WinRAR 5.70 Review

[jasonX]

WinRAR WIZARD

The WinRAR Wizard was designed for novices and allows the performance of basic compression and decompression operations using the simple "step-by-step procedure". The WinRAR "Wizard" can be executed via toolbar button > Wizard or Tools > Wizard. The "wizard" dialog box consists of options to: (i) Unpack an archive, (ii) Create a new archive, and (iii) Add files to already existing archive.


Unpack an archive
"Unpack an archive" is to "extract contents of an existing archive". Selecting this will unpack/decompress or extract the contents of any archive. Click "Browse" button, locate the target archive (for content extraction). Set the "destination" for unpacked files (contents of target archive). Click "Finish" to execute extraction of contents to set destination.  

See images below. 
 

Create a new archive
Selecting this will allows the user to create a "new archive". After option selection, user it prompted to enter a "name" for the new archive. Next step is to "add files/folders" and then user is prompted to enter a "destination" where the new archive will be created. Archiving options are presented / given to the user If user needs to set additional options for the new archive to be created, the "archiving options" are presented. Click "Finish" to execute creation of new archive. 

 

Create a new archive (SFX archive)
To create a new archive which has a self-extracting module (create a self-extracting archive) the procedure is the same as mentioned above but the option to "Create self-extracting (.exe) archive" should be enabled (checkbox should be "checked"). Click "Finish" to execute creation of new self-extracting archive (SFX archive). 

 

Add files to already existing archive
"Add files to already existing archive" option, user will be prompted to "Select files to add" and add it to the existing target archive. User will be prompted to locate (target existing archive). Additional archiving options (such as password protection) can be set via the "Wizard: Archiving options". Click "Finish" to execute adding files to an existing archive. 

 

INFO / SHOW INFORMATION OF AN ARCHIVE

The "Info" button is the "show information" command and can also be accessed via the Main menu > Tools > Show Information, or via the "Info" button in the toolbar of WinRAR window. 

In WinRAR shell "file management mode" the "Info" button or 'Show information" about contents of selected files/folders -- (1) total size, (2) number of files/subfolders, and (3) number of archives.
 

In the archive management mode, when "Show information" is accessed, WinRAR will display the following information about the archive: (a) archive name (in the dialog title), (b) archive type (solid, SFX, volume) and format (RAR, ZIP, CAB, ARJ, LZH, etc.). All these parameters are combined in the single string displayed at the top of the dialog. This is when a single archive is selected. See images below. 

 

Images below are for "Show Information" for one or more archives. 
 

 

VirusScan

Although you’re main security setup should be configured to scan all files to be safe. There are instances that you may need to scan within WinRAR shell “archive management mode". To scan an archive for viruses user can either click "VirusScan" via the toolbar button of WinRAR window or via "Tools > Scan archive for viruses". A dialog box will appear with the following options:

Virus scanners found by WinRAR
List of antivirus software installed on a computer and identified by WinRAR. If this list contains several virus scanners, user may choose according to his preference. If the list contains only "User defined" item, it means that WinRAR could not find any antivirus software and user needs to specify a scanner name and parameters manually.

Virus scanner name
Name of virus scanner executable. User needs to modify this field only if WinRAR cannot find antivirus software installed on the user's computer and "Virus scanners found by WinRAR" list contains only "User defined" item. In such case user needs to press "Browse" button and locate a virus scanner .exe file, which will be called by WinRAR to check unpacked files. 

Virus scanner parameters
Parameters passed to the resident (defined) virus scanner. User needs to modify this field either if WinRAR cannot find antivirus software installed on the computer or if it passes invalid parameters to virus scanner. For example, it may happen if command line syntax of antivirus program is changed in a new version. Usually virus scanners require only one parameter - the name of folder containing unpacked files. WinRAR denotes this folder as "%f". Since its name may include spaces, it is necessary to enclose it in quotes, so most likely you need to place "%f" string to this field. Though, some scanners may require additional options, which can be found in their documentation.

If user uses only one antivirus and do not need to modify its parameters every time, he may skip the virus scanner selection dialog by turning "Propose to select virus scanner" option in Security settings off. 
 

REPAIR AN ARCHIVE

If WinRAR considers an archive/selected files as corrupt it will attempt to repair them. The "Repair" command can be accessed via “Tools > Repair archive" or via toolbar button > "Repair".  

WinRAR is able to repair only RAR and ZIP archives. WinRAR tries to detect the type of the archive automatically using archive data and extension, but user also may set an archive type manually. The source archive is not changed and result of operation is stored into a new archive, which is named "fixed.arcname.rar" or "rebuilt.arcname.rar", where 'arcname' is the original archive name. Success of "Repair" operation depends on the archive type and type and size of damaged area. Chance of successful RAR archive repair is significantly higher if it has the recovery record. If archive does not contain the recovery record, chances are lower for solid archives and no repair is possible for archives with encrypted file names. See images below. 

