https://github.com/drpetersonfernandes/simplezipdrive
This application mount ZIP archive files as virtual drives or directories on your Windows system using the DokanNet library
https://github.com/drpetersonfernandes/simplezipdrive
dokan dokannet dokany mount sharpziplib virtual-drive zip
Last synced: 2 months ago
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This application mount ZIP archive files as virtual drives or directories on your Windows system using the DokanNet library
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/drpetersonfernandes/simplezipdrive
- Owner: drpetersonfernandes
- License: gpl-3.0
- Created: 2025-06-25T18:07:18.000Z (12 months ago)
- Default Branch: master
- Last Pushed: 2026-02-17T19:26:55.000Z (4 months ago)
- Last Synced: 2026-02-18T00:59:15.763Z (4 months ago)
- Topics: dokan, dokannet, dokany, mount, sharpziplib, virtual-drive, zip
- Language: C#
- Homepage: https://www.purelogiccode.com
- Size: 201 KB
- Stars: 8
- Watchers: 0
- Forks: 0
- Open Issues: 3
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: ReadMe.md
- License: LICENSE.txt
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README
# Simple Zip Drive for Windows
[](#requirements)
[](https://dotnet.microsoft.com/download/dotnet/10.0)
[](https://github.com/drpetersonfernandes/SimpleZipDrive/releases)
[](LICENSE.txt)
[](https://github.com/drpetersonfernandes/SimpleZipDrive/releases)
**Simple Zip Drive** is a high-performance, user-mode filesystem utility that allows you to mount ZIP, 7Z, and RAR archives as virtual drives or NTFS directory mount points. Built on the [DokanNet](https://github.com/dokan-dev/dokan-dotnet) library, it provides seamless, read-only access to compressed data without the need for manual extraction.
Unlike traditional archive utilities that extract the entire archive to a temporary folder, Simple Zip Drive utilizes a **hybrid streaming engine** to minimize memory overhead and maximize random-access performance.
---
## 🚀 Key Features
* **Multi-Format Support:** Mount ZIP, 7Z, and RAR archives seamlessly.
* **Virtual Drive Mounting:** Mount any supported archive as a dedicated drive letter (e.g., `M:\`) or a folder path.
* **Hybrid Caching Engine:**
* **Small Files:** Cached in-memory for near-instantaneous access.
* **Large Files (>512MB):** Automatically offloaded to a temporary disk cache to prevent RAM exhaustion.
* **Streaming Architecture:** The source archive is accessed via a direct file stream, supporting archives of virtually any size.
* **Zero-Configuration UI:** Supports drag-and-drop functionality for automatic mounting to the first available drive letter (M-Q).
* **Encrypted Archive Support:** Prompts for passwords when accessing protected archives.
* **Automated Maintenance:** Integrated update checker and automatic cleanup of temporary cache files upon unmounting.
* **Enterprise Logging:** Comprehensive error tracking with local log rotation and remote diagnostic reporting.
---
## 🛠 Prerequisites
Before running Simple Zip Drive, ensure your system meets the following requirements:
1. **.NET 10.0 Runtime:** Download the latest [.NET Desktop Runtime](https://dotnet.microsoft.com/download).
2. **Dokan Library:** This application requires the Dokan kernel-mode driver.
* Download and install the latest `DokanSetup.exe` from the [Official Releases](https://github.com/dokan-dev/dokany/releases).
---
## 📖 Usage Guide
### Method 1: Drag-and-Drop (Recommended)
Simply drag any `.zip`, `.7z`, or `.rar` file and drop it onto `SimpleZipDrive.exe`. The application will automatically attempt to mount the archive to the first available drive letter in the sequence: `M:`, `N:`, `O:`, `P:`, `Q:`.
### Method 2: Command Line Interface (CLI)
For advanced users or automation, use the following syntax:
```shell
SimpleZipDrive.exe
```
**Examples:**
* **Mount a ZIP file to a drive letter:**
```shell
SimpleZipDrive.exe "C:\Data\Archive.zip" M
```
* **Mount a 7Z file to a drive letter:**
```shell
SimpleZipDrive.exe "C:\Data\Archive.7z" N
```
* **Mount a RAR file to a drive letter:**
```shell
SimpleZipDrive.exe "C:\Data\Archive.rar" O
```
* **Mount to an NTFS folder:**
```shell
SimpleZipDrive.exe "C:\Data\Archive.zip" "C:\Mount\MyProject"
```
### Unmounting
To safely unmount the drive and clean up temporary resources:
1. Focus the console window.
2. Press `Ctrl + C` or simply close the window.
---
## 🔍 Technical Architecture
* **Read-Only Integrity:** The filesystem is strictly read-only. No modifications are made to the source archive.
* **Memory Efficiency:** The application does not load the entire archive into RAM. It reads the Central Directory into a dictionary for fast lookups and streams file data only when requested.
* **Permissions:** Mounting to drive letters or system-protected directories may require **Administrator Privileges**. If you encounter "Access Denied" errors, right-click the executable and select "Run as Administrator."
* **Temporary Storage:** Disk-based caching for large files occurs in `%TEMP%\SimpleZipDrive`. These files are purged automatically during a graceful shutdown.
---
## ❓ Troubleshooting
| Issue | Solution |
| :--- | :--- |
| **Dokan Initialization Failed** | Ensure the Dokan driver is installed and you have restarted your PC after installation. |
| **Drive Letter in Use** | Specify a different drive letter via CLI or ensure letters M-Q are not mapped to network shares. |
| **Out of Memory** | Occurs if too many large files are opened simultaneously. Close applications accessing the virtual drive to free up cache. |
| **Archive File Error** | Simple Zip Drive supports standard ZIP, 7Z, and RAR formats. Other formats like `.tar.gz` or `.bz2` are not supported. |
| **Password Prompt Not Appearing** | Some encrypted archives may use unsupported encryption methods. Ensure your archive uses standard ZIP, 7Z, or RAR encryption. |
---
## 📜 License & Acknowledgments
This project is licensed under the GPLv3 License – see the [LICENSE](LICENSE.txt) file for details.
**Third-Party Libraries:**
* [DokanNet](https://github.com/dokan-dev/dokan-dotnet) (MIT)
* [SharpCompress](https://github.com/adamhathcock/sharpcompress) (MIT)
---
## 🤝 Contributing & Support
* **Donate:** If you find this project useful, consider [supporting the developer](https://www.purelogiccode.com/donate).
**⭐ If you like this project, please give us a star on GitHub! ⭐**