md5sum.exe introduction

After you download all the Shorten (.shn) files for a particular disc or show, you want to verify that the files are not corrupted or otherwise unusable before you burn them to disc or host them on your file server. We do this by checking the downloaded Shorten (.shn) files against an .md5 file. An .md5 is a simple text file that contains a "fingerprint" of each Shorten file.

When you perform an md5 check, you are comparing the fingerprint from the files you downloaded to the fingerprint of the files on the server you downloaded from. If the md5's (fingerprints) match, you have an uncorrupted Shorten file.

 md5sum.exe - 48KB         88170 Downloads since 9/29/00

Windows 95/98/Me: Download md5sum.exe to c:\windows\command

Windows NT/2000: Download md5sum.exe to your c:\winnt\system32

 

Open an MS-DOS window and go to the directory of the show you want to check. When you are in that directory, type:

md5sum -c [filename].md5
 

You must insert the name of the .md5 file [without the brackets]. Below is an example of a successful md5sum check:

   

On the other hand, if a track does not pass the md5check, you will see the following:

If any Shorten files do not pass the .md5 check, you should delete the offending file(s), and try re-downloading. Then run the .md5 check again. The file(s) should now pass the .md5 check.

If the same files fail an .md5 check more than twice, you should contact the FTP Siteop you downloaded the files from and let them know what tracks are giving you a problem. They may be hosting a corrupted track without knowing it.

Open an MS-DOS window and go to the directory of the show you want to create an .md5 file for. When you are in that directory, type:

md5sum *.shn > [filename].md5
 

NOTE: You must insert the name of the .md5 file [without the brackets]. Example:
 

md5sum *.shn > ph94-06-26d1.md5

An .md5 file will be created and placed in that directory. Please remember to adhere the etree.org naming scheme when naming .md5 files!

Please remember to always .md5 check your Shorten files before burning!

  
Special thanks to bruce@gridpoint.com and the PCP community for compiling this special version of md5sum. Documentation and graphics by Mike Wren.