A bit turned off after reading the suggestion box; no customer in their right mind would suggest raising the price or approving of registry entries rather than a portable version. Those were obviously plants by the developer.

#32, Fredward, this is cheaper than the commercial license for 010.

It's arrogant of you to assume that you know why I'm going to reinstall Windows. Massive hardware upgrade, clean install of newer drivers, patches are now available to fix earlier problems, newer software or not installing older software will fix problems, Windows Media Center database has to be rebuilt from scratch to support CableCARD tuner (way worse than Windows reinstall), subsequent DRM ties me to the current machine and Windows installation so I want it to be clean, numerous other reasons. Cloning is primitive, I use 15-minute interval near-continuous backup.

MS Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit v3 is what Microsoft recommends, the Tech Preview is just that, beta code which Microsoft explicitly says isn't ready for deployment. I mentioned the preview in my post #10 and chose not to install it because I value stability and functionality, you can do what you want.

It's irresponsible of you to claim that XP has security when it has none. XP users are far more vulnerable to exploits than users of newer operating systems and are frequently targeted, as they specifically were with this latest IE exploit. Good security is about having multiple layers, such as latest IE, latest released OS, 64-bit, UAC, Protected Mode, EMET, security suite (integrated 2-way firewall, anti-virus, anti-malware, heuristics, etc.). I've never seen a case where a supposedly critical IE security issue could actually result in undetected malware execution on my machine--it would be caught someplace. If you want to run a computer that doesn't do anything, has no features, and requires constant human monitoring, that's your business. 1-way firewalls, whether hardware or software, have little value. Anonymous loves adding zombie computers to its botnet from people who are running obsolete utilities/OSes, with no, little, or broken security (such as running multiple realtime scanners). Many people are stuck living 20 years ago and don't realize that Microsoft is highly responsive to security issues. Microsoft had a patch available for the IE issue which I mentioned (I only did so because many people are running obsolete code with inadequate security) within a couple of days. I'll take IE's security over ultra-buggy FireFox's any day. Chrome has excellent features and compatibility, but the high CPU consumption and lack of adequate hardware GPU acceleration are deal-breakers (among others) when it comes to considering it as my primary browser.

Hi,

Tom, about the editing of dates, I understand your point. You can control it precisely. I wonder if the CSI types can tell if bytes have been edited by byte wear patterns.

Which method did they use on the Zapruder film and 911 footage ? :)

Steven

Hey Fredward (#32)! Glad to see another ZTree user! I have been using ZTree (and XTree before that), for many, many years. It is the VERY FIRST app I put on a system. To be forced to use Explorer is like being forced to listen to nails on a chalkboard or scrubbing a driveway with a toothbrush ... with one hand ... in a sand storm ... in the dark! It is PAINFUL!

Even after all these years I am still finding new functions and features that make windows bearable. They need to do better marketing so more users can benefit from the app.

Wow! Like #20 (nomadss1), I'm drooling. I've been using hex editors since early DOS and this one looks like the crem' de la crem' of them all. (At least according to their feature set at http://www.hhdsoftware.com/hex-editor/features and all the previous comments).

Like #2 (Garrett Cornwell) said, HxD is the best Freeware hex editor - it loads extremely fast, has a tiny footprint, will edit files and physical or logical disks, can view running RAM, etc.
I use it often and probably still will. However, it is a fairly sparten hex editor - no templates, no structures - strictly hex views. It not in the same ballpark as today's offering.

The nearest thing that comes close to the feature set is today's app is Winhex but that is a $200 package and still looks inferior to Hex Editor Neo. At $100, if it does half of what HHD says it does it is a real winner.

Structures and templates make all the difference in the world. It's like the difference between mixing your own paints from berries for painting on a blank canvas to a paint-by-numbers kit. HxD displays the binary data on a disk offers no help in interpreting its meaning. Winhex and RunTime's Disk Explorers interpret the data to allow on to easily click on the links in the partition chains, find directories, FATs, MFTs, etc. I look forward to the same and more from this app (such as RegEx search and replace!).

