Using a disassembler (like IDA Pro, Ghidra, or x64dbg) to convert the binary machine code back into assembly language. This shows you every CPU instruction but without any BASIC structure.
Example output (disassembly):
push ebp
mov ebp, esp
sub esp, 0x10
call _PB_StringBase
push dword [eax]
call _MessageBoxA@16
Searching forums and GitHub often leads to a ghost: a tool called UnPureBasic (or UnPB). Users whisper about it in Czech, French, and German forums from 2006–2012. The lore suggests it could take an executable compiled with PureBasic 3.x or 4.x and reconstruct a .pb file.
Reality check: Most security researchers agree that UnPureBasic was either: purebasic decompiler
Do not pay for private decompilers advertised on shady reverse-engineering forums. They are almost always scams.
Open the .exe in a hex editor (e.g., HxD). Search for strings like:
If found, you confirm it is PureBasic.
If one were to build a decompiler, the steps would be:
A developer accidentally deletes the original .pb source but still has the compiled .exe. They hope to recover their work.
Reality: Unless the executable was compiled with debug symbols (rare in release builds), you will only recover assembly. It is often faster to rewrite the program. Using a disassembler (like IDA Pro, Ghidra, or
Hackers want to remove license checks or wallhacks in a game written in PureBasic.
Reality: They use debuggers to patch the binary directly (e.g., changing a JNZ (jump if not zero) to JZ (jump if zero)). No decompilation required.