Most people assume that emptying the Recycle Bin will permanently get rid of any files, but that’s far from the truth. Though we won’t indulge you in technical jargon about how data is stored on the drive or what those bits and bytes are, it’s still useful to have the knowledge that deleted files can still be recovered using several recovery tools. This is because Windows doesn’t remove the actual files but rather only the information about where the data is kept, simply marking it as deleted rather than wiping all its bits and bytes. That’s where file shredders come to the rescue. These tools allow you to overwrite the data for deleted files with random data using several methods, or simply convert them into blank sectors. If you’ve been looking for Windows 8 or RT app for the purpose, try Shredder8 – a Modern UI app that permanently deletes files to ensure they can’t be recovered.
The app supports a wide array of powerful shredding algorithms including the U.S. DoD 5220.22-M, British HMG IS5 (Enhanced), Russian GOST P50739-95, German VSITR as well as Quick (1 pass) for fast removal. In short, it offers the most effective methods of shredding Windows files for good. It also supports most types of storage devices including but not limited to hard disk drives, SSDs, USB thumb drives and more. To shred the files, launch the app and hit Add Files or Add Directory to add individual files or a complete directory of them respectively.
You can browse the destination files using Windows Modern UI File Explorer. Once ready, click Choose File/Folder followed by OK to add the selected item to the list. One major caveat I noticed while using the app is that it doesn’t allow you to add multiple folders in one go, which can waste a lot of time in separately selecting the required directories.
Once done with adding your files/folders, open the Method drop down menu to choose your desired shredding algorithm. It should be mentioned here that the more staunch algorithm you select for shredding, the more time it will take to shred the data. For instance, German VSITR requires seven passes to completely delete files, thus taking considerably more time than the Russian GOST P50739-95, which requires two passes.
After selecting your preferred shredding method, press the red ‘Shred’ button. The application will prompt you to confirm the shredding action, so simply tap or click OK.
All in all, it’s a nifty little app that works well for permanent deletion of data from your PC or tablet. The app works on Windows 8 and Windows RT.
