Extract text from Eraser task lists (ERSX)
To convert ERSX task lists to another format, you need Eraser or other Settings software.
To convert other file formats to the "Application Task List" file type, you need software like Eraser or a similar tool.
An .ERSX file is a specialized task list used by Eraser, a popular open-source secure data wiping utility for Windows. These files store scheduled instructions, including the specific target directories to be wiped, the execution times, and the exact cryptographic overwriting algorithms (like Gutmann or DoD 5220.22-M) assigned to each task. Users typically generate these files when automating routine maintenance to securely erase sensitive information.
Because .ERSX is a strictly proprietary configuration format, its utility is limited entirely to the Eraser application. It cannot be opened natively on Mac or mobile devices, and standard office software might render it as a confusing block of code. The major disadvantage is that if you are performing a system audit or trying to review what is scheduled for deletion on a machine without Eraser installed, you are completely locked out of the information. Furthermore, traditional document converters fail entirely when attempting to process application-specific task files, leaving users stranded.
If you need to review the scheduled wiping tasks outside of the software, the best approach is to extract the underlying text. Recommended target formats include standard XML, JSON, or plain TXT. Converting to these formats will strip away the application-specific execution hooks, but it perfectly preserves the readable data, such as file paths and schedule times, for auditing.
Opening or converting an .ERSX file is notoriously difficult because only the original software possesses the engine required to interpret and execute its commands. However, you don't need to install unnecessary software just to see what the file contains. We will instantly identify the file format, inspect its internal structure, and show any readable text. If our analysis detects the embedded XML-like structure of modern Eraser tasks, viewing or conversion to an accessible format is almost always possible.
Convert.Guru analyzes your ERSX file, detects the exact format, and lets you read the text inside.
If you want to convert ERSX file to CSV, JSON, XML, YAML, YML, TOML, INI, CFG, CONF, DAT, DB or SQL, you can use Eraser or similar software from the "Secure Deletion Task Scheduling" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….
To convert DBF, XML, SQLITE, XLSX, SQL, TSV, ACCDB, YAML, MDB, CSV, ODS or JSON files to ERSX, try Eraser or another comparable tool in the "Secure Deletion Task Scheduling" category.
The history of Convert.Guru began over 25 years ago in California with Tom Simondi’s file-format database. A former contributor to Space Shuttle development and a software pioneer of the 1980s, Simondi established a trusted resource for file type analysis that was even referenced by Microsoft Windows XP. Today, we use modern technology to process and convert thousands of file formats while continually improving our ERSX converter.