How to reduce file sizes using HJSplit

Virtually all of us share files over the Internet these days. Whether you’re plundering P2P networks or sending out files for your business, most problems you’ll have will probably be down to the file size. The fact is that if you reduce the size of the files you’re sharing, things will go a lot quicker and you’ll be able to respond to transfer problems more easily. One of the best ways of doing this is to split very large files into smaller, bite-sized chunks using a program such as HJSplit. This particular app is my favourite file slicer due to its sheer simplicity. Here’s how it works:

• Download HJSplit and unzip the ‘hjsplit.zip’ file. Refreshingly, this app doesn’t require any installation so just double click on the .exe file to launch it. To start breaking up your large file, click ‘Split’.

• Click on the ‘Input file’ button and browse to the location of the file you wish to split. Now hit ‘Output file’ and choose a location for the new fragmented files. It’s a good idea to create a new folder within the directory to keep things as clear as possible. Enter the size you want each file to be and click ‘Start’.

• Your file will now be chopped into the necessary number of pieces, making it much easier to share. To stick a file back together again you just need to go to ‘Join’ from the main menu and find the file. As long as all the split files are in the same directory, you can just select the first one and the rest will be auto-detected.