Hardwipe for Windows

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Key Details of Hardwipe

Erase data and prevent it from being recovered.
Last updated on February 14, 2016
There have been 6 updates
Virus scan status:
Clean (it’s extremely likely that this software program is clean)

Developer’s Description

By Big Angry Dog

Erase data and prevent it from being recovered.

Hardwipe is a free data sanitization toolset used by activists, journalists, IT technicians and anyone needing to ensure that discarded, but sensitive, information can never be recovered by someone else.Hardwipe provides a slick user interface with optional support for 'right-click' context menus in Windows File Explorer. Use Hardwipe to conveniently and permanently erase (or 'hard wipe') data on disk and portable storage media. It can conveniently destroy files and folder contents on-demand, erase drives and USB media, and sanitize the Windows Recycler.Hardwipe gives you the freedom to securely erase: Physical Devices, Logical Volumes, Files/Folders, Recycler Bins, Free (unused) Drive Space and Windows Pagefile. It also offers read-back verification, report logs, and supports all major sanitization schemes, including: GOST R 50739-95, DOD 5220.22-M, Schneier and Gutmann.Hardwipe is free for non-commercial use (some premium features require a paid upgrade). Announcement: 10% of Hardwipe sales go to small charities where every donation makes a big difference.When your old data is more valuable to someone else than you, don't just 'delete' it -- hardwipe it.

Hardwipe for Windows

Used Hardwipe for Windows? Share your experience and help other users.

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Full Specifications

GENERAL

Release: February 14, 2016

Latest update: February 14, 2016

Version: 5.1.1

OPERATING SYSTEMS

Platform: Windows

Operating System

Windows 7
Windows 10
Windows 8

Additional Requirements: 64-bit Windows

POPULARITY

Total Downloads: 16,316

Downloads Last Week: 2

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Last Updated

User Reviews

3.6/5

5 User Votes

Useful and reliable file wiping tool.
glvillagOctober 5, 2013
Pros
- Very effective secure data erasing - Easy to use with pause and speed (CPU priority) options - Context menu integration - Different standard wiping methods to choose - Very important : Recycler Bin and Disk Free Space wiping options. - Very good online support
Cons
May be for a future version, user can modify or add wiping methods.
Summary
Good performance, reliable and easy to use. Excellent tool.
The best wiping utility I've found
Tony-81October 4, 2013
Pros
I was unable to recover any files that I've wiped Wipe directly from Explorer Portable version available Wipes disks, clean and wipe files Wipes recyclers User interface is well written Seems about the best wiping utility there is
Cons
Not bootable - can't wipe C drive
Summary
If you're looking for a bootable disk wiper that can wipe your primary disk, then Hardwipe isn't it. However, if an "inline" secure erase utility (one that runs in Windows) is what you need, then Hardwipe seems to be about the best there is. It supports full disk overwriting (just not on your main drive), but is absolutely perfect for wiping USB sticks and external drives. Overwriting single files is really easy, and Hardwipe is one of the few pieces of software I've found that lets you multiple select files and folders. Although, the website does say that wiping single files is not guaranteed if your disk going to be foresicly analysed, but I've tested Hardwipe against Recurva in deep scan mode and haven't been able tor recover anything. The interface is well designed. It also lets you right-click on files and drives from Windows Explorer, and lets you wipe whats in the recycler.
Superb & very effective
FuzzzzyLogicOctober 4, 2013
Pros
Very effective & easy to use. Tested it against several offerings of data recovery software and it appears to work extremely well.
Cons
Make absolutely sure you want to permanently delete the files as you won't get them back...
Summary
5 stars...
Standalone option not really standalone.
sqaengOctober 4, 2012
Pros
Cannot comment on overall operation because I did not run the program when I discovered "standalone" was not really that.
Cons
I assumed that "standalone" meant Hardwipe could be installed on a removeable media and executed independant of the hard disk resident operating system. I had planed to run Hardwipe from a USB flash drive, thinking I could mount and boot it on some obsolete PCs, to wipe their hard drives before disposing of them. Unfortunately, "standalone" did not mean that, just that it could be initiated from Windows Explorer within the Windows operating system.
Summary
Perhaps in the future the developer of Hardwipe will consider providing a truly standalone version.
beware or regret
pavelhJuly 22, 2012
Pros
Seems to do most of the stuff.
Cons
This app follows links! You ask it to delete an *.lnk file and it doesn't. Instead it deletes the linked file. This obviously means that unwanted files may be wiped. In the worst case scenario (my case) you dump gigabytes of old data onto your hdd, browse it, then decide to wipe it only to realize some of the old, obsolete links may have linked to your new data. Too bad, that data got just wiped.
Summary
The IQ of some people is beyond me :-(<br /><br /><span class='notifyMsg'> Updated </span>on Jul 22, 2012<p/>As stupid as it may sound, especially disputing somebody's IQ, I might have been wrong. Totally panicked after finding an incomplete wipe on my system which suggested followed links. Further test showed it does not follow links, but the reason for the incomplete wipe is still unresolved. Wouldn't be fair not to mention it though.<br /><br /><span class='notifyMsg'> Updated </span>on Jul 23, 2012<p/>Researched some more and what happens is this: when adding files to be wiped, the app does not show actual *.lnk files (if present among the files to be wiped), but their targets. If the target is not present, the *.lnk file is not displayed among the added files to be wiped. The wipe itself does wipe only the actual shortcuts, but since some of them were not added you may end up with a folder that contains many unwiped *.lnk files for no appearant reason. It is especially confusing when you have a lot of files to be wiped. It is a confusing behavior, but certainly not nearly as critical as I have feared in the beginning so this app does not deserve the one star I gave it initially. I will ask cnet to increase my rating to four stars but I doubt they will be willing to do so.