UCI File – What is .uci file and how to open it?
UCI File Extension
UFS Explorer Backup File – file format by SysDevSoftware
UCI (UFS Explorer Backup File) is a file extension developed by SysDevSoftware for backup files created by UFS Explorer, a data recovery software for Windows, macOS, and Linux. It stores an image of a disk or partition, including the file system and all the data contained in it.
Definition of a UCI File
A UCI file is an archive file created by UFS Explorer, a proprietary file recovery software developed by SysDevSoftware. It is primarily used for backing up and storing data, including files, folders, and system settings. UCI files may contain multiple volumes spanned across different storage devices, allowing for the efficient backup of large datasets.
Usage of UCI Files
UCI files are commonly used for data backup and recovery purposes. They offer several advantages, such as compression, encryption, and the ability to create incremental backups. Compression reduces the size of the backup file, while encryption ensures the security and privacy of the stored data. Incremental backups only include changes made since the last backup, saving time and storage space. UCI files can also be used to store forensic data, as they maintain the original file structure and metadata.
Using UFS Explorer
The primary method to open a UCI file is through UFS Explorer, the software that created it. The software is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems. Once installed, follow these steps:
- Launch UFS Explorer.
- Click on “File” in the menu bar.
- Select “Open” and locate the UCI file.
- Click “Open” to mount the image file.
- The contents of the UCI file will be displayed in the main window.
Alternative Methods
If UFS Explorer is not available, there are limited alternative options to open UCI files. Two notable programs that support UCI files are:
- 7-Zip: A free file archiver that can extract the contents of a UCI file.
- WinRAR: A commercial file archiver that also supports UCI extraction.
However, it’s important to note that these alternative methods may not be able to access all the features of the UCI file compared to using UFS Explorer. Therefore, using the original software is generally recommended for the most comprehensive access to the UCI file’s contents.
UCI File Structure
A UCI file is a backup file created by UFS Explorer Backup and Recovery software. It contains an image of an entire disk drive, partition, or logical volume, including the file system and all data. UCI files are compressed using the zlib algorithm to reduce their size and protect their integrity.
UCI File Format
UCI files consist of multiple sectors, each of which contains a portion of the backed-up data. The first sector of a UCI file is the header sector, which contains information about the file, such as the version of the backup software used, the date and time of the backup, and the size of the original data. The remaining sectors contain the actual backup data. UCI files also include a checksum to ensure that the data has not been corrupted during transfer or storage.