File and Directory – Scramble and Jettison

File and Directory – Scramble and Jettison is a straightforward software application developed to help you securely erase private files and folders, in order to prevent third-party users from recovering them using specialized tools (like Piriform's Recuva). It contains intuitive options for all types of users, even those less experienced.

Simple setup and interface

Installing this utility is a fast and easy job that shouldn't give you any issues. The only notable aspect is that .NET Framework must be installed beforehand.
As for the interface, it's packed in a simple window with a neatly structured layout, where you can seamlessly add files and folders to the task list and prepare them for removal.

Configure file deletion and UI settings

This task can be immediately carried out. Otherwise, you can tinker with some settings. For example, File and Directory – Scramble and Jettison can be asked to pause the job before deletion, exclude empty directories from the removable job, or integrate an entry into the Windows Explorer shell extension for quick access.
The default number of passes is 1, which is the lowest form of security against software recovery tools but also the quickest. However, you can increase it to any number of deletion steps until 100, while keeping in mind that this slows down the job.
As far as UI customization options are concerned, you can change the background theme, disable the confirmation job before erasing data, hide context tips, deactivate automatic checkups for software updates, and save the list of contents on program exit.

Evaluation and conclusion

We haven't come across any stability issues in our tests, thanks to the fact that the utility didn't freeze, crash or prompt error messages. It left a small footprint on system resources, as it needed low CPU and RAM to work properly.
All in all, File and Directory – Scramble and Jettison offers a fast and effective method for permanently erasing files and folders from your hard drive, and it can be easily handled by anyone. Plus, it's free for personal use.