Problem with compressed file

[Acethor]

Ok so here's the deal:

A week ago, I compressed some 7GB worth of files using Miliki Super Compressor Pro. That went fine, with Miliki cutting it down to 3.5GB which is just excellent in my opinion. I checked the .QCF file (which is the name of the archive that Miliki stores your compressed stuff in) after compression to make sure all the folders and files worked.

They did.

I moved the archive to my laptop and left it there until today. Today, I entered the archive and tried to delete two text files from within. The computer hung while the delete was in progress. I had to manually restart the laptop, and after doing so, the archive would not open. I've tried many different things such as running an undelete program on the original PC that it was on in hopes of restoring the archive that I had deleted originally from there. Didn't work. I don't think the problem is with Miliki, but rather that perhaps the data/archive got corrupted somehow when the system crashed while it was deleting the files.

So my question is: what to do next? Is there any way to save my important data? It is rather hard to find help about this online as Miliki is not well known neither is the .QCF file extension format.

Anyone have any ideas? They would be greatly appreciated... I'm at my wits end! :hairpull:

[Kugerfang]

Ever tried other programs?

[Acethor]

Compression software? Yes. But all of them pale in comparison to Miliki.

[Smiling Spectre]

Even WinRar? Wow. Examples, please? :)

[Kyle_the_wizard]

Did you tireid with rescue programs (like Nero RescueAgent and similar)?

[Acethor]

This is what I was wondering about: if anyone could list any rescue programs that could possibly save the archive? I will check Nero RescueAgent in the meantime.

[Wicky]

Quote from CNET:

In our testing, Miliki Super Compressor Pro didn't outdo WinZip when compressing a random set of files, but it performed considerably better with images, producing files up to 1.5 times smaller.

So if it even can't beat WinZip, then its much worse than WinRar.

[Acethor]

Lol, the internet says many things. The trick is knowing what is real and what is not ^_^.

Did you know that it also says 7zip beats WinRAR?

Have you actually tried any of this stuff or you just reading it online (once again)... cause I actually did. Miliki beats WinRAR/WinZIP by a mile.

[Wicky]

ok ok I'm going to test it out now (got nothing to do anyways) and post results soon

[Wicky]

-M.A.X. Mechanized Assault and Exploration - 371mb
WinRar - 227mb
Miliki - 297mb

-Battle Isle 2 Titan's Legacy - 132mb
Rarr - 82mb
Milk - 90mb

-TRINE, compressed iso - 705mb
Rarr - 680mb
Milk - 695mb


Wait, is it just a piece of shit? Or is it specialized in picture compression? New test:

-My Documents\pictures - 191mb
Rarr - 176mb
Milk - 24mb

What, only 24mb??

Seems like it is specialized, not bad. BUT THEN I DISCOVERED SOMETHING INTERESTING!!!
While browsing Milki's options, I found a slider reading "Image Quality: 50%"
This doomed compression tool does NOT even compress lossless, but degrades the quality -> then pics become smaller!
Are you kidding me???? Hahahahaha
No wonder that your 7gb files got compressed to 3.5gb, there were probably a lot of pictures, which are now all reduced in quality. They are not the same anymore.

Result: In WinRar we trust!

[Acethor]

What is your problem? You're not helping me at all - it seems like you are just trying to prove that WinRAR is the greatest thing in the world.

Following Fifth's advice, I was able to recover the original file before I moved it to the laptop, no thanks to you and your ever so useful posts.

Instead of 'testing' out a bunch of CRAP just to prove something to me you could have gone and actually tried to help fix the situation.

[Wicky]

Lol, the internet says many things. The trick is knowing what is real and what is not ^_^.

Have you actually tried any of this stuff...

Hey man, don't take my annihilating critic of Miliki so harsh I was just replying!
You asked me if I tried any of this stuff so I did, what's wrong with that?

[Acethor]

Did I ask for a freakin' review of Miliki? And no I wasn't asking you to go pack a whole bunch of stuff. I was asking if you had used the program before. I asked for H.E.L.P, Which you unfortunately did not offer in the very least. At least the other guy mentioned Nero RescueAgent. From your very first post you are already trying to 'prove' something.

[Paco]

@Ace & Wicky please stop the bickering.

@Ace i assume you have what you want? Can i then close this Thread?

[Acethor]

Yes Paco that would be fine thanks :)

[The Fifth Horseman]

What is your problem? You're not helping me at all - it seems like you are just trying to prove that WinRAR is the greatest thing in the world.

What he pointed out is that instead of lossless compression of images, Miliki employs lossy compression. Which basically means that if you compresss, say, a bunch of pictures with it and unpack them later, you will find out they were recompressed by the program - and thus degraded compared to the original. :oh:

Let me quote the blurb from the website:With Miliki, you can select your preferred image quality for visually lossless compression of your digital photos.
What that sentence amounts to is "you can choose how badly Miliki can deteriorate your images without you noticing or giving a damn".
They're counting that the users don't know that true meaning of lossless compression is being able to restore the full source data without any degradation or damage to it.

That means the only selling point of Miliki is in fact achieved solely because the program degrades the image data on purpose rather than because it uses any efficient compression algorithms. :oh:
Whether you find that acceptable or not I leave up to you.

All other compression programs employ lossles compression - the archive file size may be greater, but when you unpack the files you will always get exactly the same content as you have compressed in the first place.

[Acethor]

As a matter of fact, I did know that already. I had checked photos prior to being compressed compared against originals and they seemed fine so I just left them. But once again, what did any of that have to do with my predicament. Whether I will get crap pictures or not is my concern alone and bringing it up and even trying to prove that yes indeed I would get crap pictures has absolutely nothing to do with the point of this thread.

[Kugerfang]

Ever tried 7zip?