Feature Overview
- Easy-to-use interface
- Remove files and folders from your hard drive, floppy disk or USB stick completely
- 4 fast erasing methods (overwrite with $00, $FF, $00+$FF or random data)
- 1 method that overwrites the data to be deleted with a custom string determined by you
- 1 method that overwrites the data to be deleted with a file you select previously
- 1 method that overwrites the data to be deleted with a random file from your hard drive
- 4 slow, but very intelligent deleting methods (British HMG IS5, DoD II, DoD 3+7+3, Gutman Method)
- Renaming and attribute changing feature for files and folders to be deleted
- Erase complete drives by wiping all files located on it with one click
- Wipe Recycle Bin
- Load and save file and folder lists
- Load and save project files with all current settings you made
- Write wiping report to history file if necessary
- Print out wiping report on your default printer
- Delete single files with 1-abc.net File Washer from the right click menu in Windows Explorer
- Wipe special folders like Internet Explorer Cookies or History
- Move folder to another directory and erase the old one automatically
- Configure the scheduler to let the program erase data automatically
- Select the path where your history file is located
- Program can be installed on USB sticks, floppy disks or nearly all other re-writable media
- Very low system resources required
Pros
- Securely erase files, folders, and drives
- Allows you to pick from 11 secure deletion algorithms
- Can add an entry into right-click context menu for easy access to 1-abc.net File Washer
- Supports batch processing — you can delete multiple files/folders at a time
- Automatically renames files and attributes of files before deleting
- Has quick one-click buttons for deleting recycle bin and Internet Explorer cache and cookies
- Easy to use
- Small download size, less than 500 KB
Cons
- It would be nice if it had the ability to delete the data of browsers other than Internet Explorer
- Doesn’t support drag + drop
- You can only schedule one automatic deletion task (aka one file list) at a time
- Because 1-abc.net File Washer doesn’t support the ability to boot from bootable CD/DVD/USB, you cannot use it to securely erase your main Windows drive/partition or the partition/drive you have 1-abc.net File Washer installed on
- Note: 1-abc.net File Washer doesn’t claim to be a secure drive/partition erasing program. Rather, it focuses on securely erasing files and folders and securely erasing drives is a complimentary feature. Still, though, if I’m going to pay $19.95 for a secure erasing program, I expect it to be able to erase both files/folders and drives/partitions — all drives/partitions.
- Developer claims “program can be installed on USB sticks, floppy disks or nearly all other re-writable media”, seemingly indicating that, oOnce installed, the program is portable. I tested this theory by installing/registering 1-abc.net File Washer on one computer and then copying over the program to another computer. I learned that indeed the program is portable after being installed, but it doesn’t appear to keep registration info inside it — when I copy + pasted the program from one computer to another, it did not carry over the registration info but rather asked me to register again. This tells me 1-abc.net File Washer probably stores registration info in the registry of each computer it is run on, which is a terrible way of being portable.
Final Verdict
In terms of features and
functionality, there isn’t too many things that are wrong with 1-abc.net File
Washer. It does what it claims to do. However, 1-abc.net File Washer also
doesn’t have any features that are out of the ordinary. And that is my biggest problem
with the program.
1-abc.net File Washer
costs $19.95 but it offers you basic features found in almost every secure
erasing program — freeware and shareware. So why spend $19.95 on 1-abc.net File
Washer when you can get the same functionality (and, in some cases, more
features) in freeware programs? I see no reason to. My recommendation is to
skip out on 1-abc.net File Washer if you need money to get it. But,
for giveaway, you can make your decision to have a trial or not!
Free Trial on Giveaway Version (Giveaway may end at any time)
Or
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