MD5 Calc—Hash Calculator
MD5 Calc is a command-line utility for Windows that generates a 32-digit MD5 hash for a given file. The utility does not require additional software to be installed (runs stand-alone).
What is MD5?
MD5 is a widely used hash algorithm often used to verify data integrity of a file that has been downloaded from the internet. This hash is either used to verify that the file has been downloaded correctly or if the file is the original non-manipulated one, in case the file is downloaded through a 3rd party host. Use-cases are similar to cases where CRCs are used, but MD5 provides higher security here. For more information about how MD5 works in general, please refer to here.
Using MD5 Calc
32-digit MD5 hash
The MD5 Calc utility is very simple to use. It expects a path to an existing file as an input parameter and outputs the 32-digit MD5 hash of the file. The input file can be passed explicitly to the utility via command-line or simply by drag 'n drop a file on the utility executable.
Bare mode
The utility can also be started in a so-called "bare mode" in case the output shall be redirected to a new file etc., so no additional log outputs are made by the utility, just the hash. If the utility is started without any file input, it will print its usage information.
