: To extract a single file from the middle of a large backup.7z solid archive, the software must decode all preceding data in that solid block, making partial restores slower.
When creating a backup, this feature provides several benefits and trade-offs:
-ms=off : Disables solid mode for faster individual file access. backup.7z
-ms=2g : Limits solid blocks to 2GB to balance compression and access speed. 7z(1) — p7zip-full — Debian stretch
: Because similar data patterns across different files are compressed together, solid archives significantly reduce file size, especially for backups containing many small or similar files. : To extract a single file from the middle of a large backup
In the 7-Zip GUI , you can enable this by checking in the Add to Archive dialog. In the command line, use the -ms switch: -ms=on : Enables solid mode (default for 7z).
: Modifying or deleting a file within a solid archive is more resource-intensive because the entire solid block must be rebuilt. How to use it 7z(1) — p7zip-full — Debian stretch : Because
The "solid" feature in a file refers to Solid Compression , a method where 7-Zip treats multiple files as a single continuous data block.