What do these things do, didn't see anything over at Piriform in the help section.
A cluster tip is the unused space in a cluster. If you have a file written on 7.1 clusters, there will be a 0.9 cluster tip with old or zero data.
As for Alternate Data Streams (forks), I don't quite understand them either, so we'll wait for a geek's simple explanation.
Is it safe to wipe those cluster tips?
It's been safe for me.
Do you gain anything by wiping the cluster tips?It's been safe for me.
Cluster tips could contain some sensitive information. And ADS can be used as well to do ""infiltrate"" one's computer system.
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/windows-alternate-data-streams/
Do you gain anything by wiping the cluster tips?
Cos my sensitive files are encrypted, I have little important data sitting in cluster tips, so prolly don't gain anything.
As for ADS, I'm concerned about security breaches averted to by Willy and summarized in his Bleeping link -- an inducement to wipe 'em.
Cos my sensitive files are encrypted, I have little important data sitting in cluster tips, so prolly don't gain anything.
As for ADS, I'm concerned about security breaches averted to by Willy and summarized in his Bleeping link -- an inducement to wipe 'em.
Yeah, but that same article said if you delete a ADS that's attached to a directory thats linked to a root of a hard drive, will cause serious trouble.
In order to delete ADS files that are attached to a directory, you need to delete the directory. This can cause a major problem if the ADS is attached to the root of a hard drive. Since you cannot delete the ADS in this way unless you reformat the drive, you can do this to get rid of the unwanted information in the ADS file.
So why were these features added to ccleaner, they dont sound that safe? Wipe Alternate Data Streams dont sound that bad if you could choose what to delete(Wipe). I used ADS Spy and it worked great. Got to choose what i wanted to get rid of.
Yeah, but that same article said if you delete a ADS that's attached to a directory thats linked to a root of a hard drive, will cause serious trouble.
I don't think your quote said that at all. It said that you can't delete an ADS attached to the root directory without formatting the drive. CC ADS deletion seemis quite safe - to me.
I don't think your quote said that at all. It said that you can't delete an ADS attached to the root directory without formatting the drive. CC ADS deletion seemis quite safe - to me.
Ok, gotcha. Thanks...
Does all this mean when wiping free space it is safe for my computer and more secure if I use these options?
No, because these options apply to secure file deletion, not wiping free space.
And please don't double post, it's really annoying.
Thanks for the reply.
Is it a safe and more secure option to use with secure file deletion?
Thanks Again
Is it a safe and more secure option to use with secure file deletion?
As for "safe" using any of the secure deletion modes including Drive Wiper/Wipe Free Space (in any software) will stress your hard disk(s).
What I've adopted is to only use the Normal file deletion mode, and then if need be only on very rare occasions so as to not stress my 10 years old hard disks run a Wipe Free Space with the Wipe MFT Free Space box ticked. However I have a disk image of my OS drive C:\, because you never know if using a Wipe Free Space will result into disk failure.
No, because these options apply to secure file deletion, not wiping free space.
And please don't double post, it's really annoying.
If you are referring to the 2 posts here, I believe one was asking about free space cleaning and the other to file deletion.
If I posted somewhere else I apologize.......I am NOT trying to “annoy” you.
I don’t use forums often and maybe made a mistake.
I did have another question but will get the answer elsewhere.
LTK, if you look at the post sequence I couldn't have been referring to the two posts here. I was referring to your similar (now deleted) post about wiping ADS and Cluster Tips with Wipe Free Space in the thread titled 'Drive Wiper'.
You had a fairly fast and accurate answer here, those options are not applicable with WFS. If you have any other questions, just fire away.
. . . As for Alternate Data Streams (forks), I don't quite understand them either, so we'll wait for a geek's simple explanation.