that is, 10 archives, then enter the number 629145600 in the box, since 600 MB is equal to exactly this number of bytes: 1 MB is equal to 1024 KB, and 1KB is equal to 1024 bytes.

Now press the button OK. That's all, the file is archived and will be placed in several archives. The names of these archives will be the same as the name of the source file, with the addition of a dot ending: .part1, .part2, .part3 and so on.

You can safely transfer these archives, or keep them for yourself.

Combining them into one file is also very simple. Place all these archives in one folder, and unzip any of them. You don't need to unzip them all, just one is enough. All the parts will then come together, and you will have a complete file.

Self-extracting archive

You've probably seen some archives that you could double-click on to automatically unarchive them? There is no need to right-click and look for unzipping items. You don’t even need to have the program itself - an archiver for unpacking. Everything is inside such an archive.

The self-extracting archive has the extension exe. To extract such an archive, you double-click on it with the left mouse button, and in the window that appears, select the location where this archive will be unpacked.

If the destination folder is left as default, the archive will be unpacked into the same folder where it is located, which is very convenient.

Now let's figure out how to create such an archive. It's very simple. In a folder My computer , or in the program Total Commander, right-click on the file or folder that you want to archive, and then select WinRAR - Add to archive .

Naturally, you must have WinRAR installed. Next, put a tick next to the item Create SFX archive , and press OK .

The abbreviation SFX stands for self-extracting, and is translated from English as self-extracting .

Upon completion of archiving, you receive this archive in the same folder where the original file or folder is located.

Self-extracting archive in parts

You can also archive the file in parts so that the first archive is self-extracting. This can be easily done by combining the method of archiving a file in parts with the method of creating a self-extracting archive.

Right-click on the file and select WinRAR - Add to archive , and in the window at point Divide into volumes of size (in bytes) specify the size of the archives. And on the right side, put a tick in front of the item Create SFX archive . Next click OK .

The self-extracting archive will be ready in parts.

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Archives, broken into parts, we encounter all the time today, and sometimes they lead to confusion. inexperienced users. However, the process of merging files will not be a problem for you if you have special programs at hand.

You will need

• PC with Winrar or 7-zip installed, multi-volume archive.

Instructions

If WinRar is installed on your computer, then you can use the most popular program to solve such problems. To do this, place all parts of the archive in one folder, select the first one and right-click on it. Then select extract to current folder from the menu. After this, WinRar will determine that all parts of the archive form one whole and will assemble it automatically.

It happens that a multi-volume archive is damaged and cannot be collected. In this case, you can also use the help of the Winrar program and try to restore it. To do this, run this program and find the damaged file. Select it and click the “Fix” button in the top panel; you can also recognize it by the image of the first aid kit. After this, WinRar will begin to repair the file, and if the damage is not too severe, it will succeed.

There are alternative programs for solving such problems - one of the most popular is 7-zip. It is free, and working with it will differ little from the previous example. In order to collect the archive, place all the files in one folder, as is the case with WinRar. Then select the first file and right-click. A context menu will appear - select 7-zip in it, then “Unpack here”, after which the archive will begin merging.

When working with multi-volume archives, you should not make mistakes common to novice users. First of all, before the process of merging files, check whether all parts are present. A distinctive feature of the last part is that its size will always be smaller than the size of the remaining archives. Using this feature, you can easily determine whether you have all the volumes. Also, if after unpacking you encounter a file with an iso extension, you should not unpack it, despite the fact that it looks like an archive - this is a special file that can be opened using programs that work with disk images.

Tip added March 4, 2012 Tip 2: How to merge or split a file Certain large files are quite problematic to write to some media. In addition, when sending data via email or transferring them using file-sharing resources, users are often faced with file size limitations.

You will need

• 7-zip.

Instructions

This problem can be solved with the help of archiving programs. The easiest way is to simply pack the required data into an archive using the maximum compression mode. Unfortunately, some file types are difficult to compress. If you encounter this situation, split the file into several elements.

If you need to split a group of files, copy them to separate folder. This will save you from having to process each file individually. Install the 7-zip program by downloading it from the official developer website.

Right-click on the directory in which the files to be archived are located. Hover over the 7-zip field and select “Add to archive.” Enter the name of the future archive in the first field.

Select the file compression level. When dividing a folder into elements, you can use the “No compression” technology. Find the "Split into volumes" field. Set the maximum size of each element yourself. Its choice depends on the purpose of dividing files into fragments. Please note that the size is specified in bytes, i.e. for installation maximum size in 50 MB you need to enter the number 50000.

After preparing the parameters, click Ok. Wait until the required number of archives are created. To connect all the parts into a single whole, use the same program.

Right-click on the first fragment of the archive. Go to the 7-zip submenu and select "Extract files". In the new window, specify the directory into which this archive will be unpacked. Click Ok.

It is worth noting that you can work with files without first extracting them. To do this, go to the content of the first element and open required file. The program will automatically connect the necessary fragments and provide you with access to the selected information.

