21 Windows Apps – Eraser (Secure File Deletion)

Eraser is a secure file deletion utility. It works with any version of Windows (from Windows 95 to Vista) and even DOS.

When you delete a file from your computer it is not securely erased. There are ways it could be retrieved. However with Eraser, when a file is deleted using the utility, a file is deleted and overwritten several times with patterns. This makes it nearly impossible to retrieve a file deleted just by pressing the delete key on your keyboard.

Cool things about Eraser

  • Runs on any version of Windows (as noted above)
  • Has both 32-bit and 64-bit versions
  • Has both an “On-Demand” mode and a “Scheduler” mode. You can do right-now deletion or scheduled deleting (could be handy for clearing browser cache).
  • Free
  • Very easy to use
  • Fast
  • Puts itself in the system tray so you know when it’s running (and when it isn’t)

Who would benefit most from Eraser?

People who use shared computers would benefit most from this utility. If the other people who use the same computer you do are nosy and try to retrieve files you’ve deleted, this utility as said above will make it nearly impossible to retrieve deleted files.

And even if no one else uses your computer but you, one can never be too careful with secure deletion of files.

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