Help! Need some advice on file name wiping
 

Hi all,

If I'm in the wrong group, my apologies.

I have been attempting to wipe some files from my hard drive. I'm
pretty sure that the files themselves are gone but not the file names.
In some of these files the name reveals some of the content of the
file.

I have run several wipe programs:

Eraser v5.7
Clean Disk Security v7.3
Wipe Disk v2.1
Object Wipe v1.2 (Trial Version)
BC Wipe v2.28

As I said, they appear to overide the file itself, but when I use a
simple program like Disk Investigator v1.31 I can search and find the
names of the files. Calling up their cluster clearly reveals the
names of the files.

In short, how do I get rid of the file names? I don't want to keep
running these long wipe programs if they don't clear all the data.

I'm running Winows XP Home Edition.

Any help GREATLY appreciated.

Thanks, Jake

Re: Help! Need some advice on file name wiping
 

jake <jake@earthlink.net> wrote in
news:t4te719k0rti9knjbqs7fnuppr8fqam3eu@4ax.com:

> Hi all,
>
> If I'm in the wrong group, my apologies.
>
> I have been attempting to wipe some files from my hard drive. I'm
> pretty sure that the files themselves are gone but not the file names.
> In some of these files the name reveals some of the content of the
> file.
>
> I have run several wipe programs:
>
> Eraser v5.7
> Clean Disk Security v7.3
> Wipe Disk v2.1
> Object Wipe v1.2 (Trial Version)
> BC Wipe v2.28
>
> As I said, they appear to overide the file itself, but when I use a
> simple program like Disk Investigator v1.31 I can search and find the
> names of the files. Calling up their cluster clearly reveals the
> names of the files.
>
> In short, how do I get rid of the file names? I don't want to keep
> running these long wipe programs if they don't clear all the data.
>
> I'm running Winows XP Home Edition.
>
> Any help GREATLY appreciated.
>
> Thanks, Jake
>
>
>

First of all it makes a great difference whether the file system is FAT
or NTFS. It's harder with NTFS (which uses a MFT) to scrub names of
erased files. I presume you're using NTFS.

However, I use BCwipe (version 3.06.04 - latest) and it has no problem
whatsoever erasing NTFS (and FAT) file names. Can't be recovered with
Encase, File Scavenger, etc. Others may work as well but I haven't
tried them in a very long while.

Regards,

Re: Help! Need some advice on file name wiping
 

On 03 May 2005 14:31:07 GMT, "nemo_outis" <abc@xyz.com> wrote:

>jake <jake@earthlink.net> wrote in
>news:t4te719k0rti9knjbqs7fnuppr8fqam3eu@4ax.com :
>
>> Hi all,
>>
>> If I'm in the wrong group, my apologies.
>>
>> I have been attempting to wipe some files from my hard drive. I'm
>> pretty sure that the files themselves are gone but not the file names.
>> In some of these files the name reveals some of the content of the
>> file.
>>
>> I have run several wipe programs:
>>
>> Eraser v5.7
>> Clean Disk Security v7.3
>> Wipe Disk v2.1
>> Object Wipe v1.2 (Trial Version)
>> BC Wipe v2.28
>>
>> As I said, they appear to overide the file itself, but when I use a
>> simple program like Disk Investigator v1.31 I can search and find the
>> names of the files. Calling up their cluster clearly reveals the
>> names of the files.
>>
>> In short, how do I get rid of the file names? I don't want to keep
>> running these long wipe programs if they don't clear all the data.
>>
>> I'm running Winows XP Home Edition.
>>
>> Any help GREATLY appreciated.
>>
>> Thanks, Jake
>>
>>
>>
>
>First of all it makes a great difference whether the file system is FAT
>or NTFS. It's harder with NTFS (which uses a MFT) to scrub names of
>erased files. I presume you're using NTFS.
>
>However, I use BCwipe (version 3.06.04 - latest) and it has no problem
>whatsoever erasing NTFS (and FAT) file names. Can't be recovered with
>Encase, File Scavenger, etc. Others may work as well but I haven't
>tried them in a very long while.
>
>Regards,
>
>
Thanks for the response. Yes, the files are NTFS

I've seen BC3 advertised that it removes the file names but didn't
have any first hand knowledge. A few others say they also remove them
but when I tried them and later looked at the clusters the file names
were still there.

Maybe I'll give them a try.

