# Extraction problem **URL:** \ **Category:** USA\ **Created:** [February 23, 2025, 10:33am UTC](https://forum.ipums.org/t/extraction-problem/6367 "2025-02-23T10:33:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Daniel\_Korobko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@Daniel\_Korobko](https://forum.ipums.org/u/Daniel_Korobko)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2025, 10:33am UTC](https://forum.ipums.org/t/extraction-problem/6367/1 "2025-02-23T10:33:40Z")
Hello everyone, i try to extract some data and it does something weird: it writes that the predicted file size is 700 MB which makes sense, but then when i extract i get less than a 100MB empty file. - i made sure im on “rectangular” is there anyone who knows what is the problem? ---
**Author:** ![Ivan\_Strahof](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.ipums.org/ivan_strahof/32/626_2.png) [@Ivan\_Strahof](https://forum.ipums.org/u/Ivan_Strahof)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2025, 4:53pm UTC](https://forum.ipums.org/t/extraction-problem/6367/2 "2025-02-25T16:53:08Z")
Thanks for messaging to let me know that you were able to get your extract to work. As a reference for anyone else who might have this issue, our data extracts are by default compressed (\*.dat.gz) files. Users need to decompress or unzip them before using them. We have noticed that operating system updates for Windows and Macs occasionally result in changes to the default decompression tools that cause unexpected behavior when decompressing/unzipping the .gz files. For this reason, we recommend [7zip](http://7zip.org/) as a free decompression software for Windows and [The Unarchiver](https://theunarchiver.com/) for Macs. [These instructions](https://usa.ipums.org/usa/extract_instructions.shtml) explain how to input the decompressed .dat file into one of our supported stats packages. We also offer accompanying [video tutorials that demonstrate this process](https://usa.ipums.org/usa/tutorials.shtml). Alternatively, it’s possible to request a data extract that’s formatted as a Stata, SAS, or SPSS file (available in the _Extract Options_ menu before submitting the file for processing). The file will still need to be decompressed, but can then be opened directly into one of these stats packages. ---
**Author:** ![Alexander\_Stokes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Alexander\_Stokes](https://forum.ipums.org/u/Alexander_Stokes)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2025, 5:49pm UTC](https://forum.ipums.org/t/extraction-problem/6367/3 "2025-03-31T17:49:31Z")
Hello, I have been trying to extract data as a CSV file on my PC, using 7-zip as recommended. My colleague who is using a Mac is able to open the file in Excel with no problems, but on my computer it looks like every row in the dataset is being extracted as a separate file (186,582 separate files in fact - see attached screenshot). Any suggestions would be great. Thanks! ![IPUMS - data extraction failure](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/uploads/ipums/original/2X/6/657e458ba0058bfa0940e2229d21e01c0624daf1.png) ---
**Author:** ![KariWilliams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/82dd89/32.png) [@KariWilliams](https://forum.ipums.org/u/KariWilliams)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2025, 6:23pm UTC](https://forum.ipums.org/t/extraction-problem/6367/4 "2025-03-31T18:23:42Z")
Thanks for your message. Something about the latest Windows update seems to have caused occasional issues with decompressing .gz files. We recommend [7zip](https://www.7-zip.org/) for decompressing .gz files on Windows machines. If after redownloading the file and decompressing it with 7zip you are still running into issues, please follow up! ---
**Author:** ![Alexander\_Stokes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Alexander\_Stokes](https://forum.ipums.org/u/Alexander_Stokes)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2025, 9:25pm UTC](https://forum.ipums.org/t/extraction-problem/6367/5 "2025-03-31T21:25:58Z")
Thanks! I was using 7zip, but redownloading was the key. All good now. Thanks!