NetShred X – Mac: FAQ



General Questions

What are the System Requirements for running NetShred X?

Does NetShred X do the same thing as other apps that erase or clear cache | internet tracks | browsing data?

Maybe. Maybe not. There are important feature considerations to be aware of before deciding that two pieces of software are functionally equivalent.

  • The first and most important, is do you have an HD or SSD
  • The second, is whether the app shreds (erases) the internet tracks, like file shredder apps would, or clears (deletes) the internet tracks, like using the trash would.
  • The third important consideration is how many types of tracks the app clears. Not all apps erase all tracks. In fact, some of the earlier apps only erase browser cache.

Why do I need NetShred X if I have ShredIt X? Don’t they do the same thing?

No.

ShredIt X is an all-purpose file shredder that you can use to shred internet tracks by doing the following:

On HD

  • Locate all of your email trash, cache files and history files that are created when you go online
  • Drag and drop them all on ShredIt X.

On SSD

  • Locate all of your email trash, cache files and history files that are created when you go online
  • Drag and drop them to the trash and empty the trash
  • Shred the SSD freespace with ShredIt X.

As you can imagine, this would be a lot of work, since you’d have to manually clear the required files for each type of track you were concerned with (cache, history, favicons, etc), each time you quit from your browser.

Fortunately, this task can be automated using an internet tracker cleaner app, such as NetShred X. The idea behind an internet eraser is that it both locates and erases these browsing data files for you, saving you a lot of work.

On SSD, if you want to erase the tracks that NetShred X has cleared, you can run ShredIt X to erase the SSD freespace.

What are Internet Tracks and where can I get more information about them?

For further information, read the Internet Track FAQ.

How do I determine whether I need an internet clear app?

To assess your risk, take the Do YOU need an Internet Eraser Test. In less than 2 minutes, you’ll know whether you need internet track eraser app.

Is there a NetShred X tutorial?

Yes there is. To go to the NetShred X Tutorials, click here.


Registration and Installation

How do I install / uninstall NetShred X?

For complete instructions on how to install or uninstall,

When NetShred X runs, it displays the “Register” dialog. What do I do?

You are trying to run NetShred X without entering valid Registration Information/Serial Number.

  • If you have already entered your Registration Information/Serial Number and are getting this message, there is an error in the Registration Information you have entered. For further information, refer to the following question.
  • If you want to register the app, enter the Registration Information/Serial Number and click the “Register” Button. If you purchased online, the Registration Information is in the email we sent you. If you purchased a CD, the Registration Information is printed on the CD packaging. For further information about registering, refer to the Read Me that came with the app.
  • If you want to quit, click the “Quit” Button
  • If you are trying to run the demo, click the “Run Demo” Button. Registration Information is not required. For further information about running in demo mode, refer to the Read Me file.
  • If you want to purchase this app, and have not already, click “Buy Now”.

When I try to register NetShred X, it displays the “Invalid Registration Information” dialog. What’s wrong?

There is an error in the registration information you entered. Please follow these steps:

  1. Verify that you entered the correct License Type. If you purchased online, check that the License Type you entered matches the one in the email you received from us.
  2. Verify that you entered the correct Purchase’s ID/Email Address. If you purchased online, enter the Email address used when the software was purchased. If you purchased a CD, use the Purchaser’s ID that came with the CD
  3. Verify that you entered the Serial Number correctly. Check for the following common problems:- typing the letter O or I instead of the number 0 or 1
    – transposing 2 digits
    – adding extra spaces before or after the Purchaser’s ID or Serial Number
    – entering the registration information more than once (click in the field and scroll with the arrow keys to see this)
    – entering the registration information for the wrong software.
  4. If that didn’t solve the problem, delete your preferences file and configure NetShred X again. The preferences file’s location is: “$HOME/Library/Preferences/com.mireth.netshred.plist”
  5. If that didn’t solve the problem, send a copy of your preferences file to Tech Support so we can determine the nature of the problem. The preferences file’s location is: “$HOME/Library/Preferences/com.mireth.netshred.plist”

I can’t find a place to put the Registration Information. What’s wrong?

The Registration Dialog Box will be displayed when you start the app, only if it is not registered. If the Dialog Box is not displayed, your copy is already registered. This may happen if:

  • You are already a registered user and you have downloaded a free upgrade. Your old registration information is retained. You don’t need to re-register.
  • You used the “Buy Now” button when you purchased the app. The “Buy Now” button not only allows you to buy the app, it registers the app for you as well. Keep the Registration Information email, in case you ever have to re-install.

How do I know if I’ve successfully registered the app?

To verify whether the app is already registered, choose “Register” from the “Help” menu. If the app is not registered, the “Register” dialog will appear. If the app is registered, the “Already Registered” message will be displayed.


NetShred X Operation

How do I get NetShred X to run automatically when I quit my browser/email application?

For complete instructions,

What other run options does NetShred have?

NetShred X can be running in the following ways automatically or manually.

For complete instructions go to the applicable tutorial or refer to the NetShred X Read me that comes with NetShred X or download the NetShred X Read me (pdf) now

I’m using a browser that supports profiles. How do I get NetShred X to work for profiles?

