Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Link Shell Extension VS RapidCRC Unicode

Compare Link Shell Extension VS RapidCRC Unicode and see what are their differences

Link Shell Extension logo Link Shell Extension

Link Shell Extension (LSE) provides for the creation of Hardlinks , Junctions , Volume Mountpoints...

RapidCRC Unicode logo RapidCRC Unicode

RapidCRC is an open source CRC/MD5/SHA hashing program.
  • Link Shell Extension Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-09-18
  • RapidCRC Unicode Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-11-04

Link Shell Extension features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    Link Shell Extension provides an easy-to-use graphical interface for creating hard links, junctions, and symbolic links, making it accessible for users who are not comfortable using command-line tools.
  • Integration with Windows Explorer
    The tool integrates seamlessly with Windows Explorer, allowing users to create and manage links through right-click context menus, enhancing usability and efficiency.
  • Comprehensive Link Types
    It supports a wide range of link types, including hard links, junctions, and symbolic links, offering flexibility for various use cases and needs.
  • Free to Use
    Link Shell Extension is a freeware, providing an accessible option for users who need to manage links without any cost.

Possible disadvantages of Link Shell Extension

  • Windows Only
    The tool is designed specifically for Windows, limiting its availability and utility to users who work across different operating systems.
  • Lack of Advanced Features
    While it covers basic functionalities, some advanced features found in other professional tools are missing, which might be a limitation for power users.
  • Dependency on File System
    Link Shell Extension's functionality depends on NTFS file systems, meaning users operating under different environments might encounter compatibility issues.
  • Confusing for Beginners
    Despite its user-friendly interface, the concept of links (especially hard and symbolic links) might still be confusing for beginners who are unfamiliar with file systems and links.

RapidCRC Unicode features and specs

  • Unicode Support
    RapidCRC Unicode supports Unicode filenames, ensuring compatibility with international characters and non-standard symbols in filenames.
  • Multiple Hash Algorithms
    The software supports various hash algorithms including CRC, MD5, SHA-1, and SHA-256, providing flexibility for different use cases.
  • Batch Processing
    RapidCRC Unicode allows for batch processing of files, making it efficient to generate or verify checksums for multiple files simultaneously.
  • Verification Against SFV Files
    The program can verify file integrity against existing SFV files, adding a layer of error-checking and reliability.
  • Open Source
    As an open-source software, it offers transparency and the ability to customize or audit the source code to meet specific needs.

Possible disadvantages of RapidCRC Unicode

  • Limited OS Support
    RapidCRC Unicode is primarily designed for Windows, which limits its usefulness for users on macOS or Linux without using compatibility layers.
  • User Interface
    The user interface is functional but lacks modern aesthetics and may appear outdated compared to contemporary software.
  • No Built-in Help
    The software lacks a comprehensive built-in help guide, which can be a hurdle for new users unfamiliar with checksum validation.
  • No Real-time Monitoring
    Unlike some advanced checksum tools, RapidCRC Unicode does not offer real-time monitoring of file changes, limiting its utility for dynamic environments.

Analysis of RapidCRC Unicode

Overall verdict

  • Yes, RapidCRC Unicode is considered a good tool for file integrity verification, providing reliable and fast performance with support for various hash algorithms and Unicode file names.

Why this product is good

  • RapidCRC Unicode is praised for its ability to efficiently verify CRC, MD5, and SHA hash values for files. This is especially useful for ensuring data integrity during file transfers. It supports a wide range of file types and sizes, is lightweight, and offers Unicode support, allowing for filenames with international characters. The user interface is straightforward, making it easy to use even for those who are not technically inclined.

Recommended for

    RapidCRC Unicode is recommended for users who handle large volumes of data, those who require verification of file integrity during storage or transfer, IT professionals managing data backup and recovery, and anyone interested in ensuring the authenticity of downloaded files.

Link Shell Extension videos

Link Shell Extension

RapidCRC Unicode videos

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Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Link Shell Extension and RapidCRC Unicode)
Cloud Storage
39 39%
61% 61
OS & Utilities
0 0%
100% 100
Monitoring Tools
100 100%
0% 0
File Sharing
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Link Shell Extension should be more popular than RapidCRC Unicode. It has been mentiond 8 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Link Shell Extension mentions (8)

  • Is there a way to prevent files from being easily deleted?
    If you have games without installers you can create hardlink copies elsewhere on the same drive. It won't take any extra HD space and keeps the files safe regardless of what happens to the torrent directory Https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hard_link Https://schinagl.priv.at/nt/hardlinkshellext/hardlinkshellext.html. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Can’t launch Battlefield 4
    Linux folks are used to using symbolic links but if you're on Windows (been a while for me) you can use this to make a symbolic link to your game folder, that's what I've done in the past. Just delete the folder is assumes is your game folder, right-click and create a link there after you've copied your game folder. Source: about 2 years ago
  • One-way backup with OneDrive
    Get Link Shell Extension from here: https://schinagl.priv.at/nt/hardlinkshellext/hardlinkshellext.html . It adds context menu to right-click, where you can create various types of symbolic link/junctions. It also integrates easy handling of removing those links. Alternatively, you will need to manually use a "mklink" Windows command, mklink /J "C:\LinkToFolder" "C:\Users\Name\OriginalFolder" and later you will... Source: over 2 years ago
  • Got the Steam Deck Dock!
    Windows NTFS does support symbolic links. Link Shell Extension will add them to the Explorer right-click context menu for easier usage. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Why you should make a second account for Master Duel - An In-depth Explanation
    Also if you don't want to have another copy of a 5GB folder you could just make a symbolic link to the original 0000 folder. (Use https://schinagl.priv.at/nt/hardlinkshellext/hardlinkshellext.html it's super easy. Right click original 0000 folder pick as source, drop 0000 folder as a symbolic link on the other folder). Source: over 3 years ago
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RapidCRC Unicode mentions (1)

  • whenever i try to download a bigger game I always get this message. how can I fix this?(more info in comments)
    Sounds like a fake SD card? E.g. a 16 GB card that was modded to look like a 128 GB card. You should check the card on a PC. Copy some big files onto the card and compare the checksums (CRC32, MD5, ...) of the original files with the ones on the SD card with a tool like RapidCRC (https://ov2.eu/programs/rapidcrc-unicode). Source: over 2 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Link Shell Extension and RapidCRC Unicode, you can also consider the following products

FileMenu Tools - FileMenu Tools lets you customize the context (right-click) menu of Windows Explorer.

HashCheck Shell Extension - File-integrity verification with CRC-32, MD5, SHA-1, SHA-2 and SHA-3, integrated into Windows...

Symlink Creator - Symbolic Link Creator. GUI for mklink (Microsoft Windows symlink utility).

HashMyFiles - HashMyFiles is small utility that allows you to calculate the MD5 and SHA1 hashes of one or more files in your system.

Symlinker - Symbolic Link Creator. GUI for mklink, Microsoft Windows symlink utility

Md5Checker - Md5Checker is a free, faster, lightweight and easy-to-use tool to manage, calculate and verify MD5 checksum of multiple files/folders.