- Quick specs
- Price: Free
- Operating system: Windows 95/98/Me/2000/XP/Vista/NT
- Date added: December 14, 2007
- Total Downloads: 642,194
- Downloads last week: 2,544
- See full specifications
A newer version of Eraser is available.
(Download doesn't provide access to previous versions of this program.)
- CNET editors' rating: stars
- Average user rating: stars out of 202 votes
See all user reviews
CNET editors' review
Reviewed by: CNET Staff
A few minor complaints aside, this free file shredder is by and large a solid find. Eraser's all-business interface won't win any design awards, but it's mostly convenient to use, allowing you to add files or folders to be deleted via drag-and-drop transfers. However, since the program lacks a dedicate deletion button or icon, you'll have to dig through the menu items to actually erase data. This misstep is somewhat negated by the fact that Eraser integrates into the Windows' context menu, letting you shred files via a right click. We're glad to see the program lets you choose from four secure government-sanctioned deletion algorithms, and we appreciate the inclusion of a scheduler, handy for routinely wiping free disk space. In our tests, Eraser got rid of a 1GB file in 10 minutes--impressive, considering we employed the most secure deletion method. Anyone seeking to eradicate documents for good should take a long look at this freebie.Publisher's description
From Heidi Computers :Eraser is an advanced security tool for Windows that allows you to completely remove sensitive data from your hard drive by overwriting it several times with carefully selected patterns. The patterns used for overwriting are based on Peter Gutmann's paper Secure Deletion of Data from Magnetic and Solid-State Memory and are selected to effectively remove magnetic remnants from the hard drive.
Other methods include the one defined in the National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual of the U.S. Department of Defence, and overwriting with pseudorandom data. You can also define your own overwriting methods. Version 5.86 includes unspecified updates.
What's new in this version:
Version 5.86 includes unspecified updates.
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User reviews of Eraser 5.86
- Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 202 votes
- My rating: 0 stars Write review
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Showing 5 of 38 user reviewsSee all 38 user reviews
This software version | All versions -
80 out of 81 people found this review helpful
Version: Eraser 5.86
Pros: Deleting files in windows doesn't really remove the files. It just removes the reference to the files, which means a data recovery program can still restore the deleted files.
When you right click on the recycle bin and select empty the recycle bin. Eraser overwrites the contents of the recycle bin, to completely obliterate any data that was there. Once you use Eraser on a file you can be assured that it is really erased, and not just deleted.
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74 out of 75 people found this review helpful
Version: Eraser 5.86
Pros: right click select erasing method on recycle bin
right click select erase on other files
can erase folders too
will erase free space without corrupting system (not like some recovery programs with a terminate option)
Cons: bit outdated button interface
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68 out of 69 people found this review helpful
Version: Eraser 5.86
"the best secure file eraser!excellent!"
Pros: does what it says on the tin!the only company that tells the truth about what it can and can't erase. also the only company that gives you an entensive faq on data remova.well done eraser!
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65 out of 73 people found this review helpful
Version: Eraser 5.86
"I assume it works as intended..."
Pros: I assume it is wiping my files properly.
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50 out of 51 people found this review helpful
Version: Eraser 5.86
"Very good secure file eraser & mover!"
Pros: This latest version adds a feature I wished they had for 5.7 - secure file mover! The addition of the swift "first / last 2k" and "Schneier 7 pass" is also nice. The free space cleaner scheduler is also a little easier to set up.
- See all 38 user reviews Write review
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