To run NetShred X for a specific profile, do the following:

  • In the NetShred X Profiles Menu, tick the profile you want to shred for
  • Quit from your browser

You can configure NetShred X to work for any number of profiles at the same time. For further information, refer to the Read Me file included in the documentation folder.

How do I get NetShred X to clear different types of browsing data?

For complete instructions on how to clear each type of browsing data, go to the applicable tutorial or refer to the NetShred X Read me that comes with NetShred X or download the NetShred X Read me (pdf) now

How do I get NetShred X to clear cookies?

To clear cookies, do the following:

  • In the NetShred X preferences
    • In the Shred Tab, tick the “Cookies” option
  • Quit from your browser

This will clear all your cookies. Be sure that is what you want to do before enabling this feature. For further information, refer to the Read Me file included in the documentation folder.

How do I clear Safari top sites?

To clear Safari top sites, do the following:

  • In the NetShred X preferences
    • In the Shred Tab, un-tick the “Keep Safari Top Sites” option

To retain Safari top sites, do the following:

  • In the NetShred X preferences
    • In the Shred Tab, tick the “Keep Safari Top Sites” option

This will take effect the next time you run NetShred X. For further information, refer to the NetShred X Read me that comes with NetShred X or download the NetShred X Read me (pdf) now

NetShred X Features

How do I use the Confirmation feature?

You can configure NetShred X to require confirmation before erasing in the preferences.

For complete instructions on how to use the Confirmation features,

How do I enable standard compliant erasing?

If you have an HD, you can configure NetShred X to comply with DoD 5220 and NSA standard in the preferences. For step-by-step instructions,


Troubleshooting

How do I erase internet files I’ve already deleted on HD or cleared on SSD?

When you throw a file into the trash and then empty the trash, the file is not removed from the hard disk. The computer simply takes the file name out of its directory but the contents are still there until that part of free space is overwritten by some other data.

To erase it, you need to shred your free space. We recommend you use ShredIt X. On HD it erases files, folders, disk free space, hard drives and more and on SSD you can use it to erase the free space.

For step-by-step instructions on how to use ShredIt X to shred already deleted files,

What is Browser Watch™?

Browser Watch™ triggers NetShred to run by keeping track of whether any of the browsers or email software NetShred supports are being run. As soon as any supported application quits, it triggers NetShred to run.

What happens if I use File Recovery software?

On SSD

You will be able to recover some of the cleared data.  To erase cleared data, and prevent it from being recovered you need to use an App like ShredIt X to erase the free space on the SSD.   Once you erase the free space on the SSD it will behave just like an HD as described below.

On HD

If you are using a File Recovery App, and you shred files using ShredIt or NetShred, you will be able to recover the names of the files you have shredded, but not the contents. For an explanation of why, read on.

A File Recovery App will recover files that have been erased. It does this by keeping a separate directory of the files on your hard drive and keeping the current location of the last contents of the file. So, if you accidentally deleted your doctoral thesis, you could recover the file using a File Recovery App. But, if you had made changes to your thesis first, saved it and then deleted it, your File Recovery App could recover the file, but not recover it the way it once was, before you changed it.

Both NetShred and ShredIt work by overwriting the contents of each file with random data before deleting the file. So, even if you use a File Recovery App, it can’t recover data in the file the way it once was before NetShred or ShredIt overwrote the file with random data. It can, however, recover the file name since it stores this in it’s own directory file.

Since the function of a shredder app is to make files unrecoverable and the function of a file recovery app is to make files recoverable, you have to decide which is more important to you. We’d recommend the following:

  • If you don’t want to be able to recover the file name or file contents of any file you want to get rid of, use a file shredder app (ShredIt, NetShred) to dispose of it and don’t use a file recovery app on your machine.
  • If you want to be able to recover the contents of any file you have gotten rid of, use a file recovery app on your machine, but don’t use a file shredder app, since you won’t be able to recover the contents of any file you shred.
  • If you don’t want to be able to recover the contents of any file you have shredded, but do want to be able to recover the contents of any file you have deleted, use both a file recovery app and a file shredder app on your machine. (Just make sure you don’t shred a file you might want to recover.) This will be a good compromise provided that the ability to recover the file name does not compromise your security.

Your FAQ doesn’t answer my question / I need further help. What do I do?

Try our  Help Section.

If your question is not answered, please contact Product Support at support@mireth.com. Please include the following information:

  • Problem description
  • If the problem is specific to one of our products, please also include:
    • Software Name and Product Version
      To find the version number,
      Mac: single click the product icon and Get Info (File:Get Info)
      Windows: single click the product icon and show properties (File:Properties:Version tab)
    • What Operating System and version you are running.
      To find the version number,
      Windows: (Start Menu:My Computer:Help:About Windows)
      MacOS, OS X: (Apple Menu:About this Mac)
      Mac: OS 8, Mas OS 9: (Apple Menu:About this Computer)
    • Whether you are using the trial version or the registered version of the product

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