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    • Config settings doesn't impact PA behaviour...

      pirrbe

      PA2023 Win10, (same problem with older releases but never reported)
      PA Soft is installed on partition D. (exclusive for installed progs)
      Then I created on my partition G: the folders as configured in PA Settings ‘Folders’.

      0fcf1b09-1b91-4b74-b250-f8cf908a3348-Ashampoo_Snap_maandag 20 maart 2023_11h54m34s.png

      Screenshot 2023-03-20 121152.png

      The problem : Any activity on PA is saved in these folders…
      PA ignores them and still use the default settings. Whats wrong ? Regards, Pirrbe

      Tech Support
    • Missing pdf markups in pdf preview

      L

      I am still using Powerarchiver 2022 and it does not show pdf markups in the preview. Is there a setting to get version 2022 to show pdf markups in the preview? If not, does this work in version 2023?

      Tech Support
    • Question about PA Files...

      T

      The question that I have about PA archives is what happens if say ConeXware, as a company, dies in the future? What happens to any PA files that are created today? Can these files be decompressed with a copy of a PowerArchiver that can no longer phone home to the mothership thus can’t be registered or activated?

      I mean, I can understand that new PA files wouldn’t be able to be created if the program isn’t registered but what about an un-registered copy because well, the question that I posed above?

      It’s questions like this that make me not want to store anything really valuable in PA files out of fear that I, at some point in the future, might lose access to said data inside those files. OK, 7ZIP might not be able to compress as heavily as PA but at least it’s open source and any 7ZIP files will still be able to be read and decompressed ten, twenty, or fifty years from now.

      Tech Support
    • Functions in Windows 11 context menu no longer work after last Windows Update

      T

      For some reason, the PowerArchiver functions in the Windows 11 context menu no longer work after the last Windows Update. Only the functions in the classic context menu function as they should.

      I’ve tried uninstalling PowerArchiver and using RevoUninstaller to remove all bits and pieces that were left behind and did a clean install of PowerArchiver, it didn’t fix the issue. Other items in the Windows 11 context menu work.

      Tech Support
    • Multi Extract doesn't extract in parallel in Windows 11

      Z

      Is this a known problem? Is there a fix coming? This is a primary reason I buy PA.

      I’ve tried both methods I know to extract multiple zips at the same time. 1) Multi Extract feature in the GUI. 2) In Windows File Explorer, select multiple zips, right click, use PA context menu to Extract or Extract To…

      Is there a setting I missed? Or maybe it really is processing in parallel, but I can’t detect it? Nothing tells me in the Processes in Task Manager that multiple PA extracts are running. And my CPU, memory and disk resources do not look like a lot of extracts are running.

      I’m using PA 2022 Standard version 21.00.18 on Windows 11 Pro version 10.0.22621 Build 22621.

      Tech Support
    • Functions in Windows 11 Context Menu don't work in some directories

      P

      In the latest version of PA, on W11 (latest build/SP) when you try to use the first level context menu - NOTHING HAPPENS (particularly when you do this from Downloads or Documents folders) - however I noticed that it DOES WORK when you use the context menu from the Desktop. Going to the second level context menu does work however.

      Tech Support
    • PA 2023 Preview versus PA2022

      pirrbe

      Is the version Preview 2023 also considered to be tested by the testteam ? In the past we got messages in the forum for testing out version x.x, to be downloaded by fastring, or I missed the one for 2023. (I discovered 2023 on the official web…)
      CU, Pirrbe

      .

      Tech Support
    • Missing virtual driver in Patchbeam

      pirrbe

      PA 2023 22.00.08
      Long time no seeing. So I start up the new year with a first problem : the virtual driver cannot be installed. Reason : it is missing in the Fast Ring PatchBeam Update Service…
      Virtual driver PA 2023-01-28 152607.png
      It seems a standard problem with new releases :-)
      Can I have a link or can it be fixed. Thank you. CU later

      Tech Support
    • How to get a registering code?

      N

      Hi there, been a user since 13 years now and in past whenever I had a problem or question I could email, however since 3 weeks it seems like everybody is dead?

      Anyway, as kind of a last resort, I post this email a 4th time but in this forum instead now, in the hope for help:
      "This is the 3rd time I am emailing you guys as I am missing a working code for the preview of Power Archiver 2023

      Can you please help me? I am a 13 years lasting customer of yours, and I am shocked thatr for whatever reason my support tickets are ignored now, why?

      thanks in advance!
      All the best!
      Joerg"

      Tech Support
    • File Explorer Shell Extension crash on Junction

      W

      Re: Explorer.exe Crash on right click

      This appears to be happening again with the Power Archiver 2022 shell extensions.

      When I have Use Explorer Shell Extensions enabled in Power Archiver Configuration and right-click on c:\Users\username\Start Menu, (hidden Junction file), File Explorer crashes.