BTW, it would be nice to have the portable feature but understandable for it to be disabled. However, HHD offers a less capable (but still awesome), free version that IS portable. So install both.

Nice program .. its like the hex editor of the old DOS XTREE-PRO-GOLD
I love it ... installed on win7-home edition ...no problems

Appears to install on a Windows 7 home premium PC 64-bit but doesn't launch.

The start-up display flashes very briefly then nothing shows.
(OK on an XP SP3 PC.)

Maybe it is just my sense of humor or lack thereof, but those voting down the funnies really need to lighten up :-).


XhD has been on my menu for a long time now.
Would be interested in looking, but...
Not happening on my end.

Win7 x64


Getting stuff like:

-------------
Copy file ...\Components\PatchAPI.chm\PatchAPI.chm => C:\Hex Editor Neo\PatchAPI\doc\PatchAPI.chm
Copy file => C:\Hex Editor Neo\Setup\uninstHEX.exe
>>> Error: 0x80070003
*** Rolling back transaction
*** Done
-------------

And the next attempt:

-------------
Copy file ...\LocalSetupFile.exe => C:\Hex Editor Neo\Setup\uninstHEX.exe
Emptying delayed queue
>>> Error: 0x80070020
Register file ...\Components\HexFrame.exe\Install HexFrame.rgs
...
Register file ...\Components\hexpatch32.dll\hexpatch32.dll.rgs
>>> Error: 0x80070002
*** Rolling back transaction
*** Done
-------------


Perhaps the portable version, but from what I read above ...

I find that hex editors are better for batch editing dates in photos than the special purpose programs.

Program will not launch-Win 7-Kindly RSVP

Problem signature:
Problem Event Name: APPCRASH
Application Name: HexFrame.exe
Application Version: 5.13.0.4770
Application Timestamp: 505303c0
Fault Module Name: HexFrame.exe
Fault Module Version: 5.13.0.4770
Fault Module Timestamp: 505303c0
Exception Code: c0000005
Exception Offset: 000205e1
OS Version: 6.1.7601.2.1.0.256.1
Locale ID: 1033
Additional Information 1: 0a9e
Additional Information 2: 0a9e372d3b4ad19135b953a78882e789
Additional Information 3: 0a9e
Additional Information 4: 0a9e372d3b4ad19135b953a78882e789

I have just one use for this program, but it fills it most excellently. I frequently produce data files of 5-50GB in size, and sometimes I need to look at them before I send them into my analytic programs, to make sure they have been prepared correctly. Until now, I've only been able to look at the first part of them using things like Word, Notebook, etc., and even then they all choke if the file size exceeds say 400MB. This program is very easy to use, fast, and lets me examine any part of any file. Great!

Shortly after I installed Hex Editor Neo, I got a "STOP 0xC000021A {Fatal System Error}" and the system crashed - don't think I've seen that error before. The system rebooted, so I Googled the Microsoft Article "How to troubleshoot a "STOP 0xC000021A" error Article which lists causes and cures. One cause was "incompatible third-party program has been installed". I don't know whether this program caused the crash or not - I couldn't get through the debugging steps Microsoft suggested - so I just uninstalled it and the system seems OK. Will let you know if it crashes again, so as not to unnecessarily blame this software.

It's been a long time since I've seen any software on here that I could actually use. I'm not saying that there haven't been any good offerings, just none that interested me. As a professional programmer a good quality hex editor is an invaluable tool in my arsenal.
Until I saw this offering, I've been using some rather basic hex editors that only provided functionality to view and edit files. Now that I've seen this program, I don't think that I'll be going back anytime soon. I've only glanced at the software briefly, enough to become vaguely familiar with it, but I've already noticed some really awesome features.
I tested this software using it's expert interface, and was very pleased to note that it automatically recognizes quite a few file headers, and displays their information in the Structure Viewer. This would have been immensely helpful a few weeks ago when I was searching through thousands of images for images that were missing part of their structure.
Browsing through all the various options and features, I saw a lot of features that I've been wanting that my previous hex editors have been lacking. Features that are extremely useful for deciphering protection schemes that are included with many programs and files. The expert interface is very intuitively laid out while still keeping all the major functionality within a click or two.

