What This Tool Does
This tool decompresses a BZ2 file back into the TAR archive it holds. BZ2 is a compression stream, usually wrapped around a TAR, and this converter restores that TAR so you can read it directly.
BZ2 compresses more strongly than gzip in many cases, so the recovered TAR is exactly the data that was compressed on the sending side.
How It Works
The BZ2 stream is decoded into its original byte stream, and the recovered TAR is opened with the archive engine to verify it is readable before offering the download.
Step by Step
- 1
Upload the BZ2 file.
- 2
Click Decompress BZ2.
- 3
Wait for the stream to decode.
- 4
Download the recovered TAR.
Compatibility
- Standard bzip2 streams are supported.
- The surfaced TAR must be readable; otherwise the output is the raw stream.
- Lossless: the output matches the originally compressed content exactly.
Troubleshooting
- Damaged BZ2 streams fail clearly rather than returning partial data.
- BZ2 conventionally wraps TAR; this converter is built for that pairing.
- The page does not unpack the TAR further; use ZIP conversion for that.
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of file is a BZ2?
A BZ2 is a compressed byte stream, conventionally wrapping a TAR archive.
Is the conversion reversible?
Yes, and the front end gives you the TAR; recompressing it with bzip2 restores the same bytes.
How is BZ2 different from GZ?
BZ2 uses the bzip2 algorithm, which often compresses text more than gzip, at a speed cost.
Do you fake a TAR when the data is not one?
No. If the recovered stream is not a readable archive, it is treated honestly.
Can I go straight to ZIP?
Yes, use TAR GZ to ZIP or BZ2 to ZIP for a direct wrapper.