      I have version 21.00.15 (03/2022) 64-bit installed in Windows 10 Version 21H2 (Build 19044.1826).

      Tech Support
    • PA 21.00.18 Action / Test behaves oddly for me on .PA files

      Brian Gregory

      PA 21.00.18 running on Windows 7 64 bit.
      I made a big .PA file and thought I’d check it was made correctly with Menu / Actions / Test.
      Discovered:
      a) PA always issues a UAC prompt to do this!
      b) PA always says there are many errors in PA files.

      Tech Support
    • PA 21.00.18 testing via context menu causes extraction of files

      D

      When the function for testing archives is invoked via the shell context menu (PowerArchiver > Test) then all the files in the archive get extracted to the current folder.

      The test dialog reports as many errors as there are files in the archive but it fails to give any hint as to which files are supposed to be erroneous or what the nature of the problem might be. Comparing the extracted files to the originals shows no differences at all.

      The .7z in question was produced with maximised compression settings in 7zip (taking forever but resulting in smaller archives than .7z produced by PowerArchiver with maximised settings). Therefore I wanted to see whether PowerArchiver can at least test .7z that it produced itself. Hence I had PowerArchiver convert a .pa with the same contents to .7z. There weren’t any errors reported but the resulting .7z contained fewer than half of the files contained in the .pa (137 of 366), so I scratched that test.

      Performance is abysmal when testing via the context menu (e.g. almost 2 minutes for testing a .7z that 7zip tests in 4 seconds), but that is most likely due to the fact that the extracted files are written to disk. Testing the same .7z in the PowerArchiver GUI takes only 8 seconds but causes the mysterious appearance of a UAC dialog, as reported elsewhere.

      The testing function is vital because PowerArchiver has a history of producing archives that it cannot unpack without errors or that do not conform to the respective file format standards (e.g. ZIP) so that other programs report them as erroneous.

      The point of creating archives is that the files in them will most likely have to be extracted at some point. If the extraction cannot be guaranteed to produce correct results then the whole program is absolutely pointless. Actually, worse than pointless - it causes data loss and hence damage.

      Tech Support

    Understanding encryption options in PA

    Tech Support
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    • S
      Socrates Banned last edited by

      My question goes somewhat beyond the functions of PA; but since it directly includes those functions (and it is those functions that prompt this inquiry), I assumed that it is legitimate to ask it here.

      The more I read about encryption, the more confused I become. I am not really asking about encryption in general, but about the encryption options within PA (including the soon to be released 2013).

      As I recall from earlier posts, Spywolf, you described PAE as an encryption “wrapper.” The impression I draw from that language is that the archive itself is not encrypted, but rather it is contained within what is presumably an impenetrable electronic wall which keep snooping eyes and keyboards out.

      At the same time, your 7zip and zipx formats include their own encryption options. These appear to be internal to the archive structure. Hence, these engines not only compress the files, but, at the same time, they encrypt the contents of that compressed file.

      Correct so far? If not, where I am going off the rails?

      If I am correct, then (a) it seems that internal encryption would be better that encryption of the wrapper (since, for lack of a better phrase, it seems the encryption is through and through), and perhaps (b) the strongest encryption would be to have both through and through encryption AND an encrypted wrapper.

      Still correct? Or not?

      Finally, it seems that if a user employs double encryption **, then 1) there is a greater chance for the data to become corrupted, and 2) it will also take longer even for the owner to access to the data (since she will have to decrypt it twice — although I thought I once saw—but no longer see—an option to view archives inside a PAE wrapper transparently).

      Why do I ask? I am trying to decide which encryption methods to use? In my reading online (which is not always entirely reliable) I seem to find a consensus that AES 256 (SPECIFICALLY Rijndeal AES 256) is the best, although Serpent 256 clearly has its devoted followers.

      Direction? Clues about how to decide?**

      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • spwolf
        spwolf conexware last edited by

        for maximum security use pae, for convenience use zip or 7zip aes.

        AES is unbroken standard… it was selected among various different codecs as the best.

        S 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • S
          Socrates Banned @spwolf last edited by

          So PAE’s AES is stronger than ZIPX’s and 7ZIP’s?

          I infer, then, I just completely misunderstood the difference: PAE is more than just an encryption wrapper and ZIPX and 7ZIP do not encrypt through and through (the interior of the archive).

          One last question. Will PAE be changing in 2013?

          FYI. I did find this:
          http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/08/19/aes_crypto_attack/

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • spwolf
            spwolf conexware last edited by

            It’s impressive work but there’s no better cipher to use than AES for now.

            :-)

            If you use proper password (different characers, +10), it is impossible to break AES.

            Encryption is always an wrapper, so in that sense, it is the same… for PAE there is no tools that brute force it, and we have made it on purpose very slow to check the password.

