Buzzzzzby

Error_Log_28_3_2007.txt My single hard disk is partitioned as in attached .jpg (Single picture = 1000 words etc) Recuva initially runs well, and fast scans on all partitions except C: On C: it fast scans to about 80% (sometimes less) and then hangs with CPU use at 100% (for all apps). If I cancel and repeat C: scan it runs much, much slower but gets to about same level and again hangs. If I then repeat scans on other partitions they take much, much longer as Recuva is using all spare CPU available but eventually they will complete and show recoverable results. Computer now remains stuck in high (100%) CPU use mode as my Task Manager shows, even though Recuva scanning is not in progress. In order to regain CPU I have to exit Recuva. Drives M: and N: are 2 PCMCIA Compact Flash cards.. Drive F: is accounts etc and kept encrypted with TrueCrypt unless I need to access it which is why it's not showing. Error log also attached. Too much info? (Edited) Just noticed that error log says Intel Pentium 1MHz - my system says 1.10GHz (Pentium III) Error_Log_28_3_2007.txt

You could use Eraser on "Erase Unused Space" for individual drives or partitions, which will overwrite any deleted files (you set the number and type of overwrites) and also will reset their file names to a long string of 0's. There is another free space eraser called SDelete from SysInternals which is run from the command line. Drop a copy of the downloaded Sdelete.exe into your Windows folder. Go to Start > Run > Type 'CMD' (this will bring up a black Command Line window) Type: Sdelete -p 1 -z C: and press Enter (Example: If you want 1 pass of Drive C:) The application will start to run. This sort of program is also useful if for example you want to sell or donate your old computer but still with a working Operating System (assuming you didn't want to give away your Windows CD). You would delete all your files, EMPTY THE RECYCLE BIN, and run a free space erase with however many passes you want. This should make any file recovery operation very hard to achieve, yet your Operating System still functions ok.

You could use Eraser and "Wipe free space" which will overwrite any deleted files on the disk. It's also good for securely deleting and securely moving sensitive files as well.

Ditto here. Unable to start it. Error text attached. ca40_appcompat.txt ca40_appcompat.txt

Hi Oliver, Actually I meant to respond to this post "Selling Computer" rather than this one about fully cleaning hard drives, but messed it up because it was a similar topic. By the way you can still get jv16 Power Tools version 1.3 (which is the free version I still use) from OldVersion.com At least I presume it's the same free version as I have though I had downloaded mine from the authors web page before he made it commercial.

Thanks for that info Andavari; I wasn't aware of it so tried it out and you're quite right, it is much better! That's exactly why I like visiting forums - you pick up all sorts of useful stuff

You could use SysInternals free program SDelete which will clean your disk free space (i.e. it will wipe all traces of previously deleted files. It is a command line utility which means you go to Start> Run> and type 'command' or 'cmd' (no quote marks) and press Enter. This will bring up the black/white command window. Just drag the extracted file 'SDelete.exe' onto the window and you should end up with a line something like this, depending on the location of your copy of SDelete:- C:\Documents and Settings\User Name>"F:\My Downloads\All Downloads\Compressed\sdelete\sdelete.exe" If, for example, you want to wipe the free space on your Drive E, with 3 passes, you would add (space)-p 3 -z E: so you end up with the line below:- C:\Documents and Settings\User Name>"F:\My Downloads\All Downloads\Compressed\sdelete\ sdelete.exe" -p 3 -z e: (don't forget the colon after the drive letter) Now press "enter" and it will start. It will take a while depending on how many passes you require it to make, but you'll end up with a nice sanitized disk with only the operating system on it (assuming you had already deleted everything except the operating system). If you enter no drive letter (by missing out the " -z etc" bit) then it will just wipe Drive C with your specified number of overwrites. SDelete works on Windows 95, 98, NT 4.0, Windows 2000, XP and Server 2003. Sorry to be long-winded about the above but better too much info than too little - and I don't know if you know about command lines!

I meant to reply to your question, but after coming back from composing it in Notepad I entered it into the wrong (though a similar) post here. (Post #6) . P.S. You'd better empty your recycle bin(s) before you wipe the free space, or you might leave recoverable data on the disk. .