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How to recognize the compression algorithms with your eyes


michalss

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The example is a PNG used in the previous thread (the one showing "QUICKBMS") and attached to this thread.

zlib
It starts with 0x78 (rarely also with 0x58).
Use offzip to test if it's really zlib.

78 da ed 8f 6b 48 53 61 1c c6 df 65 35 ed 32 8d   x...kHSa...e5.2.
4a 49 9d 65 20 88 93 2d 13 ba a0 53 ab 85 5a b9   JI.e ..-...S..Z.
96 49 a2 76 d0 32 d7 cd a8 b9 72 a9 1d 2d fd 60   .I.v.2....r..-.`
65 84 a5 cd 4a 26 eb 2a 76 d9 64 5e 32 87 a7 bc   e...J&.*v.d^2...

deflate
Usually starts with 0xe*.
Use "offzip -z -15" to test if it's really deflate.

ed 8f 6b 48 53 61 1c c6 df 65 35 ed 32 8d 4a 49   ..kHSa...e5.2.JI
9d 65 20 88 93 2d 13 ba a0 53 ab 85 5a b9 96 49   .e ..-...S..Z..I
a2 76 d0 32 d7 cd a8 b9 72 a9 1d 2d fd 60 65 84   .v.2....r..-.`e.
a5 cd 4a 26 eb 2a 76 d9 64 5e 32 87 a7 bc 2c 69   ..J&.*v.d^2...,i

lzo1x
Parts of the original data are uncompressed.

25 89 50 4e 47 0d 0a 1a 0a 00 00 00 0d 49 48 44   %.PNG........IHD
52 00 00 01 f4 6e 00 08 02 44 02 01 44 b4 48 dd   R....n...D..D.H.
58 00 06 09 70 48 59 73 00 00 0e c4 6c 00 00 32   X...pHYs....l..2
01 95 2b 0e 1b 00 00 07 81 49 44 41 54 78 da ed   ..+......IDATx..

lzss
Parts of the original data uncompressed.

ff 89 50 4e 47 0d 0a 1a 0a ff 00 00 00 0d 49 48   ..PNG.........IH
44 52 6f 00 00 01 f4 fe f1 08 02 f6 f0 ef 44 b4   DRo...........D.
48 dd f6 f0 09 70 48 bf 59 73 00 00 0e c4 17 01   H....pH.Ys......
01 ff 95 2b 0e 1b 00 00 07 81 ff 49 44 41 54 78   ...+.......IDATx

Xmemcompress / LZX
Usually it starts with 0xff.
There are also some file formats created with the xbcompress tool, they start with 0x0F 0xF5 0x12 0xEE (lzx native) or 0x0F 0xF5 0x12 0xED (lzx decode).

ff 07 cf 03 4a 00 10 f3 7c 00 00 42 00 50 22 00   ....J...|..B.P".
00 5f 00 c1 41 0c 02 bb bd 70 b9 29 b3 1b db 8c   ._..A....p.)....
38 f3 dc 0e b0 54 59 32 67 c5 9c 1b cf 8f 9c 2f   8....TY2g....../
7b cc 73 26 2a 81 59 4f 89 2e 4a 11 da 90 31 03   {.s&*.YO..J...1.

Bzip2
Fixed signature, BZh91.

42 5a 68 39 31 41 59 26 53 59 c3 87 b9 ea 00 02   BZh91AY&SY......
9e ff ff ff ff ef bf f2 5d f9 ef fe ff fd be ff   ........].......
fe ff ff f8 fd 7f fb 7f bf df fb ff b5 f7 bf 9f   ................
ff ff ff c0 02 9c 1a cc db 02 2a 90 d0 d0 1a 03   ..........*.....

gzip
0x1f 0x8b, note that usually it contains deflate data, rarely lzma and some rare games use also other types of compressions (quickbms automatically handles all of them).

1f 8b 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 eb 0c f0 73 e7 e5   .............s..
92 e2 62 60 60 e0 f5 f4 70 09 62 60 60 fc 02 c2   ..b``...p.b``...
1c 4c 40 11 97 2d 1e 77 81 14 67 81 47 64 31 03   [email protected].
03 df 11 10 66 9c aa cd 27 cd c0 c0 de e8 e9 e2   ....f...'.......

JCalg
It starts with JC.

