The compressed version usually comes patched to v1.45 or v1.6 (the final patch). However, check for a folder named "Update." If you want the famous Secret Weapons of WWII expansion (flying jets and using experimental rocket packs), ensure the repack includes the "SWoWW" folder.
Here is the good news: You don't need the .rar anymore. Battlefield 1942 -Pc Game Highly Compressed-.rar
Because Battlefield 1942 is considered abandonware by most preservation standards (EA stopped selling it in 2014), you can actually find legal, fully patched, uncompressed versions that work on Windows 10/11 via community launchers like BF1942: The Remastered Pack. The compressed version usually comes patched to v1
Pro tip: Check out the Battlefield 1942 OpenSpy community. They revived the master server. You can play a full, stable 2GB install without hunting for that ancient WinRAR file. Place all parts in a single folder
Often, the highly compressed version is split into multiple files:
Place all parts in a single folder.