Use Cameyo to make most programs portable. Worked fine on this one.

@#5. This is the kabbalah edition written by rabbis. Witch doctor edition is still in development.

really want this but when i run setup.exe it says failed to connect and yes i am connected! and i try it unrared to desktop also same. help please GAOTD thanks in advance.

Even after a reboot and repair installation, I get the error message "Cannot load GUI library into memory"
Any suggestions for a solution?

Another excellent free HEX editor is FRHED - http://frhed.sourceforge.net/en/

I've used this for years.

Slightly shocked at the $99 cost, but this really is a nice editor.
The only editors I can compare to is psedit, 010 Editor and the hex editor built into ztree. I think it smashes the well loved 010 editor, I won't say ztree gets smashed only because ztree does a lot more than edit hex. 010 is $49-ish, and the default layout of this $99 NEO I believe is better. It sure the hell is nicer to look at, and I believe that increases productivity. psedit is a dos or console based editor, similar to ztree, both are outclassed as a non-gui.

#10 above
"reinstalling Windows"

On a production box this simply isn't a solution, in fact it can be the DEATH of your business. I've never met a box, except one infected with virut.ce that couldn't be fixed. You should look into cloning if you don't want to go backwards in life.

"EMET v3"
Current intalled EMET shows version 3.5.0.0 not v3.
Update time for ya?

Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit v3.5 Tech Preview
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=30424

Even if you add iexplorer.exe to EMET, the DLL's can't be added to EMET as EMET doesn't let dll's be protected such as Shdocvw.dll
Mshtml.dll. Don't need to run iexplore.exe to get an IE exploit.

"OSes with no security, like XP"

Absolute abject nonsense XP here is more productive through years of debugging and repairs and more secure than ANY of my win 7 workstations could ever be. And guess what, it doesn't run any antivirus only GHOSTWALL, it has 12 processes running. I can see any malware run with one eye shut instantly.

I suggest you look into IPCop project (or others) for a hardware firewall. Software firewall is okay if your directly connected. Meanwhile have fun with the hundreds of processes that run in 7--I hate this part of win 7 it's near impossible to keep an eye on like XP's magic 12.

Now this is something that I will likely hang onto for years, much like UltraEdit. A tool that will help me to do the miraculous things that keep my family computers working.

The template files that describe the format of zip files and other archives are pure gold. I am amazed at the depth of operations this tool performs. This is one of those pieces of software that will teach you things as you use it.

This looks like the best software I have gotten from GOTD to date.

a specific reason for GOTD not allowing to test the giveaways in a virtual machine,after the new wrapper with themida protection ?
You guys have gone a way worser with this new wrapper.
I really want to test first in a safe environment if I like the software or not, cause I know your stuff leaves a lot of stuff and traces in a computer, and it doesn't require you much to allow execution of the package in a VM, since it's in the mida's protection options,
and you have chosen NOT to let the user to install in VM..

It installed correctly, It worked correctly. However on restart none of my OSs would run.
Running the software kills raid0. I tested this 2 times and got the same result.
I did not do nothing but start the software then shut it down.
Then the machine cannot reboot.

Nice! Installed on XP/Pro perfectly and without a hitch, runs great on this old box with 1 GB RAM.

I absolutely love the no-hassles registration! I wish all GAOTD's were this way and that simple. But a warning to novice users, this is a POWERFUL program. If you don't know what you're doing, you can do a lot of harm in a very short period of time.

Suggestion To New Users: If you're new to this type of thing, make a little text file where you can easily find it, such as on your desktop. Call it "Test File.txt" or something like that and write a couple lines in it. Load it up in the Hex editor and do your editing practice on it, change a few letters here and there, save it, and look at it again. Don't do any changes to Windows system files or anything important. This is a great tool, and you may find you want to learn more about how to use it. There is a pretty good BEGINNERS learning page located here:
http://www.flexhex.com/docs/howtos/hex-editing.phtml among many other places.