Jake

Re: Help! Need some advice on file name wiping
 

jake <jake@earthlink.net> wrote in news:as9g7116e5eu5cug1k0hobf41cc4mr593s@
4ax.com:

>>
> Thanks for the response. Yes, the files are NTFS
>
> I've seen BC3 advertised that it removes the file names but didn't
> have any first hand knowledge. A few others say they also remove them
> but when I tried them and later looked at the clusters the file names
> were still there.
>
> Maybe I'll give them a try.
>
> Jake
>


Cyberscrub (version 3.5) also totally blitzes MFT entries. There's a new
version 4 out (called Privacy Suite) but I haven't tried it. Arguably
Cyberscrub is slightly better than BCwipe since it erases dates and
attributes as well as the file names.

Regards,

Re: Help! Need some advice on file name wiping
 

Have you tried Window Washer?

johns

Re: Help! Need some advice on file name wiping
 

"johns" <johns123xxx@xxxmoscow.com> wrote in news:d59rq5$agv$1
@news.fsr.net:

> Have you tried Window Washer?
>
> johns


Window Washer does a good job of erasing the body of files but is useless
against MFT entries. WW's main claim to fame (as with similar products) is
its dtabase of *where* to erase.

Regards,

Re: Help! Need some advice on file name wiping
 

On 03 May 2005 14:31:07 GMT, "nemo_outis" <abc@xyz.com> wrote:

>jake <jake@earthlink.net> wrote in
>news:t4te719k0rti9knjbqs7fnuppr8fqam3eu@4ax.com :
>
>> Hi all,
>>
>> If I'm in the wrong group, my apologies.
>>
>> I have been attempting to wipe some files from my hard drive. I'm
>> pretty sure that the files themselves are gone but not the file names.
>> In some of these files the name reveals some of the content of the
>> file.
>>
>> I have run several wipe programs:
>>
>> Eraser v5.7
>> Clean Disk Security v7.3
>> Wipe Disk v2.1
>> Object Wipe v1.2 (Trial Version)
>> BC Wipe v2.28
>>
>> As I said, they appear to overide the file itself, but when I use a
>> simple program like Disk Investigator v1.31 I can search and find the
>> names of the files. Calling up their cluster clearly reveals the
>> names of the files.
>>
>> In short, how do I get rid of the file names? I don't want to keep
>> running these long wipe programs if they don't clear all the data.
>>
>> I'm running Winows XP Home Edition.
>>
>> Any help GREATLY appreciated.
>>
>> Thanks, Jake
>>
>>
>>
>
>First of all it makes a great difference whether the file system is FAT
>or NTFS. It's harder with NTFS (which uses a MFT) to scrub names of
>erased files. I presume you're using NTFS.
>
>However, I use BCwipe (version 3.06.04 - latest) and it has no problem
>whatsoever erasing NTFS (and FAT) file names. Can't be recovered with
>Encase, File Scavenger, etc. Others may work as well but I haven't
>tried them in a very long while.
>
>Regards,
>
>

Drat, I ran last yesterday through last night the trial version of BC
3.06.4 which according to their web site is a fully functional
version.

I used 7 wipes for all 4 categories ( it took 20 hours):

System Awap File
Files Slack
Free Space
MFT Records

I just scanned the files using a simple program like Disk Investigator
and the files appear to be wiped EXCEPT the file names.

In short, I'm back where I started.

I don't see any settings that I could have changed to do it any
different.

As I said, I'm running Windows XP with SP2 installed, and the files
are type NTFS.

Any suggestions welcome!

Jake

Re: Help! Need some advice on file name wiping
 

jake <jake@earthlink.net> wrote in news:ivjk71dm4dqllllvjlg88fmb4t7khg46jk@
4ax.com:

> On 03 May 2005 14:31:07 GMT, "nemo_outis" <abc@xyz.com> wrote:
>
>>jake <jake@earthlink.net> wrote in
>>news:t4te719k0rti9knjbqs7fnuppr8fqam3eu@4ax.co m:
>>
>>> Hi all,
>>>
>>> If I'm in the wrong group, my apologies.
>>>
>>> I have been attempting to wipe some files from my hard drive. I'm
>>> pretty sure that the files themselves are gone but not the file names.
>>> In some of these files the name reveals some of the content of the
>>> file.
>>>
>>> I have run several wipe programs:
>>>
>>> Eraser v5.7
>>> Clean Disk Security v7.3
>>> Wipe Disk v2.1
>>> Object Wipe v1.2 (Trial Version)
>>> BC Wipe v2.28
>>>
>>> As I said, they appear to overide the file itself, but when I use a
>>> simple program like Disk Investigator v1.31 I can search and find the
>>> names of the files. Calling up their cluster clearly reveals the
>>> names of the files.
>>>
>>> In short, how do I get rid of the file names? I don't want to keep
>>> running these long wipe programs if they don't clear all the data.
>>>
>>> I'm running Winows XP Home Edition.
>>>
>>> Any help GREATLY appreciated.
>>>
>>> Thanks, Jake
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>First of all it makes a great difference whether the file system is FAT
>>or NTFS. It's harder with NTFS (which uses a MFT) to scrub names of
>>erased files. I presume you're using NTFS.
>>
>>However, I use BCwipe (version 3.06.04 - latest) and it has no problem
>>whatsoever erasing NTFS (and FAT) file names. Can't be recovered with
>>Encase, File Scavenger, etc. Others may work as well but I haven't
>>tried them in a very long while.
>>
>>Regards,
>>
>>
>
> Drat, I ran last yesterday through last night the trial version of BC
> 3.06.4 which according to their web site is a fully functional
> version.
>
> I used 7 wipes for all 4 categories ( it took 20 hours):
>
> System Awap File
> Files Slack
> Free Space
> MFT Records
>
> I just scanned the files using a simple program like Disk Investigator
> and the files appear to be wiped EXCEPT the file names.
>
> In short, I'm back where I started.
>
> I don't see any settings that I could have changed to do it any
> different.
>
> As I said, I'm running Windows XP with SP2 installed, and the files
> are type NTFS.
>
> Any suggestions welcome!
>
> Jake
>



I don't know what the heck you're doing since BCWipe does remove file names
from the MFT. Incidentally, Disk Investigator does NOT show the names of
erased files on NTFS volumes in directory mode!

Regards,

Re: Help! Need some advice on file name wiping
 

On 04 May 2005 13:42:01 GMT, "nemo_outis" <abc@xyz.com> wrote:

>"johns" <johns123xxx@xxxmoscow.com> wrote in news:d59rq5$agv$1
>@news.fsr.net:
>
>> Have you tried Window Washer?
>>
>> johns
>
>
>Window Washer does a good job of erasing the body of files but is useless
>against MFT entries. WW's main claim to fame (as with similar products) is
>its dtabase of *where* to erase.
>
>Regards,


Beats me too. I'm not disagreeing with you that it doesn't, it just
did not do it for me.

When I look use Disk Investigator, using the disk view (not the
directory view) and do a search for a file I know has been deleted,
the search turns up the file name.

As an example, a file I deleted a long time ago comes up using the
search criteria of .mpg. This file is:

17. SC2(SamanthaFox-BadAudio).mpg(504,719)

When I go to sector 504,719 I can see the file name as shown in the
line above. If this were a binary group I would post the image of the
sector showing that information.

I am at a loss. I looked at Cyberscrub 3.5 and essentially they claim
the same abilities as BC Wipe.

Thanks for your reply. It is appreciated.

Jake

Re: Help! Need some advice on file name wiping
 

jake <jake@earthlink.net> wrote in
news:3juk71than0nik83t2ndvi0t47ih1ino8d@4ax.com:

>
>
> Beats me too. I'm not disagreeing with you that it doesn't, it just
> did not do it for me.
>
> When I look use Disk Investigator, using the disk view (not the
> directory view) and do a search for a file I know has been deleted,
> the search turns up the file name.
>
> As an example, a file I deleted a long time ago comes up using the
> search criteria of .mpg. This file is:
>
> 17. SC2(SamanthaFox-BadAudio).mpg(504,719)
>
> When I go to sector 504,719 I can see the file name as shown in the
> line above. If this were a binary group I would post the image of the
> sector showing that information.
>
> I am at a loss. I looked at Cyberscrub 3.5 and essentially they claim
> the same abilities as BC Wipe.
>
> Thanks for your reply. It is appreciated.
>
> Jake
>


I suggest you do a slightly more structured test. Create a file (say, in
some particular directory) and fill it with a known but unusual character
string (e.g., rumplestiltskin). Because of unique aspects of the MFT (it
stores small files - 1 cluster, typically 4K - in the MFT) I suggest you
also create a larger file (bigger than 4K) and repeatedly fill it with he
string. Note the file cluster(s) and the corresponding MFT clusters.

Then delete the files using BCWipe (or Cyberscrub or whatever) and *then*
see if you can recover either the contents or the name with Disk
Investigator (etc.).

Regards,