            For AES encryption, only possible way to crack it is to brute force the password - which means trying every possible combination. So making it slower to check if password is correct, means less combinations can be tried at the same time.

            Most important part is the password, something like greece3 is bad, while 9E:,a?_ is much better.

            It does depend on what are you trying to encrypt… if it is nothing that some spy agency will want, then it might be better to use some “normal” password or else you might forget it and then damage is ever bigger.

            For instance, we have received countless emails from students that encrypted their papers and forgot the password… sorry guys!

            S 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • S
              Socrates Banned @spwolf last edited by

              THANKS.

              Remembering complex PW is tough. Years ago I tried RoboForm to help remember hundreds of of complex passwords. But I didn’t care for it. So I tried CP-labs Password Manager XP, and have used it since. (I do not work for them or get a kick back from them.)

              You can secure the database with multiple cyphers . . . including more than one at the same time. But some things I have been reading claim that multiple encryption formats at the same time might actually make it easier to break the encryption.

              BTW, I did notice PAE was quite slow relative to other forms. Would speeding it up a bit still make it more secure without the loss of time?

              spwolf 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • spwolf
                spwolf conexware @Socrates last edited by

                @Socrates:

                THANKS.

                Remembering complex PW is tough. Years ago I tried RoboForm to help remember hundreds of of complex passwords. But I didn’t care for it. So I tried CP-labs Password Manager XP, and have used it since. (I do not work for them or get a kick back from them.)

                You can secure the database with multiple cyphers . . . including more than one at the same time. But some things I have been reading claim that multiple encryption formats at the same time might actually make it easier to break the encryption.

                BTW, I did notice PAE was quite slow relative to other forms. Would speeding it up a bit still make it more secure without the loss of time?

                new version will be faster, while keeping all the advantages.

                Keep in mind that AES itself is a standard, so it is same in every program (or it should be), it is everything else thats different and that may make the difference in speed or cracking or speed of cracking i guess :-).

                I think for vast majority of population who simply dont want their docs easily available, some relatively simple yet unassuming password is fine… just dont use dates and names, because thats how dictionary attacks are done and are used for faster crack of the password.

                S 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • S
                  Socrates Banned @spwolf last edited by

                  I had read (and, of course, we should be skeptical of what we read) indicates that the National Security Agency reviewed a number of AES 256 cyphers, and chose the Rijndeal cypher as the best – and therefore, set it as THEIR standard.

                  So at least when the process began early this decade, it seems that no all AES 256 cyphers were the same.

                  I gather from your comment, that the losing candidates just disappeared. Right? A bit surprising, I must confess. But certainly possible.

                  If not – if there are still some cypher want-to-be’s – , does PA use the Rijndeal 256 cypher in all functions, PAE, and, when selected, for ZIP and 7 ZIP?

                  spwolf 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • spwolf
                    spwolf conexware @Socrates last edited by

                    @Socrates:

                    I had read (and, of course, we should be skeptical of what we read) indicates that the National Security Agency reviewed a number of AES 256 cyphers, and chose the Rijndeal cypher as the best – and therefore, set it as THEIR standard.

                    So at least when the process began early this decade, it seems that no all AES 256 cyphers were the same.

                    I gather from your comment, that the losing candidates just disappeared. Right? A bit surprising, I must confess. But certainly possible.

                    If not – if there are still some cypher want-to-be’s – , does PA use the Rijndeal 256 cypher in all functions, PAE, and, when selected, for ZIP and 7 ZIP?

                    there were several ciphers submitted to become AES standard… Rijndael won, so Rijndael is AES… no other candidates were called AES at any point in time. So whenever you see AES, it is Rijndael cipher.

                    S 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • S
                      Socrates Banned @spwolf last edited by

                      I just wanted to be sure.

                      I was thrown off a bit by the fact that some of your encryption drop down options include “Rijndeal” and some didn’t. So I wondered if you were using two different cyphers. Just wanted to make certain.

                      Sorry to be a pest about this.

                      spwolf 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • spwolf
                        spwolf conexware @Socrates last edited by

                        @Socrates:

                        I just wanted to be sure.

                        I was thrown off a bit by the fact that some of your encryption drop down options include “Rijndeal” and some didn’t. So I wondered if you were using two different cyphers. Just wanted to make certain.

                        Sorry to be a pest about this.

                        they were added at the time when Rijndael was proposed candidate, so everyone was asking about which one it is… however after all this time, now most people dont know what Rijndael is and they just recognize AES… back then, i think maybe 8-9 years ago, it was important to clarify that it is Rijndael.

                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • S
                          Socrates Banned last edited by

                          Given that, you might want to just use “Rijndeal” in all instances . . . or none at all. The fact that PA has it listed differently could be confusing.

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