This utility lets you shred the selected files definitely so it is impossible to recovery them with recovering tools. As you may or may not know, Windows doesn't actually delete the files in disk when you delete it permanently or you empty the Recycle Bin. The files remain on your hard disk and Windows only removes the entry to it from the FAT (File Allocation Table) so the system can't see the file. But with recovering tools, these files can be found and recovered again as long as they haven't been overwritten by new data yet. With secret files this can be a problem. This utility overwrites several times the file content so it is extremely difficult to recovery the files in the future.

FileMenu Tools supports different shredding algorithms, depending of its security and speed (more security means slower). The methods are the following (ordered from most insecure to most secure):

  • Quick Shredding: performs only one overwrite with zeros. This method is very quick, but very insecure.
  • Secure Delete with DOD 5220.22-M: deletes using the norm from the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD 5220.22-M). This method performs 3 overwrites.
  • Secure Delete with Gutmann (lite): deletes using the lite version of the Gutmann directives. This method performs 10 overwrites, and therefore is slow.
  • Secure Delete with Gutmann: deletes using the Gutmann directives. This method performs 35 overwrites, and therefore is very slow.

Before deleting the file, the file is renamed to other name so the recovery tools cannot display the original name.

If you check "Use always this selection and not prompt more times", then it always will use the same shredding algorithm. If you want to change the shredding algorithm for some specific files, you must press CONTROL key while you run the command from the context menu.