Newsgroup Experts (Junkies)... How Do I Extract Data From A ".PAR" File?

[arwalden]

I'm afraid I've falled behind the times and I haven't kept up with the latest trends in compression and breaking large files into smaller chunks.

I know how to use regular zip files. I know how to reassemble and extract from "RAR" files. BUT... now I've come across files with "PAR" or "PAR1", "PAR2" ect. (I'm also seeing "ROR" files inside sequentially-lettered ZIP files.)

What program or tool should I use to restore and extract the data contained in these types of files?

-- Allen

[BigMcLargehuge]

1. check version tracker for a PAR decoder

usually you have to have all the PAR archives for that particular media file. Then, like with a RAR decoder, you drag the collection of PAR files to the program window and select an output location.

That usually does it.

[arwalden]

3. Is "Version Tracker" The Name Of The Program I Need To Find?

-- Allen

[BigMcLargehuge]

4. versiontracker is a software update/shareware/freeware listing site

www.versiontracker.com

try it, you'll find all kinds of cool stuff there.

[trotsky]

2. I'm not familiar with that one.

This site is a great reference for file extensions, though, and here's their list for PAR.

http://filext.com/detaillist.php?extdetail=PAR&goButton=Go

[SoDesuKa]

5. The Program You Need

The program you need depends on the program that created the .PAR file. Did you download these from the Web? There should be information on the site where you got them. If you got them from an individual, it won't sound silly if you ask them how to open them.

It may be that they don't even realize that .PAR files need a special program to open them. They could be passing these things back and forth inside their company and not know that outsiders (like you) don't have whatever that program happens to be.

It's annoying, but think of it as detective work.

[LadeJarl]

6. These are parity files

A .PAR file is not an archive file. It is a PARity file. You will most likely have several other files listed along wiht the normal archieve files like rar, r01 etc, The PARity archives are called .P00, P01 etc.

There are 2 types of parity systems, par-1 and par-2. The .PAR files are from par-1.

The reason why people post par files in addition to the archives is that if one or more of the archive files are not complete, you can use the parity files to reconstruct the missing archives.

See http://www.quickpar.org.uk/ for a program
and http://usenethelp.codeccorner.com/QuickPar_Primer.html for a primer on parity archives.

Erik

[arwalden]

7. THANK YOU ALL! Excellent Information...

I just needed pointing in the right direction.

-- Allen