What's your favorite compression utility?

[Armitage]

I ussually use bzip2, but compressing some db backups seemed to be taking to long (and stomping the box), so I did a quick test:

Started with a 512MB chunk of a MySQL table file

zip: 1:52, 288MB, system load around 80-90%
gzip: 1:40, 288MB, system load around 80-90%
bzip2: 5:01, 234MB, system load around 95-98%

Ouch.

Just switched the script over to gzip ... we'll see how it does.

FWIW, test machine is a 3.2GHz P4, 1GB RAM, 7200RPM IDE, Red Hat Enterprise 3.0

 

[BlueWeasel]

It used to be zip, but I've wised up and now use WinRAR exclusively.

 

[43st]

It used to be winRAR, but I've wised up and now use 7zip exclusively.

 

[Drakkon]

used to be winrar now i use windows compression exclusively

 

[powerMarkymark]

I like WinRar.

 

[LouPoir]

Winrar

 

[RVN]

PowerArchiver

 

[Nothinman]

Generally bzip2, but it's too CPU intensive for some of my slower machines so on them I usually use gzip.

 

[Schadenfroh]

The freeware, opensource, bloatfree, 7-zip.


Supports all major formats: 7z, ZIP, CAB, RAR, ARJ, GZIP, BZIP2, TAR, CPIO, RPM and DEB

 

[MercenaryForHire]

WinRAR.

- M4H

 

[blurredvision]

I've always heard great things about WinRAR, but it's interface sucks IMO. Oddly enough, in all my days of general computing, I've not much had the need for a zip program.

 

[Lonyo]

WinRAR usually.
Does a much better job than Winzip and Windows Compression, haven't tried others.

 

[DaveSimmons]

FLAC

 

[Armitage]

Originally posted by: Schadenfroh
The freeware, opensource, bloatfree, 7-zip.


Supports all major formats: 7z, ZIP, CAB, RAR, ARJ, GZIP, BZIP2, TAR, CPIO, RPM and DEB

I just heard about 7-zip recently from a guy in our office. I'll have to take a look at it.

 

[Dragonbate]

I continue to use ultimate zip. The only thing it has ever choked on was a super compressed file made with 7-zip. Also easy to use, free for private use. I use version 2.7.
http://www.ultimatezip.com/

 

[blazer78]

Originally posted by: LouPoir
Winrar

 

[Rottie]

I own both WinRAR and WinZIP 9

 

[JackBurton]

Give WinAce a try. I only use WinAce and WinRAR now.

 

[BFG10K]

I use ZIP because it's seamlessly built right into XP's Explorer.

 

[racefan]

Win RAR

 

[Cerb]

WinRAR, but looking into 7zip.

 

[drag]

Originally posted by: Nothinman
Generally bzip2, but it's too CPU intensive for some of my slower machines so on them I usually use gzip.

bzip2 is great for when you have lots of small files, but on big files your not going to gain a whole lot when you take into account the cpu stuff.

tar/split/gzip ownz ju

 

[AnyMal]

WinRAR