Options for compressing everything

[thx1139]

At work, some of my experiments have generated large amounts of data (a few hundred GB) which is taking up a disproportionate share of space on network drives. Windows 7 seems to handle ZIP files very nicely, as though they were ordinary folders (unless you try to run a program which is dependant on other files in the ZIP folder). I've found that the 7zip algorithms compress my data more efficiently than Windows' built-in ZIP algorithms but then they can only be opened from within the 7zip file manager. Is there a way to get Windows to handle 7zip files like it does ZIP files?

 

[cyanna]

No. But you can use it the other way around: you can set up 7zip to open directly to the root of whatever drive you want and navigate from 7zip instead of Explorer

 

[thx1139]

Can you think of any reason why I might regret putting everything in a zip file? Does it increase the risk of file corruption? I can't see how but there's probably some caveat I'm not aware of.

 

[gregrocker]

Files can become corrupted. Rarely I've had 7Zip files I passworded become unusable.

Whatever you do don't Compress the C drive if ever offered that choice as it becomes unbootable.

 

[cyanna]

As you have noticed you as a user can browse the files and folders that are zipped but programs can't so if the files need to be accessed by a program you will have to unzip them.
Archives do get corrupted so if the files are important to you make sure you have a backup (or two)!
Beyond that it really depends on what you do with them. So backup and test........