How to compress files with 7-Zip

Sometimes a file be it music/word/data or other data is very large if not in addition to consuming capacity do compress hardsisk course.With settings that fit, 7-Zip compresses an unused file could very well. Anything that should be regulated? Let's follow I'll understand.

7-zip file archiver including family with the goal of making the file size much smaller than the original in order to be more easily distributed. 7-Zip, free of charge, can be obtained from the website www.7-zip.org. When an archive would like to made with 7-Zip (right-click one or multiple files, select [7-Zip] > [Add to Archive]), users will be faced with several options. What did he choose have an impact on the result of compression. If it's wrong, no compression will be maximum.

Because of that, there are a few things to know before you can create an archive file with compression is most optimal. That is, the size of the archive files that are generated are made as small as possible or technical terms is a high compression ratio.

7-zip which is used in this article is 7-Zip 4.47 Beta. The stable version is version 4.42 in General. The difference is thin. On 7-Zip 4.47 Beta there are new options i.e. [Solid Block Size] and [Number of CPU threads]. Options are [Solid Block Size] replace option [Create Solid Archive] in version 4.42. Whereas the [Number of CPU threads] replacing [Multi-threading].

To enable the [Create Solid Archive] in version 2.42, resulting in better compression. While at 4.47, simply do not choose option [Non-Solid] on [Solid Block Size].

For choice Number of CPU threads, according to manual 7-zip, if you choose 2 thread, file compression speed will increase, this option only for LZMA method.

The process of making a file compression with 7-Zip began by choosing file, then right click the file, choose [7-Zip], and click [Add to archive]. Then came the dialog boxes are property of 7-Zip.

The Archive Format

The first option is the Archive Format used to specify the format of the generated archive. The options available are: 7z (7-Zip format mainstay), BZIP2, GZIP, Tar, and ZIP. The Format commonly used on the Windows operating system is a 7z and ZIP. Since ZIP is very common and flexible (recognized by nearly all makers of archives), ZIP format is selected.

Compression Rate

Furthermore, the compression rate is determined at the Compression Level. The choice is made up of the [Store], [Fast], to [Ultra]. Option [Store] will create an archive is not compressed, just wrapped up into one package only. File size is the smallest compression results obtained by selecting [Ultra]. However, by selecting the [Ultra], the time it takes to compress the files into a long. So, if it's not outrageously in a hurry, just choose [Ultra].

The next option is the method of compression (Compression Method). For the zip format, the compression method selection consists of [Deflate], [Deflate64], and [Bzip2]. Of the three options available, delivering results [Deflate64] compression at its best.

Deflate is a method used in standard ZIP format. Deflate64 method while the size of the dictionary is 64 KB Deflate. Deflate64 weakness is the lack of flexibility. Files that are compressed with Deflate64 method can only be opened by a program that supports the Deflate64 decompression. As information, in addition to 7-Zip, Winrar also supports the Deflate64.

If file compression results were about to be distributed widely, avoid formats that are not standard. Commonly used format for distribution on the internet are zip format with Deflate method.

Word Size

According to the manual 7-Zip, word size is used to find an identical set of bytes for compression. The larger the word size, the better the ratio of its. To ZIP (Deflate64), its influence is not too much big.

Options that can be attempted is 192. Why 192? Based on experience, a greater choice of 192 results size compression gain some bytes.