Store ZIP / RAR archive in an image file

Here is a cool Windows XP hack that can allow us to store a ZIP / RAR archive inside a PNG / GIF / JPEG image. The image will open normally in Windows Picture and Fax Viewer, Picasa Photo Viewer and can even be edited using an image editor. When you right-click the image, the context-menu will allow you to extract files from the archive.

This is achieved using the command line 'copy' command.

Create a new folder on your desktop and copy all the files you want to store into the archive into this folder.

Select all the files, right-click and choose 'Add to Archive File...'.

Enter the name of the archive you want, choose either ZIP / RAR as the archive format and click 'OK'. RAR is highly recommended.

Choose the image you want either a PNG / GIF / JPEG, and place it in the same folder.

Open the Command Prompt (Go to Start -> Run and type CMD), navigate to the directory and type the following:

copy /b YOURIMAGE.ext + YOURARCHIVE.ext OUTPUT.ext

For eg: copy /b wwwescape.jpg + blogger.zip wwwescape2.jpg

That's it. Have fun!!!

NOTES:
Use only PNG, GIF or JPEG images, do not use BMP as they take up too much space.

IZArc is the recommended compression software to use for all you compression needs.

The input image extension YOURIMAGE.ext must be the same as the output image extension OUTPUT.ext. Do not use a JPEG image and output to a PNG image or vice versa.

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