# Freeware secure file erase/delete utility recommendations? (Windows) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 18, 2005, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freeware-secure-file-erase-delete-utility-recommendations-windows/336113 "2005-12-18T00:53:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2005, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freeware-secure-file-erase-delete-utility-recommendations-windows/336113/1 "2005-12-18T00:53:48Z")
Can anybody recommend freeware to securely delete sensitive files? I got my Mom a new PC this Christmas, and she might want to donate her old PC, but she has files on it with bank account #s, etc, so we need to securely delete the files. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2005, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freeware-secure-file-erase-delete-utility-recommendations-windows/336113/2 "2005-12-18T01:23:03Z")
[Darik’s Boot and Nuke](http://dban.sourceforge.net/) creates a floppy disk that will wipe the entire drive. It’s distributed under the GPL license. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2005, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freeware-secure-file-erase-delete-utility-recommendations-windows/336113/3 "2005-12-18T02:16:44Z")
That sounds like an option, but I think I’d rather try one that only erases the files I tell it and empty space. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2005, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freeware-secure-file-erase-delete-utility-recommendations-windows/336113/4 "2005-12-18T02:33:13Z")
[BCWipe.](http://www.jetico.com/index.htm#/bcwipe_faq.htm) ---
**Author:** ![CaveMike](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cavemike/32/16379_2.png) [@CaveMike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaveMike)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2005, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freeware-secure-file-erase-delete-utility-recommendations-windows/336113/5 "2005-12-18T05:17:58Z")
> [@Revtim](#): > > That sounds like an option, but I think I’d rather try one that only erases the files I tell it and empty space. I always recommend [sdelete](http://www.sysinternals.com/Utilities/SDelete.html) for those that like simple, command-line tools. Option ‘-z’ clears free space. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2005, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freeware-secure-file-erase-delete-utility-recommendations-windows/336113/6 "2005-12-18T16:21:25Z")
[http://www.analogx.com/contents/download/system/shred.htm](http://www.analogx.com/contents/download/system/shred.htm) ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2005, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freeware-secure-file-erase-delete-utility-recommendations-windows/336113/7 "2005-12-18T20:15:23Z")
I like the [Eraser](http://www.tolvanen.com/eraser/). You can have it overwrite files up to 35 times, 5x more than the DOD standard. Just expect to wait a while if you do so. ---
**Author:** ![SkipMagic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skipmagic/32/20706_2.png) [@SkipMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkipMagic)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2005, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freeware-secure-file-erase-delete-utility-recommendations-windows/336113/8 "2005-12-18T21:00:08Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > [BCWipe.](http://www.jetico.com/index.htm#/bcwipe_faq.htm) That’s what I’ve used for years now. Works very well. ---
**Author:** ![Imasquare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Imasquare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Imasquare)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2005, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freeware-secure-file-erase-delete-utility-recommendations-windows/336113/9 "2005-12-19T01:06:14Z")
> [@asterion](#): > > I like the [Eraser](http://www.tolvanen.com/eraser/). You can have it overwrite files up to 35 times, 5x more than the DOD standard. Just expect to wait a while if you do so. I also use Eraser. It integrates into the Windows File Explorer allowing you to erase singles files or entire folders. It also will erase free space on your drive to ensure that previously deleted files cannot be recovered. The only problem I have kad with it is that it does not erase files that have non-English characters in their file names.