In your daily use of the PC it is usual that you need to compress or decompress files, for example, to reduce the size of a document and send it by e-mail or extract the contents of a compressed file that you have downloaded from the web. There are different programs that can help you with this task, but there is no doubt that WinZip and WinRar are among the best. However, both are paid and although WinRar offers an unlimited trial version, (with an annoying reminder of purchase) we suggest a free option like 7-Zip .
How to download and install 7-Zip
7-Zip is a free program that works with the compression formats most used today. Compress and decompress 7z, ZIP, GZIP, BZIP2 and TAR files. Uncompress only files ARJ, CAB, CHM, CPIO, DEB, DMG, HFS, ISO, LZH, LZMA, MSI, NSIS, RAR, RPM, UDF, WIM, XAR and Z.
You can download 7-Zip from CCM or from your page officer . Its installation is very simple. Just double-click on the file you downloaded and follow the instructions of the installation wizard.
How to compress a file with 7-Zip
Right click on the file to be compressed and, in the drop-down menu, select 7-Zip > Add to file :
The Add to file window appears with several options:
File format: by default it is 7z , but you can also compress in TAR, ZIP …
Compression level: it allows you to choose the level of compression.
Encryption: you can put a password so that only those who know it can decompress the file.
After choosing the compression options, click OK . A compressed file will be created in the same folder as the original file.
How to unzip a file with 7-Zip
To unzip a file, right click on the compressed file ( .ZIP or .RAR ). In the drop-down menu, select 7-Zip and click on one of these 3 options:
Extract files : allows selecting the folder where the decompressed files will be saved. Click on the button with three dots (red box) and select the folder:
Extract here : unzip the file in the same folder where the original file is located.
Extract in “file name” : create a folder with the name of the compressed file and decompress the file there:
In the case that the file has a password, enter it and that’s it.
Note : if you downloaded a program or driver ( driver ) of CCM and the file is compressed, follow the steps above to unzip it. Then double-click on the executable file to install it.