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Question

Unzipping files

Sep 12, 2017 12:11PM PDT

I am having trouble unzipping files. I have Pzip and 7zip on my computer. I am pretty computer savvy and I even bought the newest WinZip. However, I don't like the way it works.

Can anybody give me some tips? I am trying "extract" or "open archive" but I seem to be losing the resulting files.
Thanks much in advance.

Discussion is locked

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Clarification Request
Is the problem "I don't like the way it works"? or other?
Sep 12, 2017 12:25PM PDT

I use 7Zip a lot and have never lost the resulting files. Now there was someone that had corrupt zip files but that's not what we are discussing (yet.)

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Please give me a hand
Sep 12, 2017 12:32PM PDT

I like 7Zip. When I try to open the file, do I use open or extract or open here or add to archive?
I have tried all 3 of those. The operation works, but I can't find my resulting files.

Thank you for your patience.

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I may not be the right person for this.
Sep 12, 2017 12:56PM PDT

When you asked " do I use open or extract or open here or add to archive? " I'm getting the idea you don't know what you wanted to do. If you want to extract, do that, if you want to open here, do that. But your top post talks about lost files so I think add to archive is not a good choice.

"Open here" to me is useful if there's a PDF in the zip and I only want to open it without extracting everything else. AND THERE MAY BE THE ISSUE. If you open here, a new user might write " I seem to be losing the resulting files." Actually the files were never lost, were they? They are still in the archive. Open Here would not extract more than what was selected.

If you want all the files extracted to a specific place, why not the old drag and drop? Open the zip, then another window for Windows File Explorer where you want the files and then in 7Zip select the files and folders you want then drag and drop from 7Zip to the WFE window.

All skill levels arrive here. Some don't know how to drag and drop so here's a video tutorial just in case.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cdp27UIcf1I

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Thanks...let me try one more time
Sep 12, 2017 1:08PM PDT

I am able to open an archive from a zip file but the resulting files are also zip files. So it's sort of a recursive process. These files were sent to me by Udemy as part of an online course.

Thanks again.

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Strange.
Sep 12, 2017 1:11PM PDT

Udemy was spammed here a few times today. Corrupt files?
Dafydd.

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That's a known spammer.
Sep 12, 2017 1:13PM PDT

If they send you bum files, it could be as simple as that. They are also known spammers. If they don't give you an explanation mine will be "spammers, probably send you malware too."

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No kidding!
Sep 12, 2017 1:15PM PDT

I hadn't thought of that. They could well be infected files. As I said, they seem to be nested zip files. I don't know how many levels!

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You are fine but they are bad on many levels IMO.
Sep 12, 2017 1:35PM PDT
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Re: nested zip files
Sep 13, 2017 12:47AM PDT

Nothing wrong with that. A zip-file can contain any file, including another zip-file. It's a convenient way to send multiple zip-files as one attachment in a mail or have it downloaded as one file. Remember you can't attach or download a folder, only a file.

No reason to think they are infected, any more than if they weren't nested.

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Good point about attaching files
Sep 13, 2017 4:56AM PDT

I just am frustrated with multiple levels of zips. There are prob. 50 zip files inside the first one. I guess there's a way to unzip all 50 at once. I don't know.
I am fairly computer savvy. Worked in IT for a number of years. I'm older now and get frustrated with stuff like this.

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Re: unzip multiple files
Sep 13, 2017 6:11AM PDT

The first thing I tried worked with me:
1. I copy all zipfiles inside the big file to a new folder
2. In that folder I select all zipfiles I want to extract (if all: ctrl-A).
3. I right click, choose 7zip and then extract
The 7zip-program now extracts all.

I didn't know either, so I tried. Frankly speaking, it seems something that anybody being basically computer savvy would try. Quite a lot of programs know how to process not only a single file but a whole set of files after right clicking.

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Sometimes you get a zip like this doll.
Sep 13, 2017 7:47AM PDT
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OK
Sep 13, 2017 9:03AM PDT

Thanks much. I will give that a try.

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Re: zip
Sep 12, 2017 1:06PM PDT

Three ways to extract files:
1. Double click the file ("compressed folder") in File Explorer. Then copy/paste or drag/drop whatever you need to any folder in the left pane of File Explorer.
2. Right click in File Explorer, Choose 7zip. Use one of the three options to extract (all) files.
3. Right click in File Explorer. Choose 7zip. Then select the files you need and (a) drag and drop or (b) click Extract.

For option 3b I don't know where the extracted files are put, but since I never use it, I don't need to know. However, if you prefer to solve that riddle, just use File Explorer (or any third party search program like Ultrasearch) to find them. Can't be difficult.

Method 1 shows there is no reason at all to use a third party program. Method 2 and 3 show that - for those users that for some strange reason do use a third party program - there is no need to spend money by buying Winzip or Winrar. 7zip is free and does the job.

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Answer
Unzipping files
Oct 31, 2017 3:18AM PDT

Do one of the following:

1. To unzip a single file or folder, open the zipped folder, then drag the file or folder from the zipped folder to a new location.
2. To unzip all the contents of the zipped folder, press and hold (or right-click) the folder, select Extract All, and then follow the instructions.