HDShredder

HD Shredder is essential for anyone who needs to securely erase data from their hard drive and works independently of partition layout, file sys­tem, and operating system. For example, if you are thinking of selling an old PC then this software would be an ideal tool in preparation for the task as you will want to wipe the data until it is beyond recovery.

It can be applied to hard drives, mass storage, individual partitions, and the deletion type can be selected from a variety of international security standards.

The app has a clean layout and simple interface, which means newcomers should find it easy to handle. Using the interface you can select entire drives or partitions and within the partition, you can even pinpoint the areas you want to delete permanently.  

There is a myriad of display stats including total size, controller, name, serial number, vendor, and firmware. The wiping methods available are 'Automatic,' 'Standards,' and 'User-Defined.' The latter means the user can choose their deletion pattern and the number of times the software overwrites the data. If you don't want to mess around with settings you can choose the first option and if you want more control of which algorithms are used when you choose the second option. The algorithms to choose from include DOD 5200.28M, Gutmann, Pfitzner, and Schneier.

HDShredder can also run speed tests and create bootable media

• wipe the data until it is beyond recovery
• Uses several wiping methods
• Works with proprietary formats
• Simple interface and a clean layout
• Intuitive design makes it great for beginners

HDShredder is a useful and content full tool that can be utilized for numerous different tasks; like a Swiss army knife, it is useful to have on hand. Veterans will find the wealth of options pleasing and beginners should find the program easy to use.