Getting started
Start an Archive Witness catalog safely and understand the normal evidence workflow.
Documentation
Archive Witness uses these same guides for the website and the offline help packaged with the Windows application.
Install, update, and switch release channels
Install direct releases, choose Beta or Stable updates, and understand the limits of rolling back a newer Beta.
Location, Integrity, and Media
Understand the three independent questions Archive Witness tracks for each file.
Check integrity and review changes
Check current bytes against saved checksum evidence and review unexpected or changed files.
Checksum tools and manifests
Calculate checksums, compare supplied evidence, and reconcile manifest paths without rewriting history.
Peer comparison and Restore
Compare peer archives and use verified transactional Restore without silently changing evidence.
Media testing
Use independent FFmpeg-based decode testing without confusing media results with checksum integrity.
After DDRescue or data recovery
Use Archive Witness after low-level recovery while preserving what recovery evidence can and cannot prove.
Troubleshooting and FAQ
Common Archive Witness questions about read-only safety, warnings, checksums, media tests, and restore.
Evidence vocabulary
The short version is: Location is about where a file belongs, Integrity is about current bytes compared with saved checksum evidence, and Media is an independent decode test. An observation does not become accepted evidence just because Archive Witness calculated it.