Windows 7: File Shredder

Hello everyone,



I thought it was about time to make a post as i have been looking through the forums at all the tips and tricks with wondows 7 for about a week now and its been so helpful.

I wouldn't normally make a first post with a question but if you dont ask you dont know.

File Shredder,

I see I can change the settings which increase the amount of passes over my old data when shredding but...

How effective is this software at data destruction?
Can my old data be recovered if I start to use this Instead of the recycle bin and make a wrongful delete?
If i used it to shred a partition after formatting, how fresh would the new volume be?

Thanks for reading and for any replies.

I would guess it is quite effective if it writes zeros to the clusters occupied by the file. You would have to do your own investigation to determine if writing zeros is what actually happens.

I read recently that a single pass of zeroes is very effective and multiple passes adds little more to the effectiveness. But if you were to turn your drive over to the CIA, maybe they could do something with it.

You should consider any shredded data to be unrecoverable. The recycle bin is simply another folder and doesn't really delete anything.

I doubt if you can directly shred a partition, although you could shred the files within the partition. You can also delete the partition directly after you shred the files within it.

Many thanks for the info ignatzatsonic.

I guess i will start using shredder then as I'm doing my best now to keep my o/s running smooth and as fresh as possible.


Thanks again buddy.

I do not understand what you mean by " I'm doing my best now to keep my o/s running smooth and as fresh as possible." That is not what file shredding if for.

#1 It is very effective if you write over with enuff data. Ones, zeros and at a random pattern with each pass. Yet the NSA can still probably recover it. If not they will make something up.

#2 Shredding a file will make it unrecoverable. Unless a lot of money is spent trying to recover it.