HDShredder

HDShredder

HDShredder is a free data destruction software for Windows that securely deletes files and folders from hard drives. It uses multiple shredding methods like DoD 5220.22-M and Peter Gutmann's 35-pass algorithm to permanently erase data.
HDShredder image
data-destruction file-shredder secure-delete

HDShredder: Free Data Destruction Software for Windowss

Securely delete files and folders from hard drives with HDShredder, a free data destruction software that uses multiple shredding methods like DoD 5220.22-M and Peter Gutmann's 35-pass algorithm to permanently erase data.

What is HDShredder?

HDShredder is a free, open-source data destruction and disk wiping utility for Windows operating systems. It is designed to securely and permanently erase files, folders, and drives by overwriting data multiple times to prevent recovery.

HDShredder implements a variety of internatioanlly recognized data sanitization standards including the Peter Gutmann 35-pass overwrite technique, DoD 5220.22-M, NSA 130-2, and more. These overwrite unused disk space to counter data remanence effects on modern drives.

The software provides an intuitive graphical user interface to select files and drives for data shredding. It utilize advanced wiping algorithms to overwrite all addressable locations with random data. Audit logs provide transparency over the shredding operations. The portable version allows running HDShredder directly from USB drives.

HDShredder aims to permanently destroy sensitive information on hard drives to ensure it is unrecoverable by forensic means. Its multiple overwriting techniques make it harder for data remnants to be read from magnetic media. The sanitization standards aid compliance with data protection regulations regarding secure data destruction.

HDShredder Features

Features

  1. Securely deletes files and folders from hard drives
  2. Uses multiple shredding methods like DoD 5220.22-M and Peter Gutmann's 35-pass algorithm
  3. Permanently erases data
  4. Supports Windows operating system

Pricing

  • Free

Pros

Free to use

Highly effective data destruction methods

Easy to use interface

Supports various shredding algorithms

Cons

Only available for Windows

May take longer to shred larger files due to the multiple pass algorithms


The Best HDShredder Alternatives

Top Security & Privacy and Data Destruction and other similar apps like HDShredder


CCleaner icon

CCleaner

CCleaner is one of the most widely used system cleaning and optimization tools for the Windows operating system. First released in 2004, it has over 2 billion downloads worldwide as of 2020.The core functionality of CCleaner focuses on removing unnecessary files from your hard drive to free up disk space....
CCleaner image
DiskGenius icon

DiskGenius

DiskGenius is a full-featured and easy-to-use partition manager software for Windows. It provides a complete set of tools to manage disks and partitions, such as create, format, delete, clone, backup and restore partitions or disks, recover deleted or lost partitions, rebuild MBR, convert partition table between MBR and GPT without...
Eraser icon

Eraser

Eraser is a free, open source data removal tool for Windows operating systems. It allows users to permanently delete files, folders, and sensitive data from their hard drives by overwriting the data multiple times to prevent it from being recovered by data recovery software or forensics.Eraser utilizes a range of...
Eraser image
Avast Cleanup Premium icon

Avast Cleanup Premium

Avast Cleanup Premium is a PC optimization and system tune-up utility developed by Avast Software. It helps clean up junk files, free up disk space, speed up computer performance, fix registry issues, prevent crashes, and boost overall system health.It includes all the basic junk file cleaning and PC tune-up features...
Avast Cleanup Premium image
SDelete icon

SDelete

SDelete is a free, open source command line utility for securely deleting files and folders on Windows systems. It works by overwriting data multiple times with randomized bit patterns to prevent recovery using forensic tools.Some key features of SDelete include:Securely overwrites file data using Department of Defense and other secure...
SDelete image
Active@ KillDisk icon

Active@ KillDisk

Active@ KillDisk is an advanced hard drive erasure software that provides permanent data destruction for hard drives and SSDs. It uses U.S. Department of Defense approved sanitization methods to securely wipe all existing data and prevent future data recovery.Key features include:Supports SSDs and HDDs for both SATA, SSD, SCSI, IDE...
Active@ KillDisk image
Blancco Drive Eraser icon

