---------- 1. Welcome ---------- Thank you for trying XComp/XPack. XComp and XPack are PE32-imagefile ('.dll' or '.exe') packer and rebuilder. In using the software, the user agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the author and software from any damages incurred, whether real or imagined. No guarentees are given or implied the software will run under any circumstance and/or on any machine.
- Rebuilder functionality - strip debug data - strip relocations - strip export information - change MZ-stubfile - change file alignment - change imagebase - merge sections - Packer functionality - two compression algorithms - resource packing - loader section naming - Packer features - a missing library produce a message like 'xyz.dll not found'. - a runnable MZ-exe stubfile. - possibility to use 'in place' compression.
------------------ 2. Archive content ------------------ The eXe Compressor XComp: - XCompc.exe - console version - XCompw.exe - gui version and the eXe Packer XPack: - XPackc.exe - console version - XPackw.exe - gui version
both packers use the compression-DLLs: - Xlzma.dll - LZMA compression - Xlzss.dll - LZSS compression
--------------- 3. Installation --------------- - Copy the files ('*.exe' and '*.dll') into a directory of your choice. - To start the executables use the explorer or a console window. - If you like create a link in the 'SendTo' directory.
----------------- 4. Specifications ----------------- - Requirements - These packers neads at least Win95 or NT4. The GUI version is best viewed with installed verdana fontset. - Needed RAM: Win95/98/ME 64 MByte NT/2K/XP 128 MByte (swapfilesize >= 384 MByte) - Minimal screen resolution: 800 x 600 - GUI version 640 x 480 - console version - Limitations - Maximal imagefilesize: 20 MByte - Packed files can't run on Win32s (running with NT/2K/XP and Win95/98/ME) - Static TLS with callbacks is not supported
Imagesize: ---------- XComp and XPack are nearly identical, but XComp uses a 'in place' packing. The compressed data is placed at there original location. XPack concatenates this data at the end of the newly created packed file. This exceeds the filesize in memory (Imagesize).
Comments: --------- - PETITE 2.3: - Problems with Borland CBuilder imagefiles (like OLLYDBG.EXE 1.1 or WinRAR.exe 3.42). - You need hours(!) to pack a 10 MByte - AMD64 3000, 1024 MByte RAM, 160 GByte HD. - UPack 0.399, MEW11 1.2: - Couldn't pack files with a section alignment <> 4 KByte (like TOUCH.EXE 4.0 or OLLYDBG.EXE 1.0). - UPack 0.399, MEW11 1.2, FSG 2.0: - VC++ 7.1/8.0 exception handling not supported (moviemk.exe) - A missing library results in a crashing program
Summary: -------- - LZMA compression: XComp/XPack 0.98 compared with UPack 0.399, PECompact 2.78, MEW11 1.2 --------------------------------------------------------------------- filesize > 2000 KB - packing ratio nearly identical with UPack 0.399 and mostly better as PECompact 2.78 or MEW11 1.2. 1. UPack 0.399 and XComp/XPack 0.98 2. PECompact 2.78 3. MEW11 1.2 filesize 200 - 2000 KB - packing ratio between UPack 0.399 and MEW11 1.2 1. UPack 0.399 2. XComp/XPack 0.98 3. PECompact 2.78 and MEW11 1.2 filesize < 200 KB - packing ratio between MEW11 1.2 and PECompact 2.78 1. UPack 0.399 2. MEW11 1.2 3. XComp/XPack 0.98 after all i think it's true to say that the compression is not very good but good.
- LZSS compression: XComp/XPack 0.98 compared with UPX 2.0, PETITE 2.3, FSG 2.0 ----------------------------------------------------------- filesize > 2000 KB - packing ratio between UPX 2.0 and PETITE 2.3 1. UPX 2.0 2. XComp/XPack 0.98 3. PETITE 2.3 filesize 200 - 2000 KB - packing ratio between UPX 2.0 and PETITE 2.3 1. UPX 2.0 2. XComp/XPack 0.98 3. PETITE 2.3 filesize < 200 KB - packing ratio mostly better than UPX 2.0 and PETITE 2.3 1. XComp/XPack 0.98 2. UPX 2.0 3. PETITE 2.3 this is the same situation as with the LZMA compression - not very good but good.
- Best packers: LZMA: PECompact 2.78 was the best exepacker with LZMA compression. + use 'in place' compression + good or very good compression ratio (LZMA) + it is difficult to find a incompressible imagefile. + fastest loading speed LZSS: UPX 2.0 was the best exepacker with LZSS compression. + if possible 'in place' compression + very good compression ratio (LZSS) + it is difficult to find a incompressible imagefile.