How to merge or split a file - printable version

Some archivers, for example WinRAR, allow you to create multi-volume archives, which, for example, make it possible to download the archive in parts. If a volume is damaged, you will need to re-download only this volume, and not all volumes of the archive (in addition, if recovery information is added to the archive, WinRAR sometimes allows you to fix damaged or even completely missing volumes of a multi-volume archive). Archivers that support multi-volume archives allow you to specify the desired size of volumes, so you can create volumes suitable in size for removable drives or the requirements of specific programs/sites. For example, you can create an archive with volumes the size of a CD/DVD, or in the automatic detection volume sizes, archive directly onto removable media (for example, flash drives), so that when space on one media runs out, archiving continues on another until a complete archive is created. Another example of the use of multi-volume archives is associated with sending data over the Internet, for example, by e-mail. It often happens that mail server allows you to attach several files to a letter, but the size of each file should not exceed a certain size. In this case, a multi-volume archive will come to the rescue. A multi-volume archive is an archive computer programs and data, consisting of several parts (volumes), i.e. from several separate files. But, consisting of several files, such an archive is still a single archive, simply cut into several parts. Unlike simply several independent archives, there is an internal relationship between the parts of a multi-volume archive, allowing archivists to work with several files as if they were a single archive. You can successfully unzip a multi-volume archive only if you have all its parts, and it is highly desirable that these parts are in the same place (in the same folder); if at least one part is missing, the archiver will perceive the archive as damaged (under-downloaded). The main reason for all the problems that arise for users who are faced with a multi-volume archive for the first time is due to the fact that most beginners simply do not understand that they are dealing with something - something new to them, and it’s easier for them to think that this is a very ordinary archive that they have been able to work with for a long time. And their initial confusion very quickly gives way to indignation that for some reason something still doesn’t work. And they begin to search for the culprit... How to distinguish a multi-volume archive from several ordinary ones?
▪ in the Twinpix library - visually, by the color coloring of the file type (extension) (Windows with default extension settings does not show: Control Panel -> Folder Options -> View -> Hide extensions for registered file types. By unchecking the checkbox for this option, you can make file extensions visible). So, in the information message RAR format file (PART01) with a size of 100.00 MB, the text RAR is green, and PART01 is magenta (fuchsia, magenta):

▪ visually, by file name. All parts of one multi-volume archive created by the archiver always have similar file names. A distinctive feature of a multi-volume RAR archive is the presence of the .partNNN suffix in file names, where NNN is serial number volumes This number can be seen at the top of the information window if you call it with the WinRAR “Show information” command on the archive volume; the number may be useful if files with volumes are renamed for some reason and you have to restore their numbering manually;
▪ by logical conclusions. If the user clearly indicates that he has posted parts of the archive, he must be believed.
▪ by mathematical calculations. If you open the first part (.part001) of a multi-volume archive in WinRAR and look at the “Information” about the archive, then “Size in archive:” will be larger than the size this file, and will be equal to the total size of all parts (files) of the archive. Unpacking a multi-volume archive:
▪ Install and configure WinRAR (so that when you right-click on the archive, the context menu that appears contains the items “Extract files” or “Extract to current folder”). If, when installing the WinRAR program, the context menu was not configured, then you will have to open the archive in the WinRAR program and select the “Extract to specified folder” option in the “Commands” menu.
▪ Download all parts (volumes) of the archive separately.
▪ In the root directory system disk(usually this is drive C:) create a folder with an arbitrary short (no more than 8 characters) name containing only Latin letters (case does not matter) and numbers, for example, ARCHIV.
▪ Place all parts of the archive in this folder.
▪ Check that there is enough information on the disk free space for the unpacked archive.
▪ Unpacking the archive with preliminary renaming of parts of the archive. If there are many volumes (more than a dozen), then I recommend first renaming all the files so that their names match the XXX.rar pattern, where XXX is the volume number in the archive. Manual renaming is not so much a tedious task as it is tedious, but believe me, “Paris is worth a mass.” After renaming, the folder should contain files named 001.rar, 002.rar, ... (or 1.rar, 2.rar, ..., or 01.rar, 02.rar, ...). To batch rename files, you can use any suitable program, for example, the corresponding function of any file manager. Unpacking the first volume will automatically unpack the entire archive. If you are friends with Total Commander, then all preparatory operations will take very little time.
▪ Unpacking an archive without first renaming the files. Start unpacking from volume 1 using the steps context menu“Extract files” or “Extract to current folder”, or by opening the archive in WinRAR and in the “Commands” menu selecting the “Extract to specified folder” option. When the archiver asks for the 2nd part of the archive, also known as the 2nd volume (this is how the unpacker’s information message “Insert disk part2” should be understood), specify the desired file using the “Browse” button. Next, follow the instructions of the unpacker; Ignore discrepancies in file names - required by the unpacker and actual ones: only the correct order in which the volumes are unpacked is important. The most important thing at this stage is not to mix up the volumes. For correctly named volumes, the “Browse” button will not be needed: unpacking the first volume will automatically unpack the entire archive. P.S. Keep in mind that the number of archive volumes depends on the total volume of files being archived and on the packer settings and is not directly related to the number of files being archived. In other words, the number of files obtained after unpacking the archive extremely rarely (and then by chance) coincides with the number of parts of the archive. Good luck! You will succeed!

