WinRAR alternative

Discussion in 'Software' started by Earthling, Dec 14, 2013.

  1. Earthling

    Earthling Interplanetary Geek

    For file backups, and in terms of functionality WinRAR is hard to beat but in terms of usability it could do with a complete makeover. I have a fresh Win 8 install and before I stump up for another WinRAR licence do any of you have recommendations for an alternative? I'm not at all bothered about having multiple compression formats as all I need is the ability to create and run to schedule multiple backup profiles in either RAR or ZIP format.
     
  2. mzxrules

    mzxrules Private E-2

    I'd take a look at 7-zip. It's open source, free.
     
  3. Earthling

    Earthling Interplanetary Geek

    I have 7-Zip but unless I'm missing something it doesn't do either backup profiles or scheduling - it's useful but no threat to WinRAR. I don't mind paying for the right program, backup is too important for that.
     
  4. rustysavage

    rustysavage Sergeant Major

    I'm not exactly clear what you mean by that last sentence. Are you saying you want an archiver that is itself intenally capable of creating backup jobs and then scheduling them to run; sort of an archiver/backup program rolled into one (like WinZip)? If that's what you're asking then just disregard the rest of this post because I don't know of any archiver that does that outside of WinZip. Does WinRAR do scheduled backups? I'm using an old version (v3.7) and it's not capable of scheduled backups.

    I doubt it, but If instead you're just looking for an archiver that handles both zip and rar, and that is capable of creating multi-volume backup sets for archiving GBs of files, then my rec is IZArc

    Homepage: http://www.izarc.org/

    IZArc supports the following archive file type:


    7-ZIP, A, ACE, ARC, ARJ, B64, BH, BZ2, BZA, CAB, CPIO, DEB, ENC, GCA, GZ, GZA, HA, JAR, LHA, LIB, LZH, MBF, MIM, PAK, PK3, RAR, RPM, TAR, TAZ, TBZ, TGZ, TZ, UUE, WAR, XXE, YZ1, Z, ZIP, ZOO

    Features of IZArc:

    · Create an archive
    · Add files to an existing archive
    · Delete files from an existing archive
    · Extract files from an existing archive
    · Test an archive file
    · Convert archive
    · Convert CD Images
    · Repair broken archive
    · Searching for any files in many archives
    · Favorite Folders
    · Obtaining a detailed list of files and information like compression rate, path, or size from an archive file
    · Supports both long and short 8.3 filenames
    · Disk spanning from and to multiple diskettes or other removable media
    · Implementing the possibility to sort the list items by name size, date and etc.
    · Full Drag & Drop support
    · CD/DVD Images support (ISO, BIN, MDF, NRG, IMG, C2D, PDI, CDI)
    · Integrating in Windows Explorer context menu
    · Automatic installation of most software distributed in archive files
    · Add / View comments in an archive
    · By double-clicking onto a file in the file list, it's opened with the program associated to this file type
    · CheckOut feature
    · Create a self-extracting archive
    · E-mail an archive
    · Checking for new updates
    · Build-in multilanguage support
    · Virus Scan feature
    · UU/XX/MIME Encode/Decode
    · Create Multi-Volume Set
    · Merge Multi-Volume Set
    · UnSFX (Convert self-extracting (SFX) .EXE files to standard archives)
    · Encrypt files using Rijandael - AES (256-bits) encryption (WinZip 9 compatible)
    · Decrypt (.ize) files

    Note: It's fully functional freeware but the newest version of IZArc try to install a toolbar and don't give the user an option for opting out. However if you run the installer from the command line and add the parameter /nocandy it will skip installation of that crap.
     
  5. Earthling

    Earthling Interplanetary Geek

    Thanks rusty. Maybe it's time I took a second look at at WinZIP (the last was about ten years ago and it was a bit limited at that time). But yes, I need a program in which you can set up multiple backup jobs and either run them manually or schedule them to run automatically. My current version of WinRAR is 4.11 and you are right, it does not contain a scheduling facility though it's easy enough to do that via Windows Task Scheduler. Would be better to have it built-in though. I'll take a look at IZArc too :)
     
  6. rustysavage

    rustysavage Sergeant Major

    Hey Earthling, just curious; Why don't you just use a freeware backup program that backs up to ZIP and/or RAR? There's a bunch of good ones that don't take up much disk space.
     
  7. Earthling

    Earthling Interplanetary Geek

    If you can name one that allows you to define several different backup profiles/tasks and schedule each to run automatically I'll be only too happy. With WinRAR I just don't even have to think about my file backups, they all run without attendance.
     
