7-Zip Archives

Winsage

March 16, 2025

7 forgotten Windows apps that somehow still exist

WinAmp, foobar2000, and RealPlayer were once essential media players but have seen a decline in popularity due to improvements in Windows Media Player and the rise of streaming services. Foobar2000 and RealPlayer still appeal to a niche audience. Napster, originally a peer-to-peer file sharing service, has transformed into a legitimate music streaming service after facing legal challenges. TeamSpeak, once favored in the gaming community for voice chat, has been overshadowed by Discord but remains operational with ongoing updates. Netscape Navigator was a leading web browser that declined with the rise of Internet Explorer and was discontinued in 2008, but has been reintroduced as a Chromium-based browser by AOL. WordPerfect was a dominant word processing software in the late 80s and early 90s but lost market share to Microsoft Word; it continues to exist as an office suite. WinZip, once the preferred file compression tool, has seen its relevance decline due to native ZIP support in Windows and free alternatives like 7-Zip; it is now owned by Corel. WindowBlinds, a customization tool for Windows, has been updated for Windows 11 but lacks the popularity it once had, reflecting a trend towards less customizable operating systems.

Winsage

March 8, 2025

Free Alternatives to Paid Windows Software

Windows operating systems often require third-party software for specialized tasks, with free alternatives available to replace paid options. 1. BleachBit is used for system cleaning as a free substitute for CCleaner Pro, effectively enhancing PC performance by removing unnecessary data without tampering with the Windows Registry. 2. Bulk Crap Uninstaller (BCUninstaller) is a free tool for uninstalling programs and bloatware, scanning for leftover files and simplifying the cleanup process with filtering options and color-coded listings. 3. Google Docs is preferred over Microsoft 365 for its user-friendly nature and free 15 GB storage per Gmail account, while LibreOffice is recommended as an alternative for standalone applications. 4. GIMP serves as a free substitute for Adobe Photoshop, offering essential graphic design tools without being resource-intensive. 5. Kdenlive is a free video editor that meets basic video editing needs and is compatible with lower-end PCs, providing a comprehensive suite of features and regular updates. 6. Audacity is used for audio editing, capable of handling both basic and professional tasks, with tools for noise elimination and vocal enhancement. 7. 7-Zip is a lightweight file compression and archiving tool that offers superior compression capabilities and password protection, operating unobtrusively in the background.

Winsage

February 17, 2025

7 alternatives to built-in Windows tools that will blow you away

- Process Lasso is a powerful alternative to Task Manager, offering features like dynamic CPU adjustments and SmartTrim memory management. - Notepad++ is a text editor that supports multiple programming languages, syntax highlighting, and includes macros and plugins. - 7-Zip is a file compression tool that handles various formats and allows users to split, merge, and encrypt files. - Everything is a search tool that quickly finds files and folders, scanning both names and document contents. - Audacity is a multitrack digital audio workstation for recording audio, supporting various formats and real-time effects. - Flow Launcher allows users to launch files, folders, applications, and websites without using the Start menu. - VLC Media Player plays a wide range of audio and video file formats and offers features like file conversion and live stream recording.

Tech Optimizer

February 11, 2025

Essential tips to protect your computer from malware

Malware includes various types of malicious software such as viruses, worms, Trojans, ransomware, and spyware. Email attachments and links are common methods for malware distribution, with cybercriminals often disguising malicious files as legitimate communications. Regular software updates are essential for protecting against security vulnerabilities. Pirated software frequently contains malware and poses risks to computer security. Installing antivirus and antimalware software is crucial for defense against attacks, with recommendations for programs like Windows Defender and Malwarebytes. Encrypting sensitive data can prevent unauthorized access, and maintaining cloud backups is vital for data recovery in case of ransomware attacks. Using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) is recommended when accessing the internet on public networks to protect personal information. Users should monitor their devices for suspicious activity, such as system slowdowns or unexpected pop-ups, and conduct malware scans if symptoms arise.

Winsage

December 19, 2024

I used the command prompt to convert my media files on Windows, here’s how you can too

Windows Command Prompt can be used to convert media files into various formats using FFmpeg, an open-source multimedia framework. To set up FFmpeg on a Windows system, users must download it from the official FFmpeg website, extract the files, and create a folder for FFmpeg. The path to the FFmpeg "bin" folder must then be added to the system's Environment Variables to allow global access from the Command Prompt. To convert files, users can navigate to the folder containing the media files and use specific commands: - For images: ffmpeg -i Image.OriginalFormat Image.NewFormat - For audio: ffmpeg -i Audio.OriginalFormat Audio.NewFormat - For video: ffmpeg -i Video.OriginalFormat Video.NewFormat - To extract audio from a video: ffmpeg -i Video.OriginalFormat Audio.NewFormat FFmpeg supports various formats: - Image Formats: JPG/JPEG, PNG, TIFF, BMP, GIF, WebP, ICO, PPM, PGM, PBM, TGA - Audio Formats: MP3, AAC, WAV, OGG, FLAC, AC3, ALAC, WMA, AMR, AIFF, Opus, MP2, PCM, M4A, DTS - Video Formats: MP4, MKV, AVI, MOV, WMV, FLV, WebM, MPEG, OGG, 3GP, RM, TS, M2TS, VOB, DIVX, HEVC If the error "ffmpeg is not recognized as an internal or external command" occurs, it usually indicates a problem with the path configuration in the Environment Variables.

