Publisher's Description
From Codyssey:
Freeraser is a powerful tool for an unrecoverable destruction of digital information. Destroy your secrets for good, for sure, for free. Do not keep sensitive information, destroy it. An ordinary deleting of files isn't enough. Any software recovery tool can restore your deleted items. When you wish to delete any sensitive information, like industrial secrets or some unwanted content, you want to be sure that it will be deleted permanently. If you need to destroy any data and eliminate any possibility of its restoration you need a "shredder". This software destroys the data before the deletion, using a complicated procedure of filling the actual content with random data.
Version 1.0.0.23 improves multi-language support.
What's new in this version: More langages available
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All versions:
4.0 starsout of 8 votes
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Current version:
3.9 starsout of 7 votes
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My rating:
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Results 1-7 of 7
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"Good: simplicity, looks, etc. Bad: it works horribly!"
Version: Freeraser 1.0.0.23
Pros
I like the simplicity, looks, options, and so on. Based on this, I'm giving it 2 stars out of 5, but there is no way I would use it or trust it without drastic improvement in results and speed. See the Cons and summary below.
Cons
The simple test I performed doing a Gutmann (35-pass) Ultimate erasing on a 10.3 MB Password Safe folder demonstrated it to be very slow and the files were still easily seen on the hard drive and recoverable with Piriform Recuva doing a Deep Scan.
Summary
I took a copy of a 10.3 MB Password Safe folder containing 37 files. I used Password Safe for years and it contains a lot of passwords and sensitive information. I put a copy of this folder on my C drive and another copy on a D drive (same drive, different partition).
I ran Freeraser on the D drive copy using the Ultimate setting, which does a Gutmann 35-pass erase algorithm on the folder. I was surprised at how long it took to finish the process. It was a number of minutes. I then ran Piriform Recuva v1.39.509 (newest version) on the D drive and had it perform a Deep Scan. It found the Password Safe folder and all 37 files.
18 files were in an "Excellent" state
17 files were in a "Poor" state
2 files were in a "Very Poor" state
1 file was in a "Unrecoverable" state
I was able to recover all of the files, but since about half of them were in a Poor state or worse, I was not able to run Password Safe or easily view even the ReadMe.txt file.
Next, I had Eraser perform a Gutmann 35-pass erase on the Password Safe copy on my C drive. Eraser finished in just a few seconds, maybe 15. I ran Recuva in Deep Scan mode on the C drive and it did not find any trace of the Password Safe folder (and the 37 files inside it) at all.
I have used Eraser for years, but foolishly never tested it. My bad. Thank goodness it seems to work as well as I hoped and assumed.
To make sure that Freeraser didn't possibly work better in a different mode, I took another copy of the Password Safe folder and ran Freeraser on it using the "Forced" Destruction Mode, which is 3 rounds of filling according to DoD 5220.22M standard. As one might expect, it didn't take as long as before. Using Recuva iin Deep Scan mode, I was able to find the Password Safe folder and all of the files, but more were marked as "Unrecoverable" than before. Nonetheless, I was able to see the files and recover them, depsite what condition they might be in.
What if some person or an agency of some sort really wanted to get data off of your drive? It doesn't look like Freeraser is going to protect your data by truly & securely destroying it.
All of that said, I really like the simplicity, looks, and options of Freeraser, but after these simple tests, I do NOT trust it at all. I'll keep an eye on it and maybe test it again in the future. I hope it gets a lot better without becoming big and/or bloated. -
"Does not work!"
Version: Freeraser 1.0.0.23
Pros
Cool interface. Form over function, though.
Cons
Ran this on the ultimate setting to wipe one file. Immediately afterward I went in with Glary Undelete and completely restored it. It happened to be the file that has all my passwords in it.
Summary
Don't waste your time.
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"Simple, Fast, Effective"
Version: Freeraser 1.0.0.23
Pros
Cool Incinerator Icon
Drag and Drop FeatureCons
Haven't encountered any.
Summary
So easy to use. Using the drag and drop feature to move the item to the cool icon and then destroying it is easy and actually fun!
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"Effective but still pretty quick"
Version: Freeraser 1.0.0.23
Pros
Files that I've shredded with this app cannot be retrieved with Glary Undelete, so I know it works. Does not leave behind any trace of the deleted file.
Cons
Takes a while to run.
Summary
I tested this program along with Moo0 File Shredder and initially disliked the fact that it took noticeably longer to delete a file. But after doing some research I learned that the one thing you don't want is a fast file shredder. So I uninstalled Moo0 File Shredder and kept this one.
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"Too freakin' cool!"
Version: Freeraser 1.0.0.23
Pros
The only way to shred stuff. Ya gotta check this out!
Cons
One false move and it's curtains I tell ya.
Summary
It's the coolest shreader this side of the border.
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"Clear directions and simple menu"
Version: Freeraser 1.0.0.23
Pros
Product shredded files as I expected
Cons
Does not give a warning if it cannot shred a file
Summary
More heads up display of when it shreds or does not. Didn't indicate other required actions. But all in all it performed its base applications well
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"Very Effective; Elegant Interface; Simple to Use; Fast"
Version: Freeraser 1.0.0.23
Pros
Works effectively; like 'toxic waste' label on trash bin (so very clear you're not 'recycling' anything) and works quickly. I have other "Dept of Defense" rated shredders which take a while, though theoretically more thorough.
Cons
Not immediately obvious if this can be added to the 'right click' of mouse for easier shredding.
Summary
Highly recommended. Great for everyday use. Haven't tried all top file recovery programs to test it's effectiveness, but did try several recovery programs and Freeraser made the file unrecoverable.
Like ability to adjust the size and transparency of the shredder. Doesn't clutter up desktop. I also like the quick warning that the file will be unrecoverable once deleted it provides. Some may find it undesirable.
Haven't tested it thoroughly enough to trust it to 200% destroy files, like I would Abylon Shredder. However, 99.9% of the time Freeraser will prevent the average wanna be hacker from recovering the file.
Separately, I did *not* download the manual, so perhaps there are features I haveen't tested that warrant placing it ahead of Abylon (due to it's speed if it does comparable level of complete and total file destruction)
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