4a 43 cf 07 00 00 84 a9 56 bb 14 6a e2 20 15 36   JC......V..j. .6
3c ea 03 45 26 1a 12 45 9a 14 1f 90 03 a4 20 42   <..E&..E...... B
09 a0 da 44 93 40 3b a0 3b 52 ac 18 b8 09 71 87   ...D.@;.;R....q.
d0 dc 95 03 4a 00 81 8d 96 95 49 03 1f 24 97 6a   ....J.....I..$.j

LZMA
0x5d at the beginning (it's a flag), a 32bit field (size of the dictionary) and the lzma data.
The raw lzma stream usually starts with a 0x00 (offset 0x5)
Note: if you use "comptype lzma_compress" in QuickBMS to compress data, your output will start with 0x2c instead of 0x5d, I modified the dump to make everything easier for you.

5d 00 00 00 08 00 44 94 a6 b1 a9 14 37 65 03 e8   ].....D.....7e..
61 4e b5 0a 29 f7 bc f4 0a 39 10 76 ec 9c fe 41   aN..)....9.v...A
1a 6a 07 81 ce e1 e0 58 3f 2f a1 6a c9 03 2d 24   .j.....X?/.j..-$
38 74 b0 3d 19 ab 33 0c 73 57 75 94 da 8a ac 7e   8t.=..3.sWu....~

lzma 86 head
As before with a 64bit uncompressed size field before the compressed data.

5d 00 00 00 08 cf 07 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 44 94   ].............D.
a6 b1 a9 14 37 65 03 e8 61 4e b5 0a 29 f7 bc f4   ....7e..aN..)...
0a 39 10 76 ec 9c fe 41 1a 6a 07 81 ce e1 e0 58   .9.v...A.j.....X
3f 2f a1 6a c9 03 2d 24 38 74 b0 3d 19 ab 33 0c   ?/.j..-$8t.=..3.


lzma 86 dec
One byte more than lzma.

5d 00 00 00 08 00 00 44 94 a6 b1 a9 14 37 65 03   ]......D.....7e.
e8 61 4e b5 0a 29 f7 bc f4 0a 39 10 76 ec 9c fe   .aN..)....9.v...
41 1a 6a 07 81 ce e1 e0 58 3f 2f a1 6a c9 03 2d   A.j.....X?/.j..-
24 38 74 b0 3d 19 ab 33 0c 73 57 75 94 da 8a ac   $8t.=..3.sWu....

lzma 86 dec head
All the fields seen before.

5d 00 00 00 08 00 cf 07 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 44   ]..............D
94 a6 b1 a9 14 37 65 03 e8 61 4e b5 0a 29 f7 bc   .....7e..aN..)..
f4 0a 39 10 76 ec 9c fe 41 1a 6a 07 81 ce e1 e0   ..9.v...A.j.....
58 3f 2f a1 6a c9 03 2d 24 38 74 b0 3d 19 ab 33   X?/.j..-$8t.=..3


lzma efs
Used by the ZIP file format.

5d 00 00 00 08 00 00 05 00 00 44 94 a6 b1 a9 14   ].........D.....
37 65 03 e8 61 4e b5 0a 29 f7 bc f4 0a 39 10 76   7e..aN..)....9.v
ec 9c fe 41 1a 6a 07 81 ce e1 e0 58 3f 2f a1 6a   ...A.j.....X?/.j
c9 03 2d 24 38 74 b0 3d 19 ab 33 0c 73 57 75 94   ..-$8t.=..3.sWu.

lzma without prop / headerless

00 44 94 a6 b1 a9 14 37 65 03 e8 61 4e b5 0a 29   .D.....7e..aN..)
f7 bc f4 0a 39 10 76 ec 9c fe 41 1a 6a 07 81 ce   ....9.v...A.j...
e1 e0 58 3f 2f a1 6a c9 03 2d 24 38 74 b0 3d 19   ..X?/.j..-$8t.=.
ab 33 0c 73 57 75 94 da 8a ac 7e 5d 55 f3 19 4d   .3.sWu....~]U..M

RNC
"RNC" magic, version (1 and 2), uncompressed size.

52 4e 43 01 00 00 07 cf 00 00 03 06 d5 26 b5 99   RNC..........&..
00 00 20 21 12 9a 21 06 60 45 22 32 00 a6 40 64   .. !..!.`E"2..@d
04 80 80 64 00 42 89 50 4e 47 0d 0a 1a 0a 00 00   ...d.B.PNG......
00 0d 49 48 44 52 00 00 01 f4 5f 2d 08 02 02 01   ..IHDR...._-....

