Topic: What are Hashes?

The hash (also known as checksum) of a file is its digital signature. If a file is changed, its hash changes also. This is useful for checking the integrity of a downloaded file. If the hash of the file downloaded is different than what the hashes are supposed to be, you do not have the exact same file.

An analogy: A hash check is similar to looking over the invoice for a shipment. What is listed in the invoice should be present in the shipment. If the invoice says you have three items when you only see two in the box, you know that something is wrong. A hash/checksum is like an invoice for a file download: once you've downloaded the file, you can calculate the hash/checksum of it, using an external program. If the hash/checksum given by the program is not the same as what the download page says it should be, you do not have the right 'shipment'. In the case of sensitive data, like downloading a program, if you get a bad download that doesn't pass the hash check, you should not run it, since it may harm your computer.

Reasons for a failing hash check: A flaky internet connection on your part, interception of the connection somewhere in between us and you, cracking/hacking, a glitch in the system, hard drive corruption/failure. Essentially, a failed hash check is like the 'service engine' light on your car's dashboard: it means anything could be wrong in the system. If you encounter a corrupted file on Host-A, report the file using our report/complaint system, mentioning which server you downloaded it from.

Did you know:

• The two hash functions used for files on this site are MD5 and SHA-1.
• You can perform a hash search to see if we have a certain file.

Is your question still not answered? Please send an email to support@host-a.net.