RAR
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== Discussion == | == Discussion == | ||
| + | === Format classification === | ||
RAR can be considered to be a family of three main file formats: | RAR can be considered to be a family of three main file formats: | ||
| Line 21: | Line 22: | ||
Even within one of these classes, there can be significant differences between different RAR versions. | Even within one of these classes, there can be significant differences between different RAR versions. | ||
| + | |||
| + | === Early history === | ||
| + | Most of the earliest releases of RAR appear to be lost. Version 1.34 beta (1993-12-05) seems to be the oldest one known to still exist as of this writing, but there were likely about a dozen earlier releases, starting with v0.1 in 1993-03<ref>Discussion at [http://old-dos.ru/index.php?page=files&mode=files&do=show&id=696]</ref>. Of those that can be found, the first non-beta release seems to be v1.51 (1994-06-17). | ||
| + | |||
| + | === Overview of DOS releases === | ||
| + | RAR v2.50 (1999-03-24) was the last one for traditional 16-bit DOS. After that came versions 2.60 through 3.93, which use a 32-bit DOS extender. These versions are sometimes called "RAR32", though their actual name is still "RAR". | ||
== File identification == | == File identification == | ||
| Line 52: | Line 59: | ||
* [http://old-dos.ru/index.php?page=files&mode=files&do=show&id=781 WinRAR: Various versions, at old-dos.ru] | * [http://old-dos.ru/index.php?page=files&mode=files&do=show&id=781 WinRAR: Various versions, at old-dos.ru] | ||
* [https://www.sac.sk/files.php?d=7 SAC archive, PACK section] - Has lots of RAR software, but no easy way to get a list of it. | * [https://www.sac.sk/files.php?d=7 SAC archive, PACK section] - Has lots of RAR software, but no easy way to get a list of it. | ||
| + | * {{CdTextfiles|nfbfiles/compress/RAR1_402.EXE|RAR 1.40.2 beta (DOS)}} | ||
| + | * {{CdTextfiles|simtel/simtel9510/disk2/DISC2/ARCHIVER/RAR155.EXE|RAR 1.55 (DOS)}} | ||
| + | * [{{SACFTPURL|pack|rar250.exe}} RAR 2.50 (DOS)] | ||
| + | * [{{SACFTPURL|pack|rarx393.exe}} RAR 3.93 (DOS, OS/2)] | ||
== Sample files == | == Sample files == | ||
| Line 62: | Line 73: | ||
* [https://imgur.com/a/MtQZv#0 Mini RAR poster] | * [https://imgur.com/a/MtQZv#0 Mini RAR poster] | ||
* [http://rescene.wikidot.com/rar-versions ReScene's list of RAR versions] | * [http://rescene.wikidot.com/rar-versions ReScene's list of RAR versions] | ||
| + | |||
| + | == References == | ||
| + | <references/> | ||
Revision as of 18:01, 23 July 2022
RAR (Roshal Archive) is a compressed archive format used by the compression software RAR and WinRAR. It was originally for DOS, but has been widely used on Windows (as WinRAR) and other platforms.
The developers make the decompression code available for use in other programs and allow its distribution, but with a license provision that "You cannot use the unrar source to re-create the RAR compression algorithm, which is proprietary."
Contents |
Discussion
Format classification
RAR can be considered to be a family of three main file formats:
- The (obsolete) format used by RAR before v1.50
- The format associated with RAR v1.50 through v4.x
- "RAR 5.0" format
Even within one of these classes, there can be significant differences between different RAR versions.
Early history
Most of the earliest releases of RAR appear to be lost. Version 1.34 beta (1993-12-05) seems to be the oldest one known to still exist as of this writing, but there were likely about a dozen earlier releases, starting with v0.1 in 1993-03[1]. Of those that can be found, the first non-beta release seems to be v1.51 (1994-06-17).
Overview of DOS releases
RAR v2.50 (1999-03-24) was the last one for traditional 16-bit DOS. After that came versions 2.60 through 3.93, which use a 32-bit DOS extender. These versions are sometimes called "RAR32", though their actual name is still "RAR".
File identification
RAR files made by versions prior to v1.50 start with bytes 52 45 7e 5e.
RAR files associated with versions 1.50 through 4.20 start with 7 signature bytes: 52 61 72 21 1a 07 00.
"RAR 5.0" format starts with 8 signature bytes: 52 61 72 21 1a 07 01 00.
Specifications
Before v1.50:
- RAR140DC.EXE (self-extracting RAR archive) → technote.doc
v1.50-4.20:
- wrar420.exe (self-extracting RAR archive) → TechNote.txt
5.0 format:
Various:
Software
- WinRAR website
- Konvertor
- 7-Zip
- The Unarchiver
- RAR: Various versions, at old-dos.ru
- WinRAR: Various versions, at old-dos.ru
- SAC archive, PACK section - Has lots of RAR software, but no easy way to get a list of it.
- RAR 1.40.2 beta (DOS)
- RAR 1.55 (DOS)
- RAR 2.50 (DOS)
- RAR 3.93 (DOS, OS/2)
Sample files
- http://cd.textfiles.com/ataricompendium/FILES/MISC/PRTFOLIO/
- http://cd.textfiles.com/thebbsorg/max_files/
- https://telparia.com/fileFormatSamples/archive/rar/ → *.rar
