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Format

MS DOS Compression Format (KWAJ Variant)

Summary

Name
MS DOS Compression Format (KWAJ Variant)
Identifiers
PUID: fmt/469
Description
The MS-DOS compression format uses the LZSS algorithm to compress a single file into another single file, replacing the last character in the filename with an underscore. It is implemented via the MS-DOS commands COMPRESS.EXE and EXPAND.EXE.
Note
A DOS compressed file will be named file.**_, so a .exe will look like file.ex_, a DOS compressed .jpg will look like file.jp_ etc. https://www.cabextract.org.uk/libmspack/doc/szdd_kwaj_format.html
Source
Digital Preservation Department / The National Archives

Internal signatures

MS DOS Compression format (KWAJ)

Note
BOF: KWAJˆð'Ñ

Byte sequences

Min Frag Length
Absolute from BOF
Offset
0
Max offset
None
Byte Sequence
4B57414A88F027D1
Endianness
None

Changelog

  • Updated in V103

    Release date
    11 March 2022

    MS-DOS Compression Format (KWAJ Variant): Amended name for consistency, added link. Submitted by IS4.

  • Added in V65

    Release date
    25 October 2012

    MS DOS Compression format (KWAJ): Signature developed through PRONOM Research.

    MS DOS Compression format (KWAJ): Outline Entry Added.