CPIO File Converter
Online CPIO File Converter - Instant Download!
Drag your file here to to upload.
Up to 250MB
How to Use CPIO Converter
Step 1 – Upload CPIO file
Drag your .CPIO file or use the browse button.
Step 2 – Choose Format
Select the desired output format from the dropdown list.
Step 3 – Download File
Click "Convert" and download your converted file once ready.
About CPIO (.CPIO)
CPIO is an archive file format used primarily on Unix systems to store collections of files and directories in a single file. It functions similarly to TAR but is often used for backup and transfer purposes. The format was originally developed in the early 1980s as part of the Unix operating system's suite of tools.
Technical Details
The CPIO format stores file metadata such as permissions, timestamps, and ownership along with file data, using a header for each file entry. It supports both binary and ASCII headers, which helps with portability across different systems. The archive ends with a special trailer entry signifying the end of the data stream.
Additional Information & Use Cases
CPIO archives can be created and extracted using the 'cpio' command-line utility, which supports various archive formats including binary, ASCII, and CRC. An interesting fact is that CPIO archives are commonly used in initramfs, the initial RAM filesystem used during Linux system bootup. This makes CPIO essential for boot loaders and early system initialization.
