How to open Pak files

Files with the PAK extension belong to several formats like each other, but not the same for its intended purpose. The initial option is the archive, used since MS-DOS. Accordingly, universal archiving programs or specialized unpackers are intended to open such documents. The better to use - read below.

How to open Pak archives

When dealing with the file in Pak format, it is necessary to know its origin, since this extension is used by a large number of software, ranging from games (for example, Quake or StarBound) and ending with SYGIC navigation software. In most cases, conventional archivers can cope with the opening of the archive with the PAK expansion. In addition, you can use both unpacking programs written under a specific compression algorithm.

Izarc is a worthy alternative to paid solutions like WinRAR or WinZip, however, the data compression algorithms in it are not the most perfect, so this program does not fit for a strong compression of large files.

Method 2: Filzip

A free archiver that has not been updated for a long time. The latter, however, does not prevent the program to cope well with its functions.

Download Filzip program

1. When you first start, Philzip will offer you to make yourself a default program to work with common archival formats.

   

   You can leave everything as it is or removing ticks - at your discretion. To make this window no longer appear, do not forget to mark the "Never Ask Again" item and click the "Associate" button.

   

2. In the Filzip working window, click Open in the top panel.

   

   Or use the "File" menu - "Open Archive" or simply enter the Ctrl + O combination.

   

3. In the "Explorer" window, get to the folder with your Pak archive.

   

   If the files with the PAK extension are not displayed, in the "File Type" drop-down menu, select "All Files".

   

4. Select the desired document, highlight it and click "Open".

   

5. The archive will be open and accessible to further manipulations (checking integrity, unzipping, etc.).

   

Filzip is also suitable as an alternative to VIRRAR, but only in the case of small files - with large archives due to the obsolete code, the program works reluctantly. And yes, encrypted by the AES-256 key, compressed folders in Filzip also do not open.

Method 3: Alzip

An already advanced solution than the program described above, which is also capable of opening Pak archives.

1. Run Alzip. Right-click on the marked area and select "Open Archive" in the context menu.

   

   You can also use the Open button on the toolbar.

   

   Or use the "File" menu - Open Archive.

   

   The Ctrl + O keys will also work.

2. There will be a tool for adding files. Act a familiar algorithm - find the necessary directory, highlight the archive and click "Open".

   

3. Ready - Archive will be opened.

   

In addition to the described method, another option is available. The fact is that Alzip is embedded in the system context menu. To use this way, you must select the file, click the right mouse button, and select one of the three available options (note that the PAK document will be unzipped).

Alzip is similar to many other archived applications, but it has its own features - for example, the archive can be susceptible in another format. The shortcomings of the program - it works poorly with encrypted files, especially when they were encoded in the latest version of WinRAR.

Method 4: WinZip

One of the most popular and modern archivers for Windows also has a functionality of viewing and unpacking Pak archives.

1. Open the program and by clicking the Main Menu button, select "Open (from PC / Cloud Service)".

   

   You can do this and otherwise - click on the button with the folder icon at the top of the left.

   

2. In the embedded file manager, select All Files in the drop-down menu.

   

   Let us explain - in itself a vinzip format PAK does not recognize, but if you select the display of all files, the archive with such an extension will see and take to work.

3. Go to the directory where the desired document is located, select it with a mouse and click "Open".

   

4. You can view the contents of the open archive in the central block of the main window WinZip.

   

Vinzipa as the main working tool is not suitable for everyone - despite the modern interface and constant updates, the list of formats supported by them is still less than that of competitors. Yes, and the program will also like not everyone.

Method 5: 7-Zip

The most popular free data compression program supports PAK format.

1. Run the graphical shell of the program file manager (this can be done in the Start menu - the "7-ZIP" folder, the "7-Zip File Manager" file).

   

2. Go to the catalog with your PAK archives.

   

3. Select the desired document and open it with a double mouse. A compressed folder will be opened in the application.

   

Alternative opening method includes manipulations with a system context menu.

1. In the "Explore", go to the directory where the archive is located to open, and select it with a single click of the left mouse button on it.

   

2. Press the right mouse button, holding the cursor on the file. The context menu will open, in which it is necessary to find the "7-ZIP" item (usually located at the top).

   

3. In the subject of this item, select "Open Archive".

   

4. The document will be immediately opened in 7-Zip.

   

All that can be said about 7-Zip has already been repeatedly said. We add to the advantages of the program quick work, and immediately to disadvantages - sensitivity to the speed of the computer.

Method 6: WinRar

The most common archiver also supports work with compressed folders in PAK expansion.

1. Opening Virrour, go to the "File" menu and click "Open Archive" or simply use the Ctrl + O keys.

   

2. The archive search window appears. In the drop-down menu below, select "All Files".

   

3. Go to the desired folder, find the archive there with the Pak extension there, select it and click "Open".

   

4. The contents of the archive will be available for viewing and editing in the main window of WinRar.

   

There is another curious way to open PAK files. The method includes interference in the system settings, so if not confident in yourself - this option is better not to use.

1. Open the "Explorer" and go to any place (you can even in My Computer). Click the "Sort" menu and select "Folder and Search Settings".

   

2. A folder presentation setup window opens. It should go to the "View" tab. In it, scroll down in the "Advanced Settings" block down and remove the checkbox in front of the "Hide extensions for registered files" item.

   

   Having done this, click "Apply", then "OK". From now on, all files in the system will be visible to their extensions that can also be edited.

3. Go to the folder with your archive, right-click and select Rename.

   

4. When you find the ability to edit the file name, please note that the extension can now be changed now too.

   

   Remove Pak and print Zip instead. It should turn out how to screenshot below.

   

   Be careful - the extension from the main file name is separated by a point, make sure you put it!

5. A standard warning window will appear.

   

   Belly press "yes."

6. Ready - Now your file in ZIP format

   

It can be opened with any suitable archiver - as one of those described in this article and some other capable of working with ZIP files. This trick works, because the PAK format is one of the old variants of the ZIP format.

Method 7: Spacers of Gaming Resources

In the case that none of the above methods helped you, and the PAK extension file cannot be opened - most likely you are faced with the resources packaged in this format for some computer game. As a rule, such archives have in the name of the word "Assets", "Level" or "Resources", or a difficult-called ordinary user name. Alas, but there is most often powerless to change the way to change the expansion on Zip - the fact is that, to protect against copying, developers most often pack resources with their own algorithms that universal archivers do not understand.

However, there are unpacking utilities, most often written by a fan of a game or another to create modifications. We will show you a job with such utilities on the example of a fashion for Quake, taken from the MODDB website, and the Pak Explorer unpackner created by the Quake Terminus site community.

1. Open the program and select "File" - "Open Pak".

   

   You can also use the button on the toolbar.

   

2. In the add files interface, go to the directory in which the Pak archive is stored, select it and click "Open".

   

3. The archive will be opened in the application.

   

   On the left side of the window, you can view the folder structure, rightly directly their contents.

In addition to Quake, PAK format uses several more dozen other games. Usually, for each of them, you need your own unpacker, and the Pak Explorer described above is not suitable for, say, StarBound - this game has a completely different principle and the code of the compression of resources for which another program is needed. However, sometimes a focus with a change in expansion can help, but in most cases it is still necessary to use a separate utility.

As a result, we note - the expansion of the PAK has many varieties, while remaining in essence modified Zip. It is logical that for such a number of variations of a single program for opening there is no and most likely will not be. This statement is fair and regarding online services. In any case, the set of software capable of cope with this format is quite large, and everyone will find a suitable application for themselves.