File Names & Wipe Free Space

[johninda]

Hi. Can anybody help me with this?

 

I used WFS to wipe all old, deleted files from a USB stick. I than ran Recuva on the same USB stick to see if anything remained.

 

Nothing was recoverable but Recuva came up with a list of the files names that had once been on the USB stick. This is not very convenient as I would like there to be no indication of what used to be on the USB stick.

 

Is there any way to 'wipe' these file names off the USB stick?

 

Using Windows 7 and the trial version of Ccleaner Pro

Thanks,

John

[johninda]

Hi. This is just to let you know that I haven't asked the question without trying many different ways and reading similar questions on this forum.

 

However, all I've been able to find out is that if I do Tools - Drive Wiper - Wipe Entire Drive then the file names are completely removed (Recuva shows no results).  But if I choose Wipe Free Space Only then the file names are still visible (in Recuva).  Obviously, I don't want to be wiping the entire drive very often!

 

This seems to be such a basic thing (ie, the desire to completely remove the names of files that have been deleted) that I'm sure I'm missing something. I'd be grateful if someone could help me out.

 

Thanks

[Augeas]

That's because you're barking up two different trees. In the thread you posted to a few hours ago (http://forum.piriform.com/index.php?showtopic=45735&hl=) the OP was wrestling with a 1tb drive, which undoubtedly has NTFS as it's file system. NTFS uses an MFT. Your flash drive most likely has some form of FAT as a file system. FAT does not have an MFT, instead it holds all file information in its directories. As directories may hold info for both live and deleted files, they are not included in a wipe free space operation.

 

You could dump your live files at directory level to your hard disk, reformat the flash drive, and load the files back again.

[johninda]

Hello Augeas & thanks for the reply and explanation.

 

To be honest, I also have a 1TB drive that I want to wipe. I've been using the much smaller USB as a test so that I can try to understand what is happening.

 

Following you explanation I understand that if the file system is FAT then the file names will remain but if it is NTFS and I do a Wipe Free Space (incl MFT wipe) then the file names will disappear.

 

Sorry to bother you with questions, but when you say 'dump your live files at directory level' do you mean simply cut&paste from the USB to my hard disk and then cut&paste back after the flash drive has been reformatted? Or does 'directory level' has a more specific meaning?

 

Thanks for your help,

John

[Augeas]

Just copy the files directory by directory, instead of individually - I'm sure you would have done that anyway. Paragraph three is yes, as I understand it. Actually all this is a mixture of guesswork and experience.

[johninda]

Thanks again for the reply.

 

I understand what's going on now.

 

Best regards,

John

[Nergal]

 

but when you say 'dump your live files at directory level' do you mean simply cut&paste from the USB to my hard disk and then cut&paste back after the flash drive has been reformatted?  Thanks for your help,John

That is correct