Question

I've been given a file with .gz extension. It's aparently a gzip (GNU zip) compressed file.

What free Windows utility can I use to open it?

Answer 1

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

Excerpt:

The main features of 7-Zip
    * High compression ratio in new 7z format with LZMA compression
    * Supported formats:
          o Packing / unpacking: 7z, ZIP, GZIP, BZIP2 and TAR
          o Unpacking only: RAR, CAB, ISO, ARJ, LZH, CHM, MSI, WIM, Z, CPIO, RPM, DEB and NSIS
    * For ZIP and GZIP formats, 7-Zip provides a compression ratio that is 2-10 % better than the ratio provided by PKZip and WinZip
    * Strong AES-256 encryption in 7z and ZIP formats
    * Self-extracting capability for 7z format
    * Integration with Windows Shell
    * Powerful File Manager
    * Powerful command line version
    * Plugin for FAR Manager
    * Localizations for 69 languages

Answer 2

WinRAR can open these files fine as well. Although WinRAR is commercial, It's the only compression utility I've ever needed installed and is extremely stable and intuitive, thus easy to recommend.

Answer 3

cli app: http://gnuwin32.sourceforge.net/packages/gzip.htm

gui app: http://www.izarc.org/

Answer 4

It's not really a Windows utility per se, but I would recommend installing Cygwin.

Cygwin is a Linux-like environment for Windows and you will get access to various Unix tools (tar, gzip). Untarring your file is simply:

gunzip myfile.gz

Since you first have to install Cygwin, it's definitively not the fastest way to solve your problem right now but a golden opportunity to start learning some Unix skills.

Answer 5

I would recommend the open source application 7-zip under Windows for Decomressing gzip files: http://www.7-zip.org

7-zip supports:

• High compression ratio in new 7z format with LZMA compression Supported formats:
• Packing / unpacking: 7z, ZIP, GZIP, BZIP2 and TAR
• Unpacking only: RAR, CAB, ISO, ARJ, LZH, CHM, MSI, WIM, Z, CPIO, RPM, DEB and NSIS For ZIP and GZIP formats, 7-Zip provides a compression ratio that is 2-10 % better than the ratio provided by PKZip and WinZip
• Strong AES-256 encryption in 7z and ZIP formats
• Self-extracting capability for 7z format
• Integration with Windows Shell
• Powerful File Manager
• Powerful command line version
• Plugin for FAR Manager
• Localizations for 69 languages

Answer 6

7zip is my preferred zip application, does gzip and lots of others as well: http://www.7-zip.org

Answer 7

http://www.gzip.org/

Answer 8

Total Commander is the best tool - file manager which opens any kind of archive, FTP client and much more. I'm using it since DOS's Norton Commander and I can't live without it.

Answer 9

On windows WinRar does fine with great variety of formats... but whats the point....

I suppose this is a place for programmers. So, if you wish to create GZip operatibility/functionalities in your programs try Zlib.net and CGZip

I have used zlib with VB once.

for php, checkout http://in.php.net/zlib

for ruby - http://www.ruby-doc.org/stdlib/libdoc/zlib/rdoc/index.html

find rest from google :P

Answer 10

IZArc is a free Windows application which supports gzip (.gz) along with just about every other compression algorithm out there.

The application integrates with the Windows architecture so that you can right click an archive file and Extract it right there without having to run the IZArc interface. It is available here: http://www.izarc.org/

According to their website it supports these archive formats (7-ZIP, A, ACE, ARC, ARJ, B64, BH, BIN, BZ2, BZA, C2D, CAB, CDI, CPIO, DEB, ENC, GCA, GZ, GZA, HA, IMG, ISO, JAR, LHA, LIB, LZH, MDF, MBF, MIM, NRG, PAK, PDI, PK3, RAR, RPM, TAR, TAZ, TBZ, TGZ, TZ, UUE, WAR, XXE, YZ1, Z, ZIP, ZOO)

Answer 11

Winzip is free for a trial period. It is able to open .gz and .tar files.

Answer 12

unxutils contain standalone gzip.exe which you can use without installing anything at all.