Hash Checksum confirming on Win10 ?

[Box Brownie]

Hi all

As the title, I would welcome advice as the best way to confirm checksum numbers.

It seems that Mac and Linux have this function built in but apparently W10 does not!

The reason I have hit this wall is I need to use Handbrake video transcoder (other thread and great pointers and suggestions on that thread) and the developer website advises to confirm the checksum (even though downloaded from their own site) as appropriate before installing the software.

TIA for any known reliable/trustworthy hash reader programs.

 

[Goldthirst]

I use HashTab which is free to use. Just do a search on Google for a download link.

With HashTab, when you right click on a file, one of the tabs is File Hashes.

 

[Snapsh0t]

In donkey's years of downloading files I've never bothered to check the checksum. I've had the very occasional failure so I've just downloaded the file again but this is rare enough that it's acceptable. I could understand it if we were still on slow, flakey dial-up links but these days I just don't see the point.

 

[Box Brownie]

In donkey's years of downloading files I've never bothered to check the checksum. I've had the very occasional failure so I've just downloaded the file again but this is rare enough that it's acceptable. I could understand it if we were still on slow, flakey dial-up links but these days I just don't see the point.

I take your point but when the software maker advised to check, even when downloading from their own website, made me more cautious on this occasion!

 

[JonathanRyan]

In donkey's years of downloading files I've never bothered to check the checksum. I've had the very occasional failure so I've just downloaded the file again but this is rare enough that it's acceptable. I could understand it if we were still on slow, flakey dial-up links but these days I just don't see the point.

That's not the main purpose of a hash checker. What it also does is prove that the file you downloaded is the one the developer created. I think it's pretty rare, but there have been occasions when malware writers have managed to upload their own copy of software onto distribution sites. It tends to be the actual software plus some bonus code such as a keylogger. If you find a copy of the file anywhere and the hash is the one htye publish then it's what they intended you to have - and what you intended to d/l.

Powershell solves everything (on Windows at any rate) https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/po...hell.utility/get-filehash?view=powershell-7.2

 

[Snapsh0t]

Yeah, hacked versions of Windows are always likely to come with 'enhancements'...
Not downloading from anywhere but the original web site removes the vast majority of that risk and I'd worry about the security of a site if it's publishing advice to check the hashes.

 

[Box Brownie]

That's not the main purpose of a hash checker. What it also does is prove that the file you downloaded is the one the developer created. I think it's pretty rare, but there have been occasions when malware writers have managed to upload their own copy of software onto distribution sites. It tends to be the actual software plus some bonus code such as a keylogger. If you find a copy of the file anywhere and the hash is the one htye publish then it's what they intended you to have - and what you intended to d/l.

Powershell solves everything (on Windows at any rate) https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/po...hell.utility/get-filehash?view=powershell-7.2

I will have read and digest this one

Yeah, hacked versions of Windows are always likely to come with 'enhancements'...
Not downloading from anywhere but the original web site removes the vast majority of that risk and I'd worry about the security of a site if it's publishing advice to check the hashes.

This aspect puzzled me........either sort out my checking the 'Hash' or find a different transcoder to try/use

 

[JonathanRyan]

Yeah, hacked versions of Windows are always likely to come with 'enhancements'...
Not downloading from anywhere but the original web site removes the vast majority of that risk and I'd worry about the security of a site if it's publishing advice to check the hashes.

Maybe so. A lot of Indy developers lack the bandwidth to allow downloads from their own site. Even those that do often prefer to host the files on Github which gives them loads of advantages for a tiny theoretical risk that bad people could do bad stuff. Either way it takes like 2 seconds to check something that has a tiny chance of failing but with some hefty implications of it does.

@Box Brownie hit the start button and type "Powershell", hit enter. Something that looks like an old school DOS window will start. Type get-filehash {filename} [enter] where filename is the path to the file you downloaded. The tab key is your friend - on a typical install ~/dow

han

will do it

Default is SHA256 so just compare the hash shown to the one on the website. If it's the same, crack on.

 

[Box Brownie]

Maybe so. A lot of Indy developers lack the bandwidth to allow downloads from their own site. Even those that do often prefer to host the files on Github which gives them loads of advantages for a tiny theoretical risk that bad people could do bad stuff. Either way it takes like 2 seconds to check something that has a tiny chance of failing but with some hefty implications of it does.

@Box Brownie hit the start button and type "Powershell", hit enter. Something that looks like an old school DOS window will start. Type get-filehash {filename} [enter] where filename is the path to the file you downloaded. The tab key is your friend - on a typical install ~/dow

han

will do it

Default is SHA256 so just compare the hash shown to the one on the website. If it's the same, crack on.

@JonathanRyan thanks for that lowdown on the usage......I will try that when back on the PC in due course