FSHRED - File Shredding Utility =============================== FSHRED is a Windows-based file shredding utility that ensures that any files you delete using FSHRED are gone forever; they can not be resurrected using PC utilities. FSHRED ensures complete deletion of your files by (1) renaming the file to be deleted, (2) overwriting the file at least twice with nonsense characters, and (3) then deleting the file. The type of protection afforded by FSHRED is neccessary since DOS and Windows do not permanently delete files. This means that someone could resurrect your personal files from your hard drive or diskettes using any number of PC utilities like DOS' UNDELETE command or Windows '95 RESTORE option in the Recycle Bin as well as third-party products. FSHRED runs in Windows V3.1 or Windows '95. It does not run in Windows N/T, OS/2 or UNIX. FSHRED allows you to browse the directories on your hard drive or diskette and select one or more files for permanent deletion. The files to be deleted are placed into a special, scrollable window called the [File Deletion List]. You may remove any or all files from the [File Deletion List] prior to actually deleting anything. Once you have decided to delete the remianing files in the [File Deletion List], you will be asked one last time if you really want to permanently remove those files. Once you click , the files are deleted one-by-one. You can not retrieve the deleted files, so please be sure that you have selected the appropriate files for deletion. Licensing ========= FSHRED is supplied as shareware, meaning that you can try it before you buy it. FSHRED is not a FREE product. You may FSHRED free of charge for 30 days. If after that 30 day period you are still using FSHRED, please send $5.00 in US funds drawn on a US bank to: Office Automation Systems Co. PO Box 6486 Newport News, VA 23606 Please make checks payable to OASYS. Installation ============ Note: FSHRED ships with 2 files: FSHRED.EXE and FSHRED.DOC (this file). Windows V3.1 ============ 1. Ensure that you have a file called VBRUN300.DLL installed in C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM. If not, download a copy of VBRUN300.DLL from Compuserve, AOL, or www.microsoft.com. 2. Copy the executable, FSHRED.EXE to a directory of your choosing. We suggest C:\FSHRED. 3. In the Windows Program Manager, create a "Program Item" in a group of your choosing. For the program name, specify: FSHRED.EXE. For the directory location, specify: C:\FSHRED, if that is where you installed the executable file. Windows '95 =========== 1. Ensure that you have a file called VBRUN300.DLL installed in C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM. If not, download a copy of VBRUN300.DLL from Compuserve, AOL, or www.microsoft.com. 2. Copy the executable, FSHRED.EXE to a directory of your choosing. We suggest C:\FSHRED. 3. Create a shortcut to FSHRED using the Disk Explorer or the option (right mosue click) of the menu. For the program name, specify: C:\FSHRED\FSHRED.EXE, if you installed the executable in C:\FSHRED. Product Limitations =================== By design, FSHRED will not delete hidden files, system files or read-only files. Adding this capability is an easy matter, but due to the critical nature of FSHRED as file shredder, OASYS decided to preserve the integrity or hidden, system, and read-only files. You can increase the deletion power of FSHRED by increasing the number of overwrites it performs for each file, but by doing so, you also increase the amount of time it takes to delete a file. Please note that the number of overwrites (Security Level) is reset to the default each time you run FSHRED. History ======= Version Released Description ------- -------- ------------------------------------------------- V1.0 01/97 * New release. V1.10 01/97 * 10X better performance for large files. * Relinquish control to Windows more often. Warranty ======== This software is supplied as-is. Although we have strived to ensure that FSHRED will operate according to expectations, OASYS can not and will not be liable for any problems associated with the use of FSHRED. For example, if you delete files using FSHRED that you did not intend to delete, OASYS can not and will not be liable, nor will OASYS be able to recover the deleted files. Since FSHRED runs in a multi-tasking environment, it is possible (although it has never happenedd) that a virus or runaway program could corrupt the Windows operating system or FSHRED, causing FSHRED to delete more files than you had specified. FSHRED can not detect background utilities that autocopy any file whenever it is opened. For example, some government installations may have added value to Windows to automatically copy or record changes that a user makes to a file. Since FSHRED rewrites files, such background utilities would detect that the file has been opened. Due to the electronic nature of data, OASYS can not guarantee full deletion of your files in every case. For example, if the power to your PC goes off while FSHRED is running, it is likely that your file was not fully deleted. Furthermore, with sophisticated technology that may be in operation now, reconstruction of the electrons that form your file may be possible. However, this is unlikely, since FSHRED overwrites files at least two times, one character at a time. Files are closed between overwrite operations to ensure that changes are written to disk each time. Please note that the aforementioned limitations do not apply only to FSHRED but to most any file shredder that you may use.