Checking MD5 SHA1 and SHA256 hash codes with Windows 10

It is a good practice to check the integrity of a downloaded file to make sure you actually get exactly what you are meant to get.

This can be done if the owner provides a hash code.  The hash code could be MD5, SHA1 SHA256 and I am sure there are or will be others but I will just comment on these three.

When using Windows 10, you don't need any special utilities to do a check.
Just open a command prompt
Type "command" in Windows Search next to the Windows button
Select "Command Prompt"

With the command prompt now open, go to your downloads folder
For example:

cd \users\(your_username)\downloads

Now, for an MD5 hash:

checkutil -hasfhile (yourfile) MD5

For an SHA1 hash:

checkutil -hasfhile (yourfile) SHA1

For an SHA256 hash:

checkutil -hashfile (yourfile) SHA256

The checkutil utility will display the hash of the file which you will need to compare with that supplied by the original owner of the file.

Example:
C:\users\marcus\Downloads> certutil -hasfile gpg4win-3.1.5.exe MD5

returns
MD5 hash of gpg4win-3.1.5.exe:
732614c35a846890718230cd73f96722
CertUtil: -hashfile command completed successfully.