How do I rar things up properly?

[shin_nihon_kikaku]

When I get Isos, they are always RARed up to the eyeballs and are compressed by about 50%. For example, a 500MB rar will contain files that add up to 1GB when extracted.

 

The problem is, when I right click a file and put Add to Archive (this maybe wrong), it only compresses my file(s) by about 2 MB. Is there a way to compress my files down a considerable amount so I can fit more onto my CD-Rs? I don't mind extracting multiple times if that works.

 

I would just like to do things like, rar up 2 files that add up to 750MB so I can fit them onto a 700MB CD-R.

 

Thanks

[Gryph]

Open up WinRAR and press Add. Then for compression method choose Best. I haven't done it before but it has to better than Normal.

[shin_nihon_kikaku]

Wow thanks dude, I never even saw the option to change compression method.

[shin_nihon_kikaku]

Well I tried your advise and it makes the files bigger than they originally were!!

 

I rared up a bin and cue file together that were originally 750MB, but when I compressed them (best compression), the rar file ended up being 800MB!

 

What the hell is going on?! Thanks

[Agozer]

I suggest that you don't use the tightest compression method for ISO and other CD image files, because it can (and in your case, did) have reverse effects.

 

Besides, compressing with Best takes forever and the same with decompressing. I just use Normal or Good; mostly Normal.

[Sane]

It all depends on the files you want to compress. Console game iso's like PSX and Dreamcast will compress a lot because those discs usually contain a lot of uncompressed or useless data (like the dummy files in DC games). PC games however or avi files will not compress ar all, or maybe a few mb at best because this data is already efficiently compressed. PC games are only rared up to make for easy distribution over internet, that's why they make split archives.

[Weirdy]

double you tee eff? which winrar are you running? I memmer being able to compress Biohazard.bin (700mb) with Biohazard.cue (1kb) into a best compression rar file that was only 500mbs big

[Agozer]

Just to be on the safe side, always use the latest verion of WinRAR.

 

http://www.rarsoft.com

 

EDIT: Borked grammar.

Edited September 20, 2004 by Agozer

[Weirdy]

Justto be on the safe side, alawys use the latest verion of WinRAR

 

http://www.rarsoft.com

exactly. I don't think I've ever had reverse affects cause winrar is just one of those programs that needs to be updated

 

btw, it now has 7zip support, so there's another program you can ditch