Hi,
Sometimes you need to clean a second hand computer, typically when you want to keep installed softwares whilst erasing sensitive data from the previous user.
Which tools, excepted CCleaner, would you recommand to reasonably clean a computer, without falling into paranoia?
Especially, I want to delete or at least corrupt previously stored versions of Word, Excel, PDF, files as well as common picture formats.
So, I'm looking for tools based on old $MFTs, as well as file carving, and without risk to damage the files referenced by the current $MFT.
I'm perfectly aware of the limitations of this approach.
The purpose is to clean the computer reasonably well, so that the old files don't contaminate too much the result of a data recovery if it has to be done in a few years.
Thanks.
I use bleachbit sometimes. It is free, runs in Wintel and Linux, and with command line options.
Why not simply delete *.xls, *.doc, *.pdf (etc.) with sdelete?
http//
and then run sdelete on the free space.
Some filenames may (please read as "will") remain in the $MFT, but just the filenames, which should be a non-issue for non-paranoid people.
jaclaz
As no one has addressed old versions yet.
Right click on my computer, choose system protection and turn off protection for the volume you are wiping. This will delete the Shadows for that volume.
It may then be possible to get at the old versions using a forensic tool - I have had some limited success using a dev version of Reconnoitre - but this may fall into your paranoid catagory.