Wipe free space drives in V. 2.17.853

CCleaner for Windows CCleaner Windows Suggestions
1

Good Day to you all,

I noticed in this last version ( 2.17.853) in the options section/ proprieties ( "propri?t?s" in french...) a new window entitled:

"Wipe free space drives" which lists all drives.

Drive c:\ is earmarked automatically . Users can earmark the other drives

Could you explain what is this new function, what is it designed to do ?

Presumably it simply cleans these drives as CCleaner does it so WELL :) for C:\ ! Am I correct ?

Thanks for your reply

Skifferic

2

I would like to hear some comments please on the "Wipe Free Space" feature also! TIA Jim

3

When you "delete" a file it is only deleted from Windows, not the hard disk itself. Basically Windows is told to forget that the file exists and marks it's previous space as free.

This function wipes over anything and everything that might still be hanging around in the free space. This would be a good way of permanently removing files you don't want other eyes to see :)

-- Tom ;)

4

As far i can understand the new feature does overwrite (Wipe) the whole free space on the selected drive(s).

(need to be enabled in Advanced Cleaning options, Windows tab)

Do not confuse it with the secure file deletion, that does overwrite (with 1, 3, 7 or 35 passes)

the files deleted by CCleaner in the current session only.

:)

5
As far i can understand the new feature does overwrite (Wipe) the whole free space on the selected drive(s).

(need to be enabled in Advanced Cleaning options, Windows tab)

Do not confuse it with the secure file deletion, that does overwrite (with 1, 3, 7 or 35 passes)

the files deleted by CCleaner in the current session only.

:)

Ah I didn't know that. I actually set it to 3 passes cos I assumed that applied to the free space as well. Is that actually not the case?

-- Tom :)

6
Ah I didn't know that. I actually set it to 3 passes cos I assumed that applied to the free space as well. Is that actually not the case?

-- Tom :)

i c wot it dose now but i have a 40 gig hd of which 16.1gb is free but wot i need to know is how long it will take to wipe my free space

jon

7

Hello ,

Thanks to you all and specially to Whiteshark . It's much clearer now.

Evidently cleaning a large space might take some time depending also on CPU speed. I' ll try it soon and report my experience.

I find CCleaner a superb product: B)

8

Hello again,

I used Wipe Free just now, worked Super Well ! Here are the details:

I have an oldish Pentium 4 with CPU at 2.93 Ghz and a RAM of 1 Go.

Wipe free was used on a 10 Go partition ( which is NOT the C:\ partition where Windows et al, ruminate...) of which only 700 Mo were used: it contains all my personal files , mainly Open Office types, and supports constant trafic every day. Before Wiping I defragmented .

Results: Wipe free cleaned in 7 minutes ! :o

It DID NOTHING to my restore points in Windows B)

Anybody did it on a c;\ partition with Windows in it ?

Good day to you all

Skifferic

9

Please add a command line option to enable wipe free space

wiping free space is slow enough on big drives that I would prefer to run it from the task scheduler at night while not running it during normal times.

E.g. something like ccleaner /AUTO /WIPE

10

Brillient, i was not aware ccleaner finally added in this option.

Much better then having eraser run for a few days.