Verify Data Integrity with HashTab

As an internet user I used to download a lot of freeware, open source software and Linux ISO images from the internet. But the problem is sometimes the file I downloaded is corrupted. There are many possibilities that cause the integrity of the file being altered. Probably the file owner mistakenly put a corrupted file to the server or packet loss happen during the transfer process.

Normally in Linux I type md5sum filename in the command line to check the MD5 hash and then compare the output with the MD5 hash available in the download page. For Windows user, there is a shell extension called HashTab that provide the ability to verify the data integrity of any files. Once installed it will add tab to the windows file properties.

The tab called File Hashes and can be access by right click on a file and select Properties. All you need is copy the hash you got from the download page and paste it into the textbox in the File Hashes tab. It will automatically compare the file hash and the hash you paste just now. If the hash passes it will show a tick in front of the text box but if the check failed you will see a cross.

Its can check twelve different hashes but you can select the only hashes you want HashTab to verify by right click on the hashes area and select Settings. Then you can uncheck the hashes type you don’t want HashTab to verify/show. This will make the hashes check run faster because HashTab don’t have to verify twelve different hashes at the same time.

HashTab is a small and yet very useful windows shell extension. It can be downloaded at Beeblebrox.org. The latest version is 2.1 and currently available only for 32-bit users. While 64-bit users have to download HashTab version 1.14. HashTab support Windows NT, 2000, 2003, 2008, XP, and Vista.

What are you waiting for. Head to Beeblebrox.org and download and install HashTab the coolest thing ever….