Share via

Is there a safe way to open an rar file using a windows program?

Anonymous
2011-02-15T03:02:01+00:00

original title: Open rar files?

downloaded a file that turned out to be a rar file.

Someone told me I should never open rar files because they contain viruses.

Is there a safe way to open an rar file using a windows program?

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Files, folders, and storage

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments
Answer accepted by question author
  1. Anonymous
    2011-02-15T20:47:45+00:00

    On Tue, 15 Feb 2011 03:02:02 +0000, H0W wrote:

    I downloaded a file that turned out to be a rar file.

    Someone told me I should never open rar files because they contain viruses.

    That "someone" is very much incorrect. A rar file is very much like a

    zip file; it's a condensed file or bunch of condensed files. And just

    like a zip file, it might contain a virus, or it might not. And the

    same is essentially true of almost every other kind of file: it might

    contain a virus, or it might not.

    And just like a zip file, it's safe to open it and see what the files

    are that it contains.

    And finally, having opened it, and now having the components files

    visible, you want to be using a good anti-virus program that looks at

    and checked those component files before running any of them.

    Is there a safe way to open an rar file using a windows program?

    Windows has no ability to open rar files. You need a third-party

    program to do it (here's one: www.win-rar.com). And your safety will

    come from your anti-virus program if you try to run a component file

    of the rar file.

    Ken Blake (MS MVP)

    10 people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
Answer accepted by question author
  1. Anonymous
    2011-02-15T03:08:34+00:00

    Hi,

    Most antivirus will check the rar as well as ZIP. If needed you can open the RAR and then check

    the uncompressed contents before you run or open any of them.

    7-Zip is an excellent free program to open RAR and others

    http://www.7-zip.org/

    Hope this helps.

    Rob Brown - Microsoft MVP <- profile - Windows Expert - Consumer : Bicycle - Mark Twain said it right.

    10 people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
Answer accepted by question author
  1. Anonymous
    2011-02-15T03:11:55+00:00

    I downloaded a file that turned out to be a rar file.

    Someone told me I should never open rar files because they contain viruses.

    Is there a safe way to open an rar file using a windows program?

    RAR files are no more likely to contain a virus or Malware of any type than any other file. (Assuming you do run a decent AV program).

    Read about RAR files here and you can download the free Frog RAR Extractor.

    http://download.cnet.com/Free-RAR-Extract-Frog/3000-2250_4-10804840.html

    Bruce Hagen

    MS-MVP Oct. 1, 2004 ~ Sept. 30, 2010

    Imperial Beach, CA

    0 comments

9 additional answers

Sort by: Most helpful
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2015-02-16T19:39:06+00:00

    You know, it's all well and good that RAR files exist, and, that there are free programs which one can download in order to open them.  The thing is, Microsoft Windows OS used to do this without 3rd party software.  So, what happened to Microsoft?  Why is it that Microsoft's OS's now don't have that capacity anymore?  Is it because Microsoft monopolized too much?... were other smaller companies wanting a piece of the market and forced Microsoft to give in to WinZip and WinRAR and MKV and Adobe and Java?... etc.   Seems too many folks with the best of intentions are leading us down a road which has no exit or detour.  The attitude is, it used to be much easier to use a computer.  Now, it's like "If you want to get something or learn something new in computing, you'll just have to adjust.  Otherwise, stop computing and shut up!"  It seems ease of access was, at one time, seriously considered paramount, even necessary!  Well, it's not working out to be as easy as ease of access..... it's becoming inaccessible.

    1 person found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  2. Anonymous
    2011-02-16T05:38:17+00:00

    Thank you ken and thank you all for your help!

    0 comments