File compression when using archivers is usually used to reduce file size. But sometimes even this procedure is not enough to achieve the required minimum size of the resulting archive. To solve this problem, it is recommended to divide the archive into several parts. Why is this compression used? For example, this must be done in cases where you need to send a large archive by email or place it on several external media. Using an archiver, you can divide a file into equal parts of a specified size, or you can configure the process of automatically splitting the archive. This method is very convenient to use when backup with accommodation backup copies data on multiple media. As soon as the space on one of them runs out, the next parts of the archive will automatically be recorded on the next storage medium. An archive divided into several parts is called multi-volume.

How to create a multi-volume archive

There are many programs that can be used to split an archive into several parts. Here we will look at two commonly used methods for creating multi-volume archives - using WinRar archiver and using the Total Commander program.

How to split an archive using WinRar

The WinRar archiver is installed on most computers. Creating a multi-volume archive using this tool is not difficult.

At the end of the splitting process, all parts of the archive will appear in the specified location. In this way, you can split not only a newly created archive, but also an existing one.

How to split an archive using Total Commander

The multifunctional tool Total Commander can be used, among other things, to create multi-volume archives. It's very easy to do.

How to unpack a multi-volume archive

Beginner users are sometimes lost when they see a multi-volume archive with many files. The question arises, how to open it? Which file to open first and which program to do it with? In fact, unpacking an archive consisting of several parts is even easier than packing it.

In order for the process of opening a multi-volume file to be successful, all the files of the multi-volume archive must be present in the folder. After the file is unpacked and saved, it is recommended to delete all archive elements.

Self-extracting multi-volume archive

If you are not sure that the person who will use your multi-volume archive has the necessary tools or the required level of training to easily assemble this archive and unpack it, it is recommended to use a self-extracting multi-volume archive. This can be done using the same WinRar program.
To create such an archive, you should perform the same manipulations as to create a regular multi-volume archive, but in the “Archiving Options” block, select the “Create SFX archive” option.

After clicking the “OK” button, you will receive an archive divided into several files, one of which has the exe extension. It is this file that should be opened when unpacking such an archive. To do this, just double-click on it with the mouse. If you send someone such a self-extracting multi-volume archive, do not forget that to open it you will need all parts of the archive, and not just the part with the exe extension.

Please note that a self-extracting archive can be opened without using special programs, while creating an archive requires the use of special archivers.

In conclusion, a little information about another type of archives, which is called a “continuous archive”. This archiving method is not used often, but at the same time, it can be useful in certain circumstances. For example, this type of data archiving is used if the computer has a large number of small files of the same type.

The contents of this archive are considered as a continuous data stream. When packing each file included in the archive, the archiver uses information from the previous file. The smaller the files included in the archive, and the more there are, the higher the compression ratio. Of course, if the files are similar in structure. A properly formed continuous archive can be several times smaller in size than a regular archive.

Multi-volume archives can also be continuous. To create a continuous archive, open WinRar program and go to the folder with the files that you want to enclose in one continuous archive. Select all files with the mouse and click the “Add” button.

In the window that opens, select the necessary conditions and in the “Archiving Options” block, select the “Create a continuous archive” option. After clicking the “OK” button, the archive will be created.

It should be noted that continuous archive has its disadvantages. If one of the files included in the archive is damaged, it will be impossible to open all the files following it. If you need to unpack one of the archive files, it will take much more time than with regular archives. The fact is that in this case you have to unpack all the files preceding the one you need. Therefore, adding, deleting, or modifying files in a continuous archive is not recommended. The further the archive file is from the beginning of the archive, the more time will be spent on unpacking it, since the archiver has to analyze all the archive files in front of it.

When archiving files using WinRAR, you can change several options for creating an archive, including splitting it into parts. Let's show it with an example.

Select any files on your computer, right-click on them and click on “ Add to archive...", as shown in the screenshot below.

A window with archiving parameters settings should open in front of you. In its lower left area, find the inscription “ Divide into volumes of size».

Here you can choose what size parts your archive will be divided into. You can enter your number and select a unit of measurement (byte, kilobyte, megabyte or gigabyte), or select one of the most popular values ​​from the drop-down window - 5 MB, 100 MB, 700 MB, etc.

For example, we will choose 5 MB. To start archiving with division, click “ OK».

In the folder next to the original files, if you did not change the folder to save this archive in the archiving options, parts of your split archive will appear.

All volumes will be of the selected size except the last one - there will be so much left. For example, if the whole archive “weighs” 17 MB, then it can be divided into 4 parts, choosing the size of each 5 MB. In this case, the latter will be 2 MB in size (17-5-5-5=2).