  8. rustysavage

    rustysavage Sergeant Major

    Cobian Backup

    http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/cobian_backup.html

    You can create an infinite number of tasks and run each on a different schedule. You can set it to run as a service and never have to mess with it. It uses VSS, compresses to either zip or 7z, allows solid archiving, zip splitting (any size you choose), encryption, drag and drop creation of tasks, lots of other nice stuff. I used to use it before I purchased a backup program that also does disk imaging. But I was really happy with Cobian while I used it. Hope it's suits your needs.
     
  9. Earthling

    Earthling Interplanetary Geek

    Cobian sounds good, I'll try it. I have Acronis too and use it for imaging roughly every two weeks but I never use it for file backups - don't want my data backups put into a proprietary format.
     
  10. rustysavage

    rustysavage Sergeant Major

    Yea, I know what you mean. Those proprietary formats make me nervous. Not even a chance of fixing a corrupt TrueImage backup or even salvaging files the way you can with RAR files, and to a lesser extent ZIP files.
     
  11. Earthling

    Earthling Interplanetary Geek

    Cobian isn't compatible with Win 8 pro - errors on install. Seems the program is for up to Win 7 but is no longer being developed. Even the user forum has been closed. Pity as it did sound suitable.

    Looks like another WinRAR licence :(
     
  12. rustysavage

    rustysavage Sergeant Major

    Bummer, sorry to hear that. One of my weaknesses is that I'm addicted to freeware and therefore always trying out new apps. If I come across a good backup program for Windows 8 I'll give you a shout. BTW, how do you use WinRAR to do your automated backups... Task Scheduler + batch files?
     
  13. Earthling

    Earthling Interplanetary Geek

    Add "-cpProfileName" to the program path, as in the pic. The quotes are only necessary where the string contains spaces.
     

    Attached Files:

  14. rustysavage

    rustysavage Sergeant Major

    Good to know. Thanks
     
  15. Major Attitude

    Major Attitude Co-Owner MajorGeeks.Com Staff Member

  16. rustysavage

    rustysavage Sergeant Major

    You should get that looked at by a doctor ;)

    We covered IZarc (one of my favorite programs) a bit earlier in the thread. I just uninstalled that F#*?ing bloated piece of s*** Acronis TrueImage and reinstalled Cobian Backup. If it weren't for Cobian then absolutely I'd go with IZArc.
     
  17. Earthling

    Earthling Interplanetary Geek

    I did install IZArc but it didn't meet either of my needs. But it also installed Speed Maximiser without giving me any say at all. That's just not on.

     
  18. rustysavage

    rustysavage Sergeant Major

    I told you to use the /nocandy switch when you installed IZArc. I know, I know.... nobody ever reads an entire post from me because I just don't know when to shut up. Anyways, sorry you had to deal with that unwanted toolbar, and for nothing. If you're going to put up coin for a new app you might want to try out the new WinZip as it is now fully capable of doing backups, although I don't know if it has an internal scheduling feature (I'm using an older version of WinZip). Sounds like you can handle Windows Task Scheduler so that shouldn't deter you. But the superior compression of WinRAR along with it's ability to repair archives internally probably makes WinRAR a better choice.

    Do you see what I mean, I just keep typing. Let me know what you decide to do.
     
  19. Major Attitude

    Major Attitude Co-Owner MajorGeeks.Com Staff Member

    Yes, we covered it. Someone linked out for it.

     
  20. Earthling

    Earthling Interplanetary Geek

    Yeah, sorry about that. I can see that now :-o

    But just had a pleasant surprise re WinRAR. I clicked on my downloaded key from last time I purchased it (for Win 7) and instead of just opening the file so I could read it it actually registered my Win 8 copy. After that I may as well continue to use it though I still find the UI a pig to use.

    Thanks for all the suggestions :)
     
  21. rustysavage

    rustysavage Sergeant Major

    YES, score one for the Earthling :boxing

    I'm glad we had this discussion because the more I think about it the more I remember how good of an archiver WinRAR is. I can just write some batch files and launch them on a schedule.
     
  22. rustysavage

    rustysavage Sergeant Major

    Excuse my ignorance but I don't know what that means. Did I do something wrong? :confused
     
  23. LauraR

    LauraR MajorGeeks Super-Duper Administrator Staff Member

    Hi rusysavage...one of rules is link to the Major Geeks download wherever possible...even over the author's site. MA was saying that we have the download and was linking to it.
     
  24. rustysavage

    rustysavage Sergeant Major

    Got it. Thanks :)
     

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