Zpaq
"zPQ" magic, currently I have never seen this compression used in games.

7a 50 51 01 01 c4 00 05 09 00 00 16 01 a0 03 05   zPQ.............
08 0d 01 08 10 02 08 12 03 08 13 04 08 13 05 08   ................
14 06 04 16 18 03 11 08 13 09 03 0d 03 0d 03 0d   ................
03 0e 07 10 00 0f 18 ff 07 08 00 10 0a ff 06 00   ................

Snappy
Uncompressed size before the data.

cf 0f 4c 89 50 4e 47 0d 0a 1a 0a 00 00 00 0d 49   ..L.PNG........I
48 44 52 00 00 01 f4 01 04 50 08 02 00 00 00 44   HDR......P.....D
b4 48 dd 00 00 00 09 70 48 59 73 00 00 0e c4 01   .H.....pHYs.....
04 f0 46 01 95 2b 0e 1b 00 00 07 81 49 44 41 54   ..F..+......IDAT

Gipfeli
Small header with 32bit uncompressed size.

02 cf 07 60 00 35 da 0c 80 28 06 40 13 03 75 00   ...`.5...([email protected].
2a 01 02 38 00 d2 01 a8 04 ea 00 34 40 05 54 0d   *[email protected].
6a 0b 40 73 0d 35 50 07 a0 2d a4 03 50 cc 35 48   [email protected]
45 48 2d 00 cc ff 16 80 e6 1a b4 2d 00 07 c0 df   EH-........-....

LZG
"LZG" magic and uncompressed size.

4c 5a 47 00 00 07 cf 00 00 03 26 94 ed 70 6b 01   LZG.......&..pk.
12 18 23 24 89 50 4e 47 0d 0a 1a 0a 00 00 00 0d   ..#$.PNG........
49 48 44 52 00 00 01 f4 24 62 08 02 23 0a 44 b4   IHDR....$b..#.D.
48 dd 24 c1 09 70 48 59 73 00 00 0e c4 24 62 01   H.$..pHYs....$b.


Doboz
Small header with uncompressed size.

08 cf 07 5a 03 00 00 90 90 89 50 4e 47 0d 0a 1a   ...Z......PNG...
0a 00 00 00 0d 49 48 44 52 00 00 01 f4 06 01 08   .....IHDR.......
02 48 44 b4 48 dd 1c 09 70 80 00 00 80 48 59 73   .HD.H...p....HYs
00 00 0e c4 06 01 01 95 2b 0e 1b 00 00 07 81 49   ........+......I

SFL block

40 00 00 89 50 4e 47 0d 0a 1a 0a 00 00 00 0d 49   @...PNG........I
48 44 52 09 08 00 00 01 f4 00 41 08 02 01 20 44   HDR.......A... D
b4 48 dd 00 70 09 70 48 02 00 59 73 00 00 0e c4   .H..p.pH..Ys....
00 41 01 95 2b 0e 1b 00 00 07 81 00 00 49 44 41   .A..+........IDA

SFL bits

0f 89 50 4e 47 0d 0a 1a 0a 84 0c 0d 49 48 44 52   ..PNG.......IHDR
83 00 08 f4 83 00 08 f4 03 01 84 0b 44 b4 48 dd   ............D.H.
84 0c 09 70 48 59 73 83 09 0e c4 83 09 0e c4 00   ...pHYs.........
0b 95 2b 0e 1b 83 15 07 81 49 44 41 54 78 da ed   ..+......IDATx..

LZF

13 89 50 4e 47 0d 0a 1a 0a 00 00 00 0d 49 48 44   ..PNG........IHD
52 00 00 01 f4 40 03 01 08 02 20 11 03 44 b4 48   R....@.... ..D.H
dd 20 06 08 09 70 48 59 73 00 00 0e c4 40 03 1f   . ...pHYs....@..
01 95 2b 0e 1b 00 00 07 81 49 44 41 54 78 da ed   ..+......IDATx..

Brieflz

89 00 00 50 4e 47 0d 0a 1a 0a 00 00 00 0d 49 48   ...PNG........IH
44 52 00 00 10 00 01 f4 03 08 02 00 00 00 44 b4   DR............D.
48 04 00 dd 00 00 00 09 70 48 59 73 00 00 0e c4   H.......pHYs....
00 00 03 01 95 2b 0e 1b 00 00 07 81 49 44 41 54   .....+......IDAT

Falcom (used in the Ys series)
32bit compressed size at the beginning.

