About this tag
Binary comparison is a method used to verify file integrity by comparing two files byte by byte. In Windows, the fc /b command performs a binary comparison, revealing differences between files even if they have the same size and dates. This technique is useful for identifying corruption in large files, such as those over 2 GB, where a backup copy may have been affected by a faulty copy operation or defective media. Users often seek ways to determine which file is the valid one, exploring options like CRC32 hashes, Alternate Data Streams, or NTFS cluster checks. However, binary comparison itself does not indicate which file is correct; it only highlights discrepancies.
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Windows 7 How to verify the integrity of a file? 1 of 2 files is corrupt
Assume I have a certain huge (> 2 GB) file and a second backup version of it on an external hard disk. Both have exactly the same size and dates. However when I compare them binary at the cmdprompt simplified with fc /b D:\myfile123.enc H:\myfile123.enc Then there are somewhere differences...- pstein
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- backup binary comparison cluster check command prompt copy issues corruption crc32 data loss data recovery data verification error checking external drive file comparison file integrity file management file size file system ntfs troubleshooting
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- Forum: Windows Help and Support