Blancco Drive Eraser

Blancco Drive Eraser is an advanced data erasure solution used by organizations and individuals to permanently erase sensitive data from HDDs and complex storage environments. It provides comprehensive reporting to confirm erasure and compliance with industry standards and regulations.Key features include:Permanent and secure data erasure that renders data unrecoverable even...
Blancco Drive Eraser image
Secure Eraser icon

Secure Eraser

Secure Eraser is a free, open source application for permanently and securely deleting files and folders in Windows. It uses multiple overwrite passes to write random data over top of files marked for deletion, preventing the chance of recovery through data forensics.Some key features of Secure Eraser include:Supports 35 different...
Secure Eraser image
Nwipe icon

Nwipe

nwipe is an open source and portable application used for securely erasing data from hard drives and storage devices. It works by overwriting the entire hard drive or individual partitions with random data patterns to completely erase the existing data, making it unrecoverable.Some key features of nwipe include:Supports SATA, SAS,...
Nwipe image
WipeFile icon

WipeFile

WipeFile is a free, open-source data destruction utility for Windows that can securely and permanently delete files and folders to prevent recovery. It works by overwriting the data multiple times with randomized bit patterns to ensure the original data cannot be reconstructed.Some key features of WipeFile include:Integrates with the Windows...
WipeFile image
Hard Disk Scrubber icon

Hard Disk Scrubber

Hard Disk Scrubber is powerful disk sanitization and data destruction software designed to permanently erase files, folders and wipe entire disks clean. It utilizes multiple algorithms including the Gutmann method, Random Data method, Fast Zero Overwrite method and Customizable Patterns method to securely overwrite data making it unrecoverable by even...
Hard Disk Scrubber image
Alternate File Shredder icon

Alternate File Shredder

An alternate file shredder is a software used to securely and permanently delete files on your computer hard drive or other storage devices. Unlike simply deleting a file which only removes the file's entry from the file table, file shredding overwrites the file's data in order to prevent recovery using...
Alternate File Shredder image
Shredos icon

Shredos

Shredos is an open-source, light-weight operating system based on Linux that focuses on security, privacy, and anti-forensics. It runs entirely from a bootable USB drive without needing to install anything on the host computer.Some key features of Shredos include:Strong encryption of the USB drive, preventing data retrieval if the drive...
Shredos image
Permadelete icon

Permadelete

Permadelete is a secure file deletion utility designed to permanently erase files from your hard drive. Unlike simply deleting files or formatting a drive, Permadelete uses advanced techniques to prevent deleted files from being recovered.When you normally delete a file, the operating system simply marks the space taken up by...
Permadelete image
Wiperapp icon

Wiperapp

Wiperapp is a mobile storage cleaner and file organizer app for iOS and Android. It provides users with an easy way to clean up their device and free up storage space by identifying and deleting duplicate photos, cached app data, large unused files, and other unnecessary clutter.The app uses advanced...
Wiperapp image
East-tec DisposeSecure icon

East-tec DisposeSecure

east-tec DisposeSecure is a file shredder application designed for permanently deleting sensitive files, folders, and disks on Windows systems. It provides secure data erasure using techniques that aim to prevent recovery of deleted data.DisposeSecure can shred individual files and folders as well as wipe entire drives or partitions. It utilizes...
East-tec DisposeSecure image
Puran Permanent Delete icon

Puran Permanent Delete

Puran Permanent Delete is a freeware utility program developed by Puran Software for permanently deleting files, folders, and partitions in Windows. It utilizes a variety of secure data destruction methods to ensure deleted files cannot be recovered by any means.Key features include:Secure overwrite algorithms like Peter Gutmann and US DoD...
Puran Permanent Delete image