For a myriad of reasons, we have to use file hashes which are calculated using the data from a file with the help of special algorithms. You must have noticed MD5 or SHA-1 hashes written next to the downloadable files on various websites. These are the file hashes calculated using the MD5 and SHA-1 algorithms. There are dozens of such algorithms available today and as time passes even newer algorithms are being developed.
We can use a freeware tool called Xelitan Hash Calculator to calculate the file hashes using a number of these algorithms. This tool is portable which makes it very useful for working across many computers as you do not have to install it on any of the computers.
The user interface of Xelitan Hash Calculator makes it very easy to calculate the file hashes and in just a few seconds. We can add files in three ways in its window. We can drag-n-drop the files on its window to add them. We can also use the icons in the toolbar to add entire folder or a number of files instantly.
Once you have added the files, you can choose one of the algorithms from the left side list in its window. There are several algorithms available from there. These algorithms can be used to calculate both checksums and hashes. There are checksum algorithms like CRC and Adler (and their many variants). There are also hashing algorithms like MD and SHA (and their various variants).
After selecting an algorithm, you can click on the “Start” button in the toolbar to calculate the respective file hashes. We can copy the list of files, their filesizes and their calculated hash to the clipboard using the respective button in he toolbar. We can also select an individual hash from the list to copy it to the clipboard. The results can also be exported to a CSV file which can be easily opened in Microsoft Excel or OpenOffice.
You can download Xelitan Hash Calculator from https://xelitan.com/app/xelitan-hash-calculator.