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Generating the MD5 checksum for a file

An MD5 checksum is a 32-character hexadecimal number that's computed on files. This value can be used to verify data integrity against unintentional file corruption during transfer.
Generating MD5 Checksum:
Windows -
  1. 1.
    Open Command Prompt - Press Windows + R, type cmd and press enter
  2. 2.
    Navigate to the folder that has the file whose integrity needs to be verified - type 'cd' followed by the path to the folder having the file to do so.
Tip: Open the folder having the file in Windows Explorer, then drag and drop it in Command Prompt to inset the path
  1. 3.
    Type the following command -
certutil -hashfile <File whose MD5 needs to be computed> MD5
For example, in order to generate the MD5 checksum for a Oracle Linux 8 ISO file -
Linux -
  1. 1.
    Open Terminal
  2. 2.
    Navigate to the folder that has the file whose integrity needs to be verified - type 'cd' followed by the path to the folder having the file to do so.
  3. 3.
    Run the following command -
md5sum <File whose MD5 needs to be computed>
For example, in order to generate the MD5 checksum for a Oracle Linux 8 ISO file -
Verify if the estimated MD5 matches the MD5 provided by the file's original owner. If the two checksums are different, the file is likely corrupted. Re-transfer the file and repeat the process.
For any feedback or questions regarding this article (Illumina Knowledge Article #8482), contact Illumina Technical Support [email protected].
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