BleepingComputer.com: Data Compression Software.

Hi guys,

I was wondering as to which is the best data compression software. I currently use winrar, but I am not too familiar with its advanced features. I had a look at various softwares for compressing data and the list runs a long way. I am looking for the one in which I can get great amount of compression. When I try to compress huge files like say a game (about 6 gb), winrar compresses it to about 3 gb.. thats a lot of compression, but the same does not hold true for smaller amount of data say 50mb, there seems to be hardly any compression even when set on the best compression mode.

I have also come across a file (it was a mini image of a game) whose actual size was over 1 GB, it was an image file by the way upon extraction, but the most amazing thing was this iso was compressed to 980 KB using winrar, I was just stunned by the compression level. Obviously there must be some way to do this in winrar, otherwise that image would not have resulted in such small amount of compression. The user who posted this had not stated how he/she did it.

I presume you are all getting my point. Is there any way to compress data even more that I am not familiar with. Can someone be kind enough to shed some light on this matter.

Cheers

Shawn

Data compression is a somewhat complicated issue, but I can shed a little light on the subject. There is a limit on how far a file can be compressed and still contain it's information. Some file formats, such as .mp3 and .jpg, are already compressed and as such they won't compress much more when using winrar. Other file formats, such and Word files and .bmp, don't have much compression and therefore will show good compression with winrar. What I'm trying to say is that the amount of compression that can be achieved depends on the file formats you're working with and what the file actually contains. Other compression software probably won't show any great improvement over winrar.

How File Compression Works

This post has been edited by Budapest: 15 February 2007 - 04:45 AM

Hey even i came across one such file on the net.It was a windows vista beta edition (longhorn) compressed insanely to 1.5mb in .rar format!!!!on full extraction the was well over 750mb and working perfect.can anyone shed some light on such mind-boggling levels of compression???