Tnx for great reviews guys, installed and running.
First thing I did was to select "No updates" in the settings. LOL

When installer asked where to install the software, I wanted to change that default directory, so I clicked BROWSE. I looked around in that submenu until I found a place where I wanted to create a new subdirectory... as soon as I right-clicked, the installer crashed. I needed to create my subdirectory separately, then run the installer again, to install into the existing subdirectory.

Aside from that, the program looks great! All kinds of options to customize the look. I haven't actually used it to edit any hex (don't need to hex-edit any files at present) so I can't comment on that area.

@ TK
loud and clear...
the joke ( @ 14 )...was a safe way of informing to those who need, this function was available...
I remember days of Dos and Nortons Disk Editor mishaps in that area of my disk drive and felt the same panic experienced again today :)
to all... heed that warning ( @ 23 )

Have used HxD happily for years, but thanks to the good reviews I gave this a try. Gotta say, it really is amazing. Extremely full-featured (with extras I'd never have thought of), plus very professionally done. It's incredibly configurable and has a sophisticated, modern interface. Haven't tried every one of the alternatives (there are many), but I don't doubt that this is the most full-featured hex editor (probably by a wide margin) ever on the PC. Thumbs up!

An advanced HEX editor and also very complete in features
This is the Ultimate Edition fit for commercial use as stated in the About Box.

It has all biwise operators in the menu bar
Bookmarking system integration
Display mode for Hex, Decimal, Octal, Binary
File compare
checksum

This Hex Editor is capable of handling very large files as promised.
This software is really aimed at professionals.

The price tag is justified.

On a 10 scale, Hex Editor Neo Ultimate deserves a 10 out of 10

I absolutely drooled when I saw this one. Can't wait to play with this.

Nr 6, spoken like a loyal member of the company.

Nr 7... ditto. When I seen the high marks i read some reviews and was flabergasted at all the thumbs up. I've not needed or used something like this since my TI-99/4a days. More programmers here then I thought.:-)

This software gives you access to your actual physical drive to edit any sector directly on it... like your boot block.
access with menu.....File, Open, Open Physical Disk

It's was very pretty..
It allowed me to screw up my boot sector...
I will now be doing my surfing on my I phone..
till I figure out how to remove the hex from my computer...

Installed and registered without problems on Win 7 64 bit.

Yea, I'm saddened too that this installer doesn't offer portable mode. Can't find it in the settings either...

But it's some great software. Lots of features and all the options you'd want/need, all kinds of data types, different encodings, regular expression search/replace, a disassembler, viewing volumes or (in use!) memory etc. Has a 64 bit version, awesome!

And we get the Ultimate commercial license! Which means every feature listed. Well, except portable mode that is...

Really impressive, that is, if you know what a hex editor is all about. If you don't know, then this giveaway probably isn't for you. But if you use hex editors daily, I'd check out Hex Editor Neo.

A definite keeper and thumbs up. Thanks HHD Software and GOTD.

#11, Mjhungvit, you just run Setup and it installs a special GOTD licensed version, there's nothing for you to enter.

Thank GOTD
I can't see file key license helpppp

Just my luck, a good giveaway and I'll be reinstalling Windows. This is a serious tool, quite powerful, commercial use allowed. Hex editor, file comparison, structure viewing, patch generation, disassembler. Finds, views, and edits NTFS alternate data streams. All sorts of useful features. It's been a very long time since I needed to twiddle bits, but for those who need it, this looks like a very good tool. Lots of options, optional context-menu integration, etc.

