How to install RAR Archiver (rar)

Submitted by MikeTT on Sun, 2005-10-16 15:04.

Prerequisites: add universe and multiverse repositories.

Open a terminal window and type in:
sudo apt-get install rar
sudo ln -fs /usr/bin/rar /usr/bin/unrar

After that you can find Archive Manager in the Gnome menu under Applications -> Accessories.

( categories: Installation )
iGNORED's picture
Submitted by iGNORED on Mon, 2006-07-03 18:19.

Just what i have been looking for! :D Thanks a lot! However it doesn't come up any "RAR" or anything with unrar etc in the Accessories or anywhere in the Applications...But thanks anyway!


Submitted by jigwad on Sun, 2006-08-20 11:16.

Once you install this package (Dapper) you won't see anything added to applications -> wherever, the default archiver will be able to deal with *.rar packages automatically... have a lot of  fun!

Cromwell's picture
Submitted by Cromwell on Sun, 2006-11-05 18:43.

    I see that it don't apear in the menu like it says it will but still works when I select a file. Good enough I guess for now anyway.I see you have a choice to open the file in memory to view it or you can extract it to a folder. I like that option I can view it without useing up drive space.I've been useing Ubuntu Linux for a one and a half weeks. I'm learning one new thing a day. Now that I can do this I can really start enjoying Linux. And I know this is just the beginning. I'm excited to see what the futre holds.


Submitted by warblade68 on Sun, 2006-11-12 14:08.

YepppEEE!!! Thx to you

Submitted by hukoman on Thu, 2006-11-30 16:58.

I'd like to ask you 4 your help. I am using linux just few days...I've tried to instal RAR archiver according to your directions...but tere is a problem...when I write the first think in my terminal it wants some password from me....well I ques that it wants my account password/or administrator password which is the same....so this is all right  but problem ist that I am unable to write anything to the terminal....there is just written password: and when I try to write something the cursor is not moving - so in fact I cannot write my password....after a while it writes....incorrect password or something simillar...could you help me please...thanx a lot

Submitted by bmartes on Thu, 2006-11-30 23:06.

When you use sudo you are firing commands as a super-user (administrator / root). So the only thing you do is the execution of the part after sudo. When you want to type something as super-user you have to use the command sudo -sThen type your password. Now you can type more commands like apt-get install rar and ln -fs /usr/bin/rar /usr/bin/unrar 

Submitted by hukoman on Thu, 2006-11-30 23:48.

thanx for your explanation and quick response....I hope that I'll get familliar with ubuntu in short time..:)

Submitted by seca on Fri, 2007-02-23 15:53.

Thx a lot. I needed that

jamie's picture
Submitted by jamie on Fri, 2007-03-16 18:58.

I've tried the different archive packages, tips and tools but I still can't manage any of my .rar's. Any ideas about what I may be missing or doing wrong?


robertvaliant's picture
Submitted by robertvaliant on Sun, 2008-01-13 05:09.

Only two years too late to comment but thanks MikeTT. That did it.


Submitted by HMB on Thu, 2008-07-10 14:01.

I followed the steps listed above, and I have a problem. After typing in the first command, I get this message:"Reading package lists... DoneBuilding dependency tree       Reading state information... DonePackage rar is not available, but is referred to by another package.This may mean that the package is missing, has been obsoleted, oris only available from another sourceE: Package rar has no installation candidate"Does this mean I have to reinstall Ubuntu? :S