Tips to open CPIO file

Can't open the CPIO file? You are not the only one. Thousands of users face similar problems every day. Below you will find tips on how to open CPIO files as well as a list of programs that support CPIO files.

CPIO file extension

File Name Unix CPIO Archive
File Category Encoded Files

The CPIO file is supported on 3 operating systems. Depending on your operating system, you may need different software to handle the CPIO files. Below is a summary of the number of programs that support and open the CPIO file on each system platform.

Operating systems
  • 6
  • 3
  • 3
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

What is CPIO file?

The CPIO file has been categorized as Encoded Files. In addition to this file, the Encoded Files category includes 236 related files. Unix CPIO Archive is supported by 3 operating systems. These systems consist of Linux, Mac OS, Windows, although it may occasionally be found on another system, it will be non-functional. Alternatively, you can use 11 other programs. PeaZip, IZArc, 7-Zip, Apache Commons Compress will apply when it is not possible to use iArchiver.

How to open CPIO file?

The most common problem when using Unix CPIO Archive is that a specific CPIO is not associated with the program. This causes the file CPIO to open by system applications not designed for this purpose, or to display a message that there is no associated program. How to solve such a problem?

The first thing you should do is just "doubleclick" on the CPIO file icon you want to open. If the operating system has an appropriate application to support it and there is also an association between the file and the program, the file should be opened.

Step 1. Install iArchiver

An often overlooked issue is to make sure that iArchiver is installed on the computer. To do this, enter the name iArchiver into the system search engine. If we do not have this program, it is worth installing it, as it will help you automatically associate the file CPIO with iArchiver. Below you will find a list of applications that support CPIO files.

Step 2. Create association of iArchiver with CPIO files

If, despite the installed application, the CPIO file does not start in the iArchiver application, you must create a file association. The association can be created using the drop-down list available by right-clicking on the file and selecting Properties. Information about the file and the program that the file is associated with are available here. Using the "Change" button we can set the program to handle this type. If there is no software on the list, simply select "Browse" and manually select the directory where the application is installed. The "always use the selected program ..." field will set the iArchiver application as the default for handling the CPIO file.

Step 3. Update iArchiver to the latest version

The fault may also lie with the iArchiver program, it is possible that Unix CPIO Archive requires a newer version of the program.

Step 4. Check for the following problems with the CPIO file

If the above steps do not help, you can assume that the file itself is not correct. This could be due to the file itself, the cleanest issues are:

The CPIO file may be unusually small compared to the original file. This is most often caused by a problem while downloading the CPIO file. Downloading the file again should fix the problem.
The operating system may be infected with a computer virus. Perform a virus scan using available and up-to-date anti-virus software. Alternatively, you can use the scanners available online. The scan should cover the entire computer, not only the CPIO file that we want to open. However, remember that not every infected CPIO file can be recovered, so it is important to take care of regular backups.
Older version of CPIO file may not always be supported by the latest software version. On their websites, developers usually offer free solutions to such problems, e.g. in the form of a conversion program or an older version of the program.
There can be many reasons for the failure. The repair method must be adapted to the type of file and damage. Some programs offer the option of recovering data from damaged CPIO files.
The program can also signal the fact of encryption. The encrypted CPIO files can be used by the device on which they were encrypted, on any other device it is required to have the appropriate cryptographic key and decrypt the file before its recovery.
Some operating systems do not allow file operations in certain locations, eg in system directories or directly on the system drive. The problem is only writing to the file, not reading it. Copying the CPIO file to another location will fix the problem.
This problem usually affects more complex files. Some file types can only be opened in one program at a time. Closing other programs should help. Sometimes you have to wait for the session to the file CPIO to close. Antivirus programs or a backup being made may lock the file for a while without the user's knowledge. If nothing helps, please reset the device.