WinArchiver is an archive and disc-image utility for Windows. It packages files into archives, extracts their contents and works with image files used to store optical discs. WinArchiver Free handles archive creation, extraction and conversion, while WinArchiver Pro adds virtual drives, optical disc copying and burning, and bootable USB creation. The Free edition permits personal and business use; Pro is paid software with a trial download.
Creating and extracting archives
Files and folders can be collected in the WinArchiver window, then saved in a chosen format. ZIP and 7Z provide compressed archive outputs, while ISO packages the selected content as a disc image. Windows Explorer integration also puts archive creation and extraction commands on the selected files’ context menu.
When opening an archive, you can extract everything or select individual files before choosing a destination folder. Supported inputs include ZIP, RAR and 7Z, along with formats such as TAR, GZIP and CAB. The formats WinArchiver reads extend beyond the formats it creates: opening a RAR archive does not make RAR an output option. It also opens WIM and ESD files and virtual disk images in VMDK, VHD, VHDX and VDI formats.
Archive properties include password protection and splitting into multiple volumes. You choose the size of each volume, allowing one archive to be stored as a set of smaller parts. These settings can be applied while preparing a new archive or when saving changes to an existing one.
WinArchiver also supports its native MZP format, which combines compression, AES encryption, multiple volumes and Unicode filenames with virtual-drive access.
WinArchiver Pro’s virtual drives
WinArchiver Pro can expose an archive through a drive letter in Windows. After mounting a ZIP, RAR, 7Z or another supported archive, you browse its files through that virtual drive and open them without first extracting the entire archive to a separate folder. MZP archives can be accessed this way as well.
The same mechanism mounts disc images, including ISO, BIN/CUE and NRG. It lets software access an image’s contents through a virtual optical drive without using the original disc. WinArchiver supports up to 23 virtual drives, so mounting another image does not necessarily require replacing the one already in use.
Disc images
WinArchiver can build a standard ISO image from selected files and folders. Its ISO file-system settings also offer UDF for a DVD ISO. This creates an image from content already on the computer; Pro’s disc-copying function instead reads a physical CD, DVD or Blu-ray disc into an image file, using the source drive, output format and destination path you select.
Image conversion accepts formats such as NRG and BIN and writes a new image in ISO, BIN or XDI format. XDI output can be password protected.
Pro also writes supported disc images to optical media. Opening an image displays its file listing, and the burning dialog lets you choose the recording drive before writing the image to a disc.
Bootable USB
The full Pro edition writes Windows or Linux ISO images to a USB drive for booting a computer. A Windows image produces media for Windows setup; a suitable Linux image can provide an installer or a live Linux environment.
The USB tool lets you select the image, target drive and boot method. Its choices include UEFI, BIOS and BIOS with UEFI CSM, with further partition settings available. Creating the bootable drive erases the target’s existing contents, so the selected USB device determines which data will be replaced.
