Topic: What's a good utility for erasing personal files....

[Centurus]

My mom's doing real estate these days, and she does alot of transactions over the net, and does alot more online finances, and I want to make sure that whenever she deletes a file, it can't be recovered, especially if it holds some pretty important information.

Any recommendations.  We currently have the Norton Systemworks Suite 2006. 

[Javora]

http://www.sys-shield.com/fileshredder.htm

[jualdeaux]

Okay. I just consulted my cousin who is a computer forensic specialist, well that is one of his skills, and he uses the Google desktop shredder gadget and something called "crap cleaner" when he wants to shred files. I have to state that he hasn't actually verified whether those files are really gone using his forensic stuff yet though.

[GermzSlap]

You can try these 2 programs:

Security Toolkit

http://www.majorgeeks.com/Security_Toolkit_d4849.html (EDIT: put wrong link by mistake, this is the right link)


This program is free, i just started using it myself, it has other features as well

or

Advance privacy protector:

http://www.majorgeeks.com/Advanced_Privacy_Protector_d1894.html

This one is specifically used for removing internet files. Unfortunately its not free but there is a 30 day free trial to see if you like it.

About Norton, i'm not familiar with systemworks, but their internet security programs are pure garbage. Anything with the name Norton makes me wary. I would also recomend doing some research yourself, go to computer forums and talk to people and get some opinions from knowlegeble folks, financial and personal security should be take very seriously in this day and age.

I hope this helps.

[E_Look]

It's sad.

Once, in "dark" old days of DOS, "Norton" was a proud standard by which utilties were compared.  The old Norton Utilities for DOS were superb tools.  They prolonged the life of HDs, and saved me after a HD crash at least twice, until I could get a new drive, because it was able to read and reconstruct data tables from secondary copies of the information in the boot sectors.

Alas, I agree with you about Norton anything these days.

[The Bar-Abbas Anomaly]

 

You can wipe a whole drive using "Autoclave" http://staff.washington.edu/jdlarios/autoclave-discontinued/install.html and be completely secure in knowing that the NSA will never be able to recover it...

[Centurus]

+1 for everyone that's replied to this thread.  Thanks again.