Cleaning your Hard drive

[Dinalt]

Don't think anyone's started a thread on this yet, but sometimes it's useful to be able to permanently delete files. (Especially if you don't want your other half seeing what you've been up to).

Although you can just delete, or clear your Internet cache, files are still recoverable with the right software.

Sure Delete (Free)

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Will overwrite files with zeroes, making them very hard to recover.

Eraser (Free)

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Long running erasing utility, offers various levels of security when deleting files.

Crap Cleaner (Free)

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Not as secure as some, but automates Internet cache cleaning etc. Also looks for old/obsolete registry entries. (Just be careful what you delete though).

Clean Cache (Free)

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Not tried this one, but it's had good reviews (Check the homepage). Cleans out your Internet files.

Internet Sweeper (Free)

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Another Internet cache cleaner

 

[Ric0chet]

I use Sure Delete - Pretty good for freeing up space, that's my main reason for using it. It gives you another type of Recycle bin and you can drag items into this and do a 'government wipe'.

You can also wipe your 'deleted' files as Dinalt said. It doesn't just overwrite them but it really deletes them and saves space. I usually leave this running overnight as can take a while.

 

[parker]

I also use "Sure Delete." It does the job.

 

[Jizm]

Thank you!!

 

[foxycougar]

Yes, thank you very much!

 

[fredbear]

I downloaded sure delete and was ready to use it but it "scary"

how do you use it without wiping out everything in your computer?

 

[member5726]

Well i dont have anything to hide... but thanks anyways !

 

[fredbear]

i think most of us would agree is saving space is important.....how is sure delete any different then emptying recycle bin

 

[fredbear]

I guess what im asking is can sure delete or how can sure delete remove something I had before having sure delete.

I know there are bits left behind but how can I remove them without wiping out everything else?

 

[ÆGEAN]

cheers guys!

 

[Ric0chet]

i think most of us would agree is saving space is important.....how is sure delete any different then emptying recycle bin

When you delete using the recycle bin it doesn't really delete it and the right person can actually retreive it! Suredelete ONLY deletes what you have already deleted so there is no fear of it wiping out anything else. It replaces the file code with a series of 100001111100000 (something anyway!)

To delete you can drag items into the 'suredelete' recycle bin and wipe it from there. Also every month I run a fulll wipe of deleted items. Open up the folder and use the icon pictured, the rest is covered when you start the process.

 

[Durty_Dog]

Cheers for the links Dinalt :thumbsup:

This is a good link to delete spyware permenantly on your computor aswell.
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[Dinalt]

Cheers for the links Dinalt :thumbsup:

This is a good link to delete spyware permenantly on your computor aswell.
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:wave2: Cheers for the link Durty Dog - already use Spybot 1.2, so I've just downloaded 1.3. Top software at the best price (free). Cheers :thumbsup:

 

[Dinalt]

When you delete using the recycle bin it doesn't really delete it and the right person can actually retreive it! Suredelete ONLY deletes what you have already deleted so there is no fear of it wiping out anything else. It replaces the file code with a series of 100001111100000 (something anyway!)

To delete you can drag items into the 'suredelete' recycle bin and wipe it from there. Also every month I run a fulll wipe of deleted items. Open up the folder and use the icon pictured, the rest is covered when you start the process.

:thumbsup: Great answer Ric0chet!! The recycle bin just isn't secure, because it only deletes the file header - not the file.
The actual data's still there until it gets overwritten by something else.

If anyone's interested in reading further, here's a link to the Gutmann method of data erasing. But most if it's written very academically, so only click the link if you're really interested:

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:wave2:

 

[Dinalt]

:wave2: Forgot to put MRU Blaster in here - quite a useful bit of software. Checks your software for the Most Recently Used lists - you'll be surprised at what it finds.

Download it from Javacool:

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Also some good anti-spyware software as well. :thumbsup:

 

[Durty_Dog]

:thumbsup: Cheers Dinalt, it found alot of crap on my comp :crash:

 

[WankerCounty]

Great links in here.
One question, though:
What would anyone have on his computer that is worth deleting? I mean... does anyone fear the feds will steal his harddrive and check into personal emails? If so, the safest method would be to take a screwdriver, take the thing apart and use some magnesium to burn it
For everything else it should be sufficient to just format (or low-level format) the disc. Any OS can do the formating and an updated BIOS can deal with the low-level-thing :2 cents:

 

[Dinalt]

Great links in here.
One question, though:
What would anyone have on his computer that is worth deleting? I mean... does anyone fear the feds will steal his harddrive and check into personal emails? If so, the safest method would be to take a screwdriver, take the thing apart and use some magnesium to burn it
For everything else it should be sufficient to just format (or low-level format) the disc. Any OS can do the formating and an updated BIOS can deal with the low-level-thing :2 cents:

:rofl: Gotta agree with you, doubt if any of us have anything really worth deleting.

I only use these deleting tools to make the system run a bit sweeter. Things can get clogged up a bit with recently used lists etc. Crap Cleaner takes care of obsolete registry entries, and suredelete & eraser help stop the drive getting fragged.

Still, they're worth using if you sell your computer - even with a low level format, you can still retrieve data with the right software. Not too clever if you've ever entered your CC details, or been looking at porn. (Machine might be sold for a **** computer, and they tend to be clued up on data retrieval).

Can't remember the link, but a bunch of students did buy a load of reformatted computers (off e-bay), just to try and retrieve data. Think they got a job lot of 1500 machines, and managed to retrieve credit card details on 1200 of them. (Frightening really).
With so many people using on-line banking etc., would you trust a format after that ?
If people had only used Suredelete, or Eraser, and overwritten the data 7 times it would be all but irretrievable.

So always useful to have these bits of software to hand - just in case. :wave2:

 

[Dinalt]

:wave2: Had a few PM's about Suredelete, so just thought I'd clarify what it does:

It does:
Erase files on request, or erase your free space.

It won't:
Change your desktop, erase Internet Explorer settings or anything else. Only way it'll delete files is if you tell it to.

Another bit of foolproof software is Tweaknow Reg Cleaner - looks for old/obsolete registry entries.
CrapCleaner does the same job, but this works easier - and identifies what's safe to get rid of.
Try it out on this link (There's a paid and a free version):

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[tunsty]

I've been using a program called 'BC WIpe' for a few years now.
Can overwrite data or free space and the swap file.
Although I'm using an older free version, the newer ones have lots more features but aren't free.