Fixity

Fixity checking asks whether stored content still matches an earlier reference. A typical workflow records a digest when accepting a file and compares a new digest later. This can reveal unintended changes, but it requires a trustworthy reference and a plan for responding to differences. Keep the check date, algorithm, result, and any follow-up action. If a file was intentionally converted, treat the new version as a related object with its own digest rather than overwriting the original reference without explanation. Fixity differs from usability: a perfectly unchanged file may require obsolete software, while a readable file may have lost important data. A small preservation routine should therefore combine byte checks, opening representative files, and verifying that the collection inventory still accounts for all expected material.

Editorial review: 2026-09-23. New evidence may change this account.

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