I'd prefer raw file i/o as a solution something like
Code:

$fdFile=fOpen("c:\temp\file.txt",2+8)   ; Open for reading (in binary mode)
$=fSeek($fdFile,-1)                     ; Fast forward to end of file
$lFileSize=fTell($fdFile)               ; How big is file?
$=fRewind($fdFile)                      ; Back to start of file
$FileData=fRead($fdFile,$lFileSize)     ; Read entire file into buffer