I have a couple of observations regarding the IE security hole. All browsers have them, the media usually proclaims that the sky is falling on any reported IE security hole when they're almost never relevant to people running up-to-date versions of IE on up-to-date OSes with all security features enabled and running firewalls and antivirus/anti-malware software. This was unusual in that it was able to breach IE9 on Win7x64 with all security enabled. It was of most concern to XP users, and Java and Flash are known to be major attack vectors. Do I need to worry about it? Probably not, malware could get installed (prior to anti-malware update) but would be caught by my firewall. My security suite vendor is Agnitum, but they use (and now own) VirusBuster, which is a Microsoft Active Protections Programs partner. Microsoft has already issued a Fix It, and says that a normal patch will be issued on Friday. The Microsoft Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit, currently v3, is great (a preview of the next version is available), when configured properly it adds security to existing applications, and is especially useful on OSes with no security, like XP. I configured it for browsers and Java. Chrome lacks the Win7 integration of IE and consumes far more CPU than IE9, which has other resource consumption issues. IE10 is supposed to become available for Win7.

When I install this program, I cannot select Portable installation mode. What's problem? I was look this features on HHD website, and here is this feature:
http://www.hhdsoftware.com/hex-editor/features#m69

Downloaded, installed (automatic licensing)and ran successfully with no glitches. A really professional set up job. Very useful UI options.

If you need to do this sort of thing - edit files in hex - it looks excellent. Thanks HHD and GOTD.

Pretty good app today which does what it claims without any hassle.
It can be used to view and safely manipulate binary files such as EXE & DLL with unlimited undo/redo actions and/or to view hidden characters in files.

However I think that programs like this are indispensable only for programmers, techies and PC gamers junkies only: so I've been amazed to see its current pretty high USER RATING, compared to other similar offers given away here previously.

BEST FREEWARE ALTERNATIVE:

http://mh-nexus.de/en/hxd/
http://sourceforge.net/projects/hexplorer/
http://www.chmaas.handshake.de/delphi/freeware/xvi32/xvi32.htm
http://www.wxhexeditor.org/home.php
http://www.hexedit.com/
http://www.flexsoft.cc/flexedit.htm
http://diffuse.sourceforge.net/

Enjoy!!

Unlike #1 above, there are many more uses for Hex Editors. I have tried pretty much every free one and several you pay for - and none have been near as good as today's giveaway. I completely agree with #2 and 3. Beyond just the hex editing - there is a regular plethora of tools and options that are completely configurable and you can design your own layout or select from a number of different included styles. A definitive keeper!!! Thanks GAOTD and HHD Software. And, special thanks to HHD by not offering the cheapest thing on your rack to lure us in toward buying upgrades - but, instead, giving us the top of the line right from the get-go! That shows Class!

Is this the Witch Doctor edition? I have some hexes that really need work.

A hexadecimal editor (hex editor) is a 'word processor' for binary files - files that you cannot normally open in traditional text editors, like Wordpad, Notepad, etc. These editors are designed for text, and apply formatting like bold, italic and underline. Binary files do not contain such formatting, but instead contain characters and code that text editors cannot display.
For most users, hex editors are unnecessary. Although they have a purpose, and work very well, for the most part, normal users will not need to delve that deep 'under the hood' of their computer.
Sometimes, you'll download a file (eg a picture) and Windows will report that the file is invalid. If you opened this in Notepad, chances are it won't display the actual contents of the file, but a representation of it - as if its been converted slightly. If you could see this file, you may notice the header is corrupted (an extra character) or not enough data. A hex editor would open this file 'as is' and give you the file in 100% detail - no conversion, no translation. If you saved the file, it would be identical to the original.
Hex editors allow you to add data into a file, or remove sections of data. They also allow you to view information you wouldn't normally see, for example, save the progress of your favourite game, open the saved game data and 'possibly' you could change values, eg, score, number of lives, etc.
Its a useful tool to have in the armoury, but like the soda maker in the cupboard, it won't get used very often.

Very good product. I highly recommend it especially if you edit BIG files. It helped me to fix very big 50+GB file and removed bad line endings easily.

This is a nice HEX editor!


best free alternative
-HxD fully loaded with all features!

For those of you who like hacking "Classic retro games" This utility has the potential to come in handy...I'm sorry If I don't offer any more information beyond this but it can come in handy to load files for old games and cheat at them, if you cannot master a game regularly that is.