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CheckSum is a lightweight Windows utility published by the sz development that recalculates and updates the checksum field embedded in Portable Executable (PE) image headers, a critical step when preparing kernel-mode device drivers for Windows NT-based systems. Because the NT loader verifies the checksum signature before it will load any driver module, even a minor code change invalidates the original value and must be replaced with a freshly computed one; CheckSum automates this otherwise manual hex-editing task, accepting any 32- or 64-bit PE file (.sys, .dll, .exe) and writing the corrected checksum back into the header in place. The program’s minimal interface asks only for the target path, performs the algorithm prescribed in the Microsoft PE/COFF specification, and displays the old and new values for confirmation, eliminating the risk of an omitted or mismatched checksum that would prevent installation or trigger system event-log errors. Beyond driver development the same operation is useful for security researchers who need to normalize modified binaries, for reverse engineers updating patched executables, and for software publishers re-signing custom kernel extensions. The single-purpose tool is distributed as freeware, requires no installation, and runs on every NT version from Windows 2000 through Windows 11. Version 1, the only release to date, remains current and is available for free on get.nero.com, with downloads provided via trusted Windows package sources (e.g. winget), always delivering the latest version, and supporting batch installation of multiple applications.
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