DoDelete is a secure deletion utility for the Mac. It uses the Department of Defenses guidelines on the secure removal of data from a hard disk. They recommend that file be overwritten four times, first with the 0x00 character, then with 0xFF, 0x00, and 0xF6. So, before DoDelete deletes the file from you disk directory, it obliterates the data on the hard drive by using the said overwriting scheme.
***WARNING***WARNING***WARNING***WARNING***
Using DoDelete on your files will make changes in them that makes recovery very unlikely. Once the process has been started on a file, it cannot be stopped. Furthermore, DoDelete only scrubs your hard drive for the current location of your files. If your files have been moved on your hard drive somehow (like drive optimization), DoDelete can not scrub the file’s previous locations.
***WARNING***WARNING***WARNING***WARNING***
Though I use the DoD guidelines on hard drive data removal, I make not representation in any way that DoDelete has been approved by or even acknowledge by the Department of Defense. Use at your own risk.
***WARNING***WARNING***WARNING***WARNING***
How do I use DoDelete?
Just drag the files you wish to delete to DoDelete’s icon, and “drop.” DoDelete will then launch and start the deletion process. For large files this may be lengthy (you can speed it up by increasing DoDelete’s memory partition in the Finder). The dialog that appears during the deletion process has a progress bar to give you an idea of how much more work DoDelete has to do. Please note that though this dialog has a cancel button, it cannot cancel the deletion of the file DoDelete is currently working on. It only cancels the deletion of any further files.
DoDelete has only one preference: to be warned or not before the deletion process starts. This warning is on by default. To shut it off, launch the DoDelete application with no files. You’ll get a preference dialog from which you can adjust this setting.
Please be aware that if you drop an alias onto DoDelete, the original file that the alias points to will be deleted. There is no way around this; the alias resolving is done in the System software even before DoDelete gets a look at it.
Is DoDelete PHAT?
Yes. It also has both PowerPC and 680x0 code, making it run at optimal speeds on both platforms.
What is the cost of DoDelete?
DoDelete is shareware. If you find DoDelete useful, please pay the US$5 registration fee. You may pay the fee via Kagi Shareware with the enclosed Register program.
How can I contact the author of DoDelete?
You may contact me via e-mail at <mailto:kamprath@kagi.com> or by snail mail at:
Michael F. Kamprath
8635 Falmouth Ave #101
Playa del Rey, CA 90293-8200
USA
Does DoDelete have a warranty?
WARRANTY
USE OF THIS PRODUCT, DODELETE, IMPLIES THAT YOU WILL HOLD MICHAEL F. KAMPRATH HARMLESS TO ANY DAMAGES CAUSED BY THE PERFORMANCE OF THIS PRODUCT. YOU ALSO AGREE THAT MICHAEL F. KAMPRATH CAN NOT BE HELD LIABLE FOR ANY OTHER DAMAGES YOU MAY INCUR BY THE USE OF THIS PRODUCT. MICHAEL F. KAMPRATH PROVIDES NO WARRANTY, WHETHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, OF THIS PRODUCT, INCLUDING IT’S MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT.
