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Shred, Version 2.0
Copyright (c) 2001 Ziff Davis Media, Inc.
Written by Gregory A. Wolking
First Published in PC Magazine, US Edition, November 27, 2001, v20n20
http://www.pcmag.com/utilities/
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PLATFORMS:
Windows 95/NT4 with WDU, Windows 98/ME/2000/XP

DESCRIPTION:
When you delete a file from your hard disk, it's not really deleted. It's just removed from sight. Only the reference to the file's data is deleted. The contents of the file remain on your hard disk unless and until they are overwritten by other data. As a result, those who know where and how to look for it still can retrieve sensitive information from a deleted file.

Shred 2 eliminates that problem by destroying a file's contents before removing the reference to it. When shredding a folder, you can specify whether the contents of subfolders are deleted and, if so, whether the subfolders should then be removed. Shred 2.0 also can "blank out" the free space on your disk, thus destroying any leftover fragments of files that were previously deleted. Shred 2 is a complete rewrite of our original DOS utility, published in the January 10, 1995 issue of PC Magazine.

REVISION HISTORY:
Enhancements in Version 2.0:
- long filename recognition
- the ability to shred files greater than 2 gigabytes
- the ability to shred more than 2 gigabytes of free disk space
- recognition of per user disk space quotas on systems that support this
- multi-pass capability, the ability to shred the Recycle Bin
- safeguards that prevent you from shredding crucial system directories
- graphical user interface

THANKS TO OUR BETA TESTERS:
Bob Abrahams
Herbert Bushong
Robert Eisenbach
Josh Fitzgerald
Ken Holt
Jason Taylor 

INSTALLATION:
To install the Shred 2, run the Setup.exe utility and follow the instructions. The ability to shred the Recycle Bin requires Version 4.71 or later of the system file SHELL32.DLL. On Win95 and NT4 systems, this is installed with Internet Explorer 4.0 or later. Later versions of Windows all have the correct DLL. To remove Shred from your system, use either Control Panel | Add/Remove Programs, or the Uninstall Shred command that Setup adds to your Start menu. For details on program operation, refer to the program's online help file.

FILE LIST:
setup.exe     - Shred installation program
readme.txt    - the file you are reading
license.txt   - PC Magazine Utilities license agreement
shred_src.zip - Shred source code (for programmers)

SUPPORT:
Help for PC Magazine's free utilities can be obtained in our online discussion area on the World Wide Web (http://discuss.pcmag.com/pcmag). You may find an answer to your question simply by reading the posted messages. The authors of current utilities generally visit this forum daily. If the author is not available and the forum sysops can't answer your question, the Utilities column editor, who also checks the forum each day, will contact the author for you.

LICENSE INFORMATION:
PC Magazine programs are copyrighted and cannot be distributed, whether modified or unmodified. Use is subject to the terms and conditions of the license agreement distributed with the programs.

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Gregory A. Wolking, the author of Shred 2, is the primary sysop in the PC Magazine Utilities Support forum (discuss.pcmag.com/pcmag). Sheryl Canter is the editor of the Utilities column, and a Contributing Editor of PC Magazine.

