Zip compressing large files

[F525]

I have a file that is 6 GB that I would like to zip up. Neither WinZip ver 7 or XP's own built in folder compression can zip the file. Both say the file is too large.

Is there another utility that will compress a large file like that?
What is the maximum size? The errors just say the file was too large.

Thanks

[Lespaul20]

WinRar

[juppy]

You might also try 7zip (http://www.7-zip.org/). I can't find a definite number on the largest file size supported for the zip format, but I know their new 7z format can easily handle a file that size.

[EzyStvy]

What file type is it the large file?

[Lespaul20]

I tried zipping a 7.5GB folder a week ago and it only compressed it by 500MB and took about 40 min with my Athlon 64 4000+.

[F525]

Thanks for the replies everybody.
EzyStvy: the file is a Virtual Machine file. VMware. I like to back them up every so often, because on occasion, they won't start; they get corrupted or something. And I don't want to have to rebuild them from scratch, so I just make copies of them periodically.
I was hoping I could compress them by half maybe. Because alot of the 6 GB is empty space. (Unused virtual drive space.) I will compress the whole folder, but most of the 6 GB is all in one file.
I will get a look at the 7zip and winrar. Thanks again.

[F525]

I tried 7zip first. It worked real well. I tried it with .zip and .7z formats.
The 6.2 GB file with .zip took 13 minutes and compressed to 1.3 GB.
With .7z format, it took 27 minutes and compressed to 1.0 GB.
I'm happy with both results. Thanks again.