System32 Checker

System32 Checker

System32 Checker is a small free utility by Ian Mutch that watches the executable files in the Windows System32 folder for changes. It is a simple graphical front end for FileCRC 1.41, a command-line checksum program written by David Pochron, so you can check the System32 folder for discrepancies without having to use the command window. The program only detects changes; it does not repair, replace or restore any files.

System32 Checker shows which executable files in the System32 folder have been changed or removed, without using the command line.

Features

• Database of system files: the Update Database shortcut makes FileCRC record the executable files (.exe, .dll and .sys) contained in the System32 folder and its subfolders. Creating the database takes only a few minutes, and the database file is typically smaller than 500 KB.

• Change detection: a later check compares the current files with the database and informs you of any modifications to existing executable files.

• Version information: for most changed files the report shows the old and the new version number.

• Removed files: the program also tells you if a file, or several files, have been removed from the folder since the database was created.

• Check after installations: after installing any program you can check whether it has replaced executable files in the System32 folder.

• Text log: the results of a check are saved to a TXT file, so you can go through them later.

• Separate installers: setup packages are provided for 32-bit (x86) and 64-bit (x64) Windows, and you need the one that matches your system.

• Included source code: the source code of FileCRC 1.41, made freely available by its author, is included in the program folder.

• Standard setup: a regular installation wizard whose licence text explains how the program works.

Benefits

• Visible changes: you can see which system files a new program or an update has modified or removed.

• No command line: the database update and the checks are started from shortcuts instead of typed commands.

• Free: System32 Checker is freeware, and the installer is only about 1.2 MB.

• Status: the last version, 2.0, was released in 2014 and removed the script files to speed things up. The program is no longer updated, so it may give less reliable results on the newest versions of Windows.