3d 03 00 00 89 50 4e 47 0d 0a 1a 0a 0a 4a 00 01   =....PNG.....J..
0d 49 48 44 52 07 01 f4 04 24 21 08 02 12 44 b4   .IHDR....$!...D.
48 dd 07 41 89 09 70 48 59 73 07 0e c4 04 a0 00   H..A..pHYs......
01 95 2b 0e 1b 09 07 81 49 44 41 54 78 da 00 00   ..+.....IDATx...

LZ4
Usually it starts with a 0xf* byte.

f0 05 89 50 4e 47 0d 0a 1a 0a 00 00 00 0d 49 48   ...PNG........IH
44 52 00 00 01 f4 04 00 f0 06 08 02 00 00 00 44   DR.............D
b4 48 dd 00 00 00 09 70 48 59 73 00 00 0e c4 04   .H.....pHYs.....
00 f5 37 01 95 2b 0e 1b 00 00 07 81 49 44 41 54   ..7..+......IDAT

Yappy

1f 89 50 4e 47 0d 0a 1a 0a 00 00 00 0d 49 48 44   ..PNG........IHD
52 00 00 01 f4 00 00 01 f4 08 02 00 00 00 44 b4   R.............D.
48 1f dd 00 00 00 09 70 48 59 73 00 00 0e c4 00   H......pHYs.....
00 0e c4 01 95 2b 0e 1b 00 00 07 81 49 44 41 54   .....+......IDAT

NitroSDK (Nintendo)
The first byte is the type of compression: 0x00, 0x10, 0x11, 0x20, 0x40.

10 cf 07 00 00 89 50 4e 47 0d 0a 1a 0a 00 00 00   ......PNG.......
00 0d 49 48 44 52 09 00 00 01 f4 10 03 08 02 00   ..IHDR..........
11 08 44 b4 48 dd 00 18 09 70 48 02 59 73 00 00   ..D.H....pH.Ys..
0e c4 10 03 01 00 95 2b 0e 1b 00 00 07 81 00 49   .......+.......I

LZMA2

18 e0 07 ce 02 fa 5d 00 44 94 05 c4 7a 27 f6 f7   ......].D...z'..
ee 89 8e 50 90 88 b3 aa cc 1b 2e 9b 5a d1 1a 08   ...P........Z...
c2 69 96 f7 ad ab 24 88 1f 78 89 db 47 9f ab 1e   .i....$..x..G...
d5 ee e0 c1 8b b2 c9 82 e1 c5 12 78 20 65 03 85   ...........x e..

LZMA2 headerless

e0 07 ce 02 fa 5d 00 44 94 05 c4 7a 27 f6 f7 ee   .....].D...z'...
89 8e 50 90 88 b3 aa cc 1b 2e 9b 5a d1 1a 08 c2   ..P........Z....
69 96 f7 ad ab 24 88 1f 78 89 db 47 9f ab 1e d5   i....$..x..G....
ee e0 c1 8b b2 c9 82 e1 c5 12 78 20 65 03 85 04   ..........x e...

Oodle
Usually it starts with the byte 0x8c.

8c 0b 43 03 61 df 01 00 12 19 83 e0 b4 78 4b e0   ..C.a........xK.
ab 74 91 77 97 86 13 9d 40 07 b7 d4 0d 76 5c 7d   [email protected]\}
56 81 8f 7c f0 33 c0 1a 9a fc 0d ad 47 80 4b fc   V..|.3......G.K.
49 93 f9 fc 4c a6 b7 80 17 a4 bc 8c 07 f9 8d 31   I...L..........1

zstd
It starts with a little endian 32bit magic number, when seen with a hex editor only the first byte (the low 8bit) is different because it depends by the version of the algorithm:

1e b5 2f fd    v0.1
22 b5 2f fd    v0.2
23 b5 2f fd    v0.3
24 b5 2f fd    v0.4
25 b5 2f fd    v0.5
26 b5 2f fd    v0.6
27 b5 2f fd    v0.7
28 b5 2f fd    v0.8, current version

xcompress lzxtdecode

0F F5 12 ED

uclpack

00 e9 55 43 4c ff 01 1a

lz4f

04 22 4d 18

EA refpack
Usually starts with 10 FB

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