MD5 Checksum Utility

From: Real, Will (RealW@CARNEGIEMUSEUMS.ORG)
Date: Mon Apr 29 2002 - 08:29:48 CDT

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    Message-Id: <200204291350.g3TDoex25548@sitelicense.arizona.edu>
Date:         Mon, 29 Apr 2002 09:29:48 -0400
From: "Real, Will" <mailto:RealW@CARNEGIEMUSEUMS.ORG>
Subject:      MD5 Checksum Utility
To: mailto:IMAGELIB@listserv.arizona.edu

    <pre> I have been looking for an inexpensive MD5 Checksum utility to evaluate the long-term integrity of image files stored off-line on CDROM. My requirements are:

    1. Windows 2000 compatible 2. Supports long Windows file names 3. Enables saving of the checksum result for later comparison.

    The idea I have is that when I burn the images to CD, I will use the utility to generate a unique 128-bit value for each file, save those values, and then periodically run the utility on the CD files (say every year or so) and compare the new checksum values to the originals to ensure they are identical. This would theoretically ensure that no deterioration or corruption has occurred. If any change is noted, I suppose that would suggest it is definitely time to migrate the files to new media.

    I did locate one utility, from 3L company http://www.iay.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/threel/tech/tools/md5.htm but the version that supports long file names is $100. I was hoping to find something a bit less costly. There are also some beta applications of this type on the web but nothing that looked like it was ready for release.

    I'd be interested to hear if anyone knows of a checksum utility that would do the job, or if anyone has come up with another way of doing the same thing I am trying to do.

    William Real Director of Technology Initiatives Carnegie Museum of Art 4400 Forbes Ave. Pittsburgh PA 15213-4080 412-622-3267

    </pre>

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