Teste isso:
Basta usar a linha de comando da arca:
ark [--extract --extract-to --add --add-to --guess-name] [folder] [files] [archive] Options]
Suponha que seu arquivo seja backup_2014.09.29-19.05.44_1.tar
Abra um terminal
Pressione Ctrl + Alt + T
Execute:
$ ark --extract-to /home/bumpy backup_2014.09.29-19.05.44_1.tar
Comando Ark:
Opções:
--extract // Open extract dialog, quit when finished
--extract-to folder archive // Extract archive to folder. Quit when finished. folder will be created if it does not exist.
--add files // Ask for the name of the archive to add files to. Quit when finished.
--add-to files archive // Add files to archive. Quit when finished. archive will be created if it does not exist.
--guess-name folder archive // Used with --extract-to. When specified, archive will be extracted to a subfolder of folder whose name will be the name of archive without the filename extension.
Fonte: link