CNET Editors' review
HDShredder from Miray Software is a disk cleaning utility that comes in five versions, each building upon the other's basic functionality with more features, capacity, or levels of security. We tested the Free version, which is more than adequate for most users' data removal needs. It offers secure high-speed deletion of entire hard drives or other storage media to the point that any data they contain is unrecoverable, independent of your operating system, file system, or partition layout. It also recognizes and deletes proprietary formatting that other cleaners often miss.
HDShredder Free downloads as a compressed file but installs cleanly and without issues or further nuisance. It opens with an attractive and fairly sparse dialog box that's typical of the cleaner genre, whether it's your hard disk, registry, or browser files it's cleaning. HDShredder Free essentially sheds most of the features and settings of its for-pay siblings, but its core functionality is the same. It's limited to security level 1 while the Enterprise version offers level 217, for instance, and while it recognizes and shows all supported drives, some less typical formats require more advanced versions. Nevertheless, HDShredder Free completely deleted our target files.
HDShredder Free is as capable and effective a disk cleaner as most users need. Since it's freeware, you have nothing to lose but the files you've already deleted. If you're selling, donating, or even throwing away an old computer or hard drive, run HDShredder on it first. Your security is no one's business but your own.
Publisher's Description
From miray Software:
HDShredder is the ideal tool for erasing entire hard disks and other media. HDShredder works independent of partition layout, file system, and operating system. It also works with proprietary formats which otherwise would be unaccessible. HDShredder Basic Edition, HDShredder Standard Edition, HDShredder Professional Edition offer extended features.
More Products to Consider
- Clean up junk files and invalid Registry entries.Download
Installed
Smart Install - Tune up and maintain your PC, clean registry easily.Download
Installed
Smart Install - Take full control over RAR and ZIP archives, along with unpacki...Download
Installed
Smart Install - Fix, speed up, maintain, and protect your PC.Download
Installed
Smart Install - Update PC drivers automatically using cloud technology.Download
Installed
Smart Install - Move, resize, copy, explore, and recover hard disk drive partit...Download
Installed
Smart Install - Take full control over RAR and ZIP archives, along with unpacki...Download
Installed
Smart Install - Upload and download files using FTP, FTPS, or SFTP.Download
Installed
Smart Install - Upload and download files using FTP, FTPS, or SFTP.Download
Installed
Smart Install - Configure and manage disk partitions, move, resize, copy and re...Download
Installed
Smart Install - Wipe your hard drive data without possibility of data recovery.Download
Installed
Smart Install - Copy or move file and folders.Download
Installed
Smart Install - Keep your PC in tiptop shape and at peak performance.Download
Installed
Smart Install - Manage and edit Windows environment variables.Download
Installed
Smart Install - View and edit Microsoft Access MDB and ACCDB files.Download
Installed
Smart Install - Find and fix incorrect or obsolete information in the Windows r...Download
Installed
Smart Install - Edit huge files, NTFS alternate streams, sparse files, logical ...Download
This download is served from an external site
closeNOTICE: This link will open a connection to a third-party site. CNET cannot ensure the security of software that is hosted on external sites.
Sponsored Products
Installed
Smart Install - Manage and edit Windows environment variables.Download
Installed
Smart Install - Download and update all your Windows drivers, back them up and ...Download
Installed
Smart Install - Solve financial and geometric problems with a comprehensive cal...Download
Installed
Smart Install - Save passwords, contacts, and favorites, login, and fill forms ...Download
Installed
Smart Install - Allow development, data salvage, and low-level engineering in W...Download
This download is served from an external site
closeNOTICE: This link will open a connection to a third-party site. CNET cannot ensure the security of software that is hosted on external sites.
Sponsored Products
Installed
Smart Install - Scan junk files and delete these junk files in Windows system.Download
Installed
Smart Install - Copy files and customize the operation in many ways.Download
Installed
Smart Install
-
All versions:
3.0 starsout of 1 votes
-
Current version:
0 stars Be the first to review this product -
My rating:
Write review
Results 1-1 of 1
-
"Wasn't what I thought it was."
Version: HDShredder 3.6.4
Pros
Might be good as what it does, but was not what I was expecting. I wanted to wipe just free space on a disk, not the whole HDD, prior to donating an old Win95 machine (wanted to leave the OS on - although I'm not sure anyone would ever use it! ;-).
Cons
I had a problem creating the boot disk (I had thought worst case I'd go ahead and wipe the HDD, but ended up finding Active@KillDisk to do what I needed. Again, don't mean to knock this too much since I misunderstood what it's target market is.
Summary
I was using it for the wrong purpose, so it might be a great product. I can't really judge it.
Add Your Review
Submit your reply
E-mail this review
Report offensive content
See more CNET content tagged:
Previous Versions:

