What are Par or Par2 files and how can you use them to repair corrupt RAR files? They are used to check the integrity of RAR files. To check and see if the file is damaged or incomplete. Par2 or parity files are used to check if any of the RARs are broken. In the past, before Par2 files were created, it was very difficult to repair a RAR file. People could waste a lot of time downloading only to find out that it was corrupted.
RAR files can be damaged in various ways. Sometimes when articles or files are uploaded to Usenet, they get corrupted during the upload process. The file may become damaged or corrupted as it spreads through the Usenet. It could be corrupted because there was a break in the internet connection. Other times it could be a PC problem. Sometimes a user may even forget to upload all the parts in a RAR file.
In any case, you can use Par2’s to fix or repair incomplete or broken RAR file. When repairing a RAR file, make sure you have enough Pars to repair the RARs. You can use programs like QuickPAR or SmartPar to check the integrity of the files. These programs often associate the Par2 files with the program so that it opens automatically when prompted. They will also tell you how many blocks or data you still need to repair the set of RAR files. Another way to tell if your download is incomplete is to try extracting the RAR with a program like WinRAR. If it cannot be removed, you will see an error message telling you which volumes or parts are missing or damaged. We recommend that you download the Par2 archive with the RAR archive so that you can verify the integrity of the archive first. This will save you time and make your Usenet experience much more enjoyable.
Usually there are many Pars loaded with a RAR file. Try downloading the smaller Par2. This file will tell you if the file needs to be repaired. If it needs to be repaired, it will tell you how many more parts you will need. Then you can download only the necessary Pars instead of downloading all of them first.
A good rule of thumb is to always upload Par2 files with your RAR file. The RAR file should also contain an .NFO to give other Usenet users an idea of what you included in the set. The Par2 files that accompany a RAR set usually have the same name sequence followed by a .par2 extension. If the RAR set or archive doesn’t have an accompanying Par2 volume, hopefully you have one of those programs that allows you to look at each part of the RAR set to see if it’s incomplete.