You are about to sell, donate or recycle an old computer, and you know that simply deleting files or formatting the drive leaves data that recovery tools can pull back. Active@ KillDisk from LSoft Technologies is built for exactly that job: it overwrites a drive so its contents cannot be recovered.
Quick facts
- Vendor: LSoft Technologies Inc.
- Platforms: Windows, Linux and macOS applications, plus bootable disks
- Editions: Freeware, Professional, and Ultimate / Pro Suite
- Freeware method: One Pass Zeros
- Licensing: no extra cost per erase
Key features
Erase a whole disk so recovery is not possible
KillDisk permanently erases hard disks, SSDs, memory cards and USB drives, including SCSI storage and RAID arrays. The paid editions support more than 20 international erase standards, including US DoD 5220.22-M.
Wipe only the free space
Besides Kill, which erases everything, there is Wipe, which cleans unused space and leaves your existing files alone. Use it when the computer stays in service.
Erase the system disk from a bootable disk
You can't erase the disk Windows is running from while Windows is running. KillDisk includes a boot disk creator for CD, DVD, Blu-ray and USB, so you can start the PC from it and sanitize the system disk.
Erase several disks at once, with proof
The current edition supports parallel erasing of multiple disks. It also has verification, PDF erase certificates, XML exports, email notifications and customizable reports. It can print disk label stickers, and it has an automatic mode for hot-swappable disks.
Secure Erase for SSDs
The Ultimate package adds low-level ATA Secure Erase for solid state disks, through the Linux app and the console.
Who it's for
It suits home users clearing a personal PC, using the freeware edition. It also suits IT teams and refurbishers who need many erasures with certificates, using the Professional or Ultimate editions. LSoft's licensing guide points personal users to a Personal License and larger sites to Corporate, Site or Enterprise licenses.
Pros and cons
Pros
- A free edition for personal use
- Runs under Windows, Linux and macOS, and from a bootable disk
- Certificates and reports for audit trails
- No per-erase fee
Cons
- The freeware edition only offers the single-pass zero-fill method
- SSD Secure Erase is in the Ultimate package, in the Linux app and console only
- Several editions and license types take some sorting out
FAQs
Can I erase the drive Windows is installed on?
Yes, if you start the PC from a KillDisk boot disk, which you can create on CD, DVD, Blu-ray or USB.
Is there a free version?
Yes. The Freeware edition includes Windows, Linux and macOS programs, a user guide and a console boot disk image (Windows and Linux only).
Does it follow DoD standards?
The paid editions include US DoD 5220.22-M among their international erase methods.
Do I pay for each erasure?
No. LSoft says licensing carries no extra cost per erase.
System requirements
The freeware console boot disk runs on any 32-bit or 64-bit PC that can boot from CD, DVD, Blu-ray or USB. It needs about 32 MB of storage on the CD or USB and 64 MB of RAM. The Windows application is documented for Windows 7 and later, and the Linux and macOS versions are separate downloads.