Winsage

December 5, 2024

WinRAR on Windows 11 gets faster, 7-Zip and NanaZip receive improvements too

WinRAR has released a beta update (version 7.10 Beta 2) that includes several enhancements and bug fixes. Key improvements include: - Accelerated response time for the Windows 11 context menu when right-clicking on multiple selected archives. - Increased compression speed due to the resolution of a performance bug. - Numerous dark mode improvements and fixes, with "Dark mode" options now referred to as "Color mode." - The "Export settings to file" command no longer triggers User Account Control prompts. - Command line mode now returns a "Bad archive" exit code 13 for non-RAR archives with a .rar file extension. - The "External viewer name" field now recognizes relative path specifications. Bug fixes include: - Compression speed improvements for specific data combinations in non-solid archives. - Resolved an infinite loop issue in console RAR on Windows 7. - Fixed an error preventing execution of files from archive subfolders. - Addressed a reset issue with WinRAR.ini contents when multiple archives were opened in the same window. 7-Zip has also updated to version 24.09, featuring increased default dictionary sizes for LZMA/LZMA2 compression and additional hash checksum calculations (SHA-512, SHA-384, SHA3-256, and MD5). NanaZip has addressed a Zstandard decompression vulnerability (CVE-2024-11477) and includes various updates and optimizations in its 5.0 Preview 0 release.

Winsage

November 24, 2024

This popular Windows utility for ZIP files has a dangerous vulnerability

A significant security vulnerability has been identified in early versions of the file compression software 7-Zip, with a severity score of 7.8 out of 10. The flaw affects all versions prior to 24.07, allowing potential attackers to execute arbitrary code on a victim's machine. The issue was discovered by Trend Micro’s Zero Day Initiative, with researcher Nicholas Zubrisky identifying it in June. Users are advised to update to the latest version to mitigate risks associated with this vulnerability.

Winsage

October 27, 2024

6 best file compression tools for Windows PCs

PeaZip compressed a 1.63GB collection of files to 1.50GB in just over a minute using LZMA2 compression. 7-Zip reduced the same files to 1.51GB in 1 minute and 9 seconds. WinRAR compressed files to 1.6GB in 38 seconds. Bandizip took 2 minutes and 18 seconds to compress the files to 1.51GB. 8 Zip compressed the files to 1.58GB in 1 minute and 58 seconds. The built-in Windows 11 version 24H2 compressor took 16 minutes and 25 seconds to create a 1.50GB .7z file.

Tech Optimizer

October 23, 2024

New Trojan.AutoIt.1443 Hits 28,000 Users via Game Cheats, Office Tool

Cybersecurity experts from Dr.Web have discovered a cyber attack involving Trojan.AutoIt.1443, targeting approximately 28,000 users primarily in Russia and neighboring countries. The malware disguises itself as legitimate applications and is spread through deceptive links on platforms like GitHub and YouTube, leading to password-protected downloads that evade antivirus detection. Key components of the malware include UnRar.exe and scripts named Iun.bat and Uun.bat, which facilitate its installation while erasing traces of activity. The malware scans for debugging tools, establishes network access via Ncat, and manipulates the system registry to maintain persistence. Its operations include cryptomining using SilentCryptoMiner and cryptostealing through a clipper tool that swaps cryptocurrency wallet addresses. The campaign has affected users drawn to pirated software, highlighting the risks of downloading from unverified sources.

Winsage

October 2, 2024

In Windows 11 24H2, a lot is happening under the hood too

Windows 11 version 24H2 introduces checkpoint cumulative updates, streamlining the update process by using the most recent cumulative update as a baseline, which reduces file sizes and enhances security. The update requires administrators to have specific earlier versions to apply the latest updates, which may complicate the process for organizations that have delayed updates. Security enhancements include automatic account management for Windows Local Administrator Password Solution (LAPS), Personal Data Encryption (PDE) for user folders, upgraded App Control for Business, and improved Local Security Authority (LSA) functionalities. The update also supports Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth LE Audio, enhancing connectivity and audio management. User experience improvements include a redesigned Quick Settings menu, clearer context menu labels, support for creating 7-zip and TAR files, and more accessible power-saving modes. Windows 11 24H2 is available in preview through various channels and can be upgraded by devices running versions 23H2 or 22H2 with the May 2024 non-security preview update or later. The rollout will be gradual, starting with Copilot+ PC owners.