 

PASSWORD ENCRYPTION (WinRAR 5.7x -- WinRAR 5.70/5.71)

In WinRAR both "RAR and "ZIP formats support encryption. To encrypt files user needs to specify a password before archiving or directly in the "Archive name and parameters dialog box. 

In WinRAR shell, to enter a password user may either press Ctrl+P or select the "Set default password" command in File menu or click on the small icon of a key in the bottom left corner of the WinRAR window. To enter a password in Archive name and parameters dialog press "Set password" button in "Advanced" set of options.
 

RAR format allows to encrypt not only file data, but also other sensitive archive areas: file names, sizes, attributes, comments and other blocks, thus having a higher security level. To avail of this feature the "Encrypt file names" option must be selected. See "Encrypt File Names" below. 

User must not forget to remove an entered password, when it is no longer needed, otherwise user may occasionally archive some files using the password without wanting to. To remove a password, user needs to (1) enter an "empty string" instead of a password or (2) close WinRAR and start it again. 

While a password exists, the icon of key is red, otherwise it will be yellow. Also, when user starts an archive operation using a password, title bar of "Archive name and parameters" dialog flashes twice.

If user enabled "Use for all archives" option in password dialog and entered the empty string as a password, extract and test commands will skip all encrypted files and archives. In this mode the icon of key in WinRAR status bar is not displayed.

User does not need to remove a password if he entered it directly in "Archive name and parameters" dialog. Unlike other ways such password is valid only for the single archiving operation and automatically removed after its completion.



ORGANIZE PASSWORDS (password organizer)
"Organize passwords" dialog (Enter password dialog> Organize passwords...) provides a way to save frequently used passwords and access them quickly later. It contains the list of password records stored by user. Normally password labels and archive masks are included to this list. If no label is defined/entered, the password text is displayed instead of label in "Label" column.
 

User can open "Organize passwords" from usual WinRAR password dialog (Enter password dialog> Organize passwords...). He can just press "Organize passwords..." button, where he can enter the default password or when WinRAR requests a password for encrypted file or archive.

To add a new password, user just needs to press "Add" button at the right side of the dialog so a new password record will be listed. A "Password information" dialog, will appear where he can specify the password text, label and archive mask. 

"Delete" button removes all selected password records. "Edit" button to modifies parameters of password record under the cursor in "Password information" dialog. "Move up" and "Move down" change the position of all selected passwords in the list.

See current saved passwords / labels for this review below. 
 

User can set the master password in "Organize passwords" dialog if user wants to encrypt password records and protect them from unauthorized access. See "Master Password" below. 

NOTE: 

While this password organizer feature can make working with passwords more convenient, you need to weigh security risks carefully. 

If information protected with password is sensitive and confidential, either:

(a) avoid this feature or, 

(b) use it only if your computer is protected from unauthorized access or set the master password.


"Enable autocomplete" option allows the autocomplete feature in password dialog. It is enough to enter first letters of password or password label and if this password or label is found in the list of saved password, WinRAR will propose its full text. Autocomplete feature works only if "Show password" option in password dialog is enabled. If passwords are hidden, autocomplete is disabled. If label is defined for stored password, autocomplete will work only for label and not for password text.

When all modifications of password list in "Organize passwords" dialog are done, user needs to press "OK" to save them. User will be able to access saved passwords in password dialog, either using the drop down list associated with "Enter password" field or utilizing the autocomplete feature.



Encrypt File Names
If user sets "Encrypt file names" option, WinRAR will encrypt not only file data, but all other sensitive archive areas like file names, sizes, attributes, comments and other blocks, providing higher security level. Without a password it is impossible to view even the list of files in archive encrypted with this option. 
 

NOTE: This option is available only when compressing data to RAR archive, it is not supported for ZIP format.

For ZIP files the "ZIP legacy encryption" option is available. It enables use of ZIP legacy encryption algorithm. "ZIP legacy encryption" is not strong as AES, but has better compatibility if user is using older software (archivers). If this option is turned off, ZIP archives are encrypted with AES-256, which is more secure, but can be incompatible with some older versions of unzip tools.
 

Solid RAR archives and archives with encrypted file names can have only one same password for all archived files. Files in non-solid RAR archives without name encryption and in ZIP archives can use different passwords.




Master Password
Enter the master password to encrypt password records stored in Registry and protect them from unauthorized access. All passwords stored in compression profiles are not encrypted securely and can be read by anybody having access to your computer. Thus if user prefers added security a "master password" should be set. 

User will need to enter the master password in password prompt dialog to access these records after that. Once entered, the master password is valid until WinRAR is closed. To test, user can "close/exit" WinRAR and open it again (after specifying the master password) to see how protection works. 

To remove encryption from previously protected password records user needs to enter an "empty password". Actual encryption is performed only after user hits "OK" in parent "Organize passwords" dialog and not immediately after closing this master password prompt.