If you require sending several files over the web or using a portable storage device, then copying individual files can prove to be a time-consuming proposition. However, all these hassles can be reduced by packing your files into a compressed archive, which is secure and easier to copy on removable media or send through an email. Well, to perform this task you would require installing a data archiving tool that can adeptly compress your selected files and folders with or without password protection, as needed. Such a competitive archiving application comes in the form of PeaZip 2.4. It’s a proficient open source file and folder archiving manager that has especially been designed for 32 bit and 64 bit Windows OS and Linux. It facilitates opening, browsing, extracting, and testing zip archives with different extensions.

On launch the PeaZip 2.4 prompts you to mark the options you want to integrate with Context and ‘Send To’ menu, along with associating the program with various zip file types. Right clicking on any file or folder you can perform various actions such as add to separate archive(s) as 7Z or ZIP, Split file, Secure file deletion, open with PeaZip, browse with PeaZip, extract at the source or another destination, and test archive. Even using the ‘Send To’ option, the file or folder can be formed into separate 7Z or ZIP and mailed, encrypted, securely deleted, extracted, tested, added to sfx and mailed, or split. You can easily create compressed archives using the application and also can alter archive attributes as per security requirements. The application provides complete supports for 7Z-sfx, 7Z, BZ2/TBZ2, ARC/WRC, along with TAR, UPX, and ZIP. Further, the Read support is provided for ACE, CAB, ARJ and various other extensions.

Along with these functions, the PeaZip 2.4 supports saving archive`s layouts; applying multiple search filters; handling multiple archives; exporting job definition; bookmark folders and archives, AES256 encryption. In addition it boasts of features like robust file copy, compare, system benchmark, hash and checksum files and ability to generate random passwords. The utility boasts of comprehensive set of features allowing you to securely archive and extract files and folders, for which it’s been given 4.5 rating points.