1. In case I do all the file extraction inside a virtual Amiga HD, what file extractors ("unpackers") or file archivers do you recommend either for AmigaOS or for the command-line interface? I have read somewhere that AmigaOS 3.9 has UnArc and nicholas mentioned the lha self extractor.
My personal favourite is Voodoo-X for archive extraction:
http://aminet.net/package/util/arc/Voodoo-XI use this on my real Amiga's and WINUAE emulated. Allows virus checking too with xvslibrary. I always virus check everything I've downloaded before actually extracting it. Voodoo-X makes this simpler than ever. Just load the archive, then select the "Check for viruses" from the menu.
Also, with WinUAE, you can create partitions with the "Add Directory" option on your windows drive. This will allow you to perfectly preserve the file attributes/integrity the same as a HDF would do, but
only if you use those files under WinUAE. For example, don't copy Amiga files from within Windows. Any copying must be done from your emulated Workbench in WinUAE. The way this works is that extra hidden files are created on your Windows (NTFS for example) drive alongside the real amiga files, and the hidden files are what preserve the amiga file attributes/integrity (the hidden files are created and read by WinUAE).
Or use HDF's, then it saves you the temptation of handling the files in Windows.
