Repair Exe - Hacking Tool (Jul 2002)

Old Software Archive

As an early Windows developer who extensively used Borland products, it took me a couple of months to grasp the Windows EXE format. I remember seeing my unencrypted strings within my own executable application and trying to modify them directly in Notepad. However, each time I attempted to save the changes, the EXE would become corrupted. At that time, I wasn't familiar with UTF-related concepts, and this was before a friend suggested creating a HEX editor (which I still dislike to this day).

Eventually, I realized that to modify my EXE files post-compilation or to change an EXE from other applications downloaded from the internet, I needed to make the modifications at the program level, rather than in Notepad. This realization seemed ridiculously simple and obvious in hindsight, but it was a game-changer for me in 2002.

I can't recall whether I hacked any software with this method. It's possible that I inadvertently changed some applications, but without specific memories, it's hard to say for sure. Nonetheless, it was a valuable lesson in understanding the intricacies of executable files and programming.

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