Wiping Files and Cleaning Disk Free Space

When you delete a file from Windows Explorer or from command prompt, the file is deleted from the file system but the content of the file remains on the disk until the operating system overwrite it with new content.

When you wipe a file with the file wiping feature of the software, not only the file is deleted from the file system its content is overwritten with predefined patterns as well so that a disk utility won't be able to recover the content anymore.

Wiping files can safely erase your sensitive data from your disk. But some application creates temp files and deletes them when they are no longer used by the applications without your knowing it. Microsoft Word, for example, creates temp files when you edit your Word documents.

These deleted temp files leave trails behind you. It is possible for people to use a disk utility to recover the contents.

To erase what left on a disk you need to clean your disk as often as you can to make sure there is nothing left behind you.

There are many secure deletion algorithms available. We choose to use the DoD 5220.22-M algorithm since it is fast and yet quit secure. Here is a brief summary of the algorithm:

The DoD 5220.22-M algorithm: Overwrite all addressable locations with a character, and then its complement, and finally a random character and verify. This process may be repeated many times to ensure secure deletion of the content.

Wiping Files

To wipe files

1. From Windows Explorer select files and folders you want to wipe;
2. Right click the mouse button on the selected files and folders;
3. Select iSafeguard and then Wipe from the popup menu;
4. The confirmation dialog shows. Click Yes to wipe the files.

Note: you may choose to include files in directories you selected; and choose the number of passes which is the number of times the files are overwritten.

Cleaning Disk Free Space

Tip: It is a good idea to close all running applications to allow the Free Space Cleaner to clean as much disk space as possible.

To clean your disk free space

1. From Windows Explorer select a drive you want to clean;
2. Right click the mouse button on the selected drive;
3. Select iSafeguard and then Clean Free Space from the popup menu;
4. The Cleaning Free Space wizard shows. Click the Next button;
5. Select the disk drive you want to clean and then click Next;
6. Select the Clean it now option and then click Next;
7. Wait until the cleaning process is completed;
8. Click the Done button when completed.

Scheduling Free Space Cleaning

If you want to clean your disk free space regularly you may consider scheduling it when you are not working on your computer, at night, for example.

To schedule to clean your disk free space

1. From Windows Explorer select a drive you want to clean;
2. Right click the mouse button on the selected drive;
3. Select iSafeguard and then Clean Free Space from the popup menu;
4. The Cleaning Free Space wizard shows. Click the Next button;
5. Select the disk drive you want to clean and then click Next;
6. Select the Schedule the task option and then click Next;
7. Select One time only and check Close the application when done check box, and then click Next;
8. Select the time and date you want the task to begin, and then click Next;
9. Enter the login name and pass phrase under whom to run the task;
10. Click the Done button to complete the scheduling process.

Note: The login name and pass phrase must match your Windows's logon name and password. Otherwise the task scheduler will not be able to run your scheduled task.

Window NT only: The Windows task scheduler is pre installed on Windows 98/ME and Windows 2000/XP. However it may not have been installed on Window NT. If you can't schedule a free space cleaning task use the following steps to install the task scheduler.

1. Go to the Control Panel and select Add/Remove Programs
2. Select Microsoft Internet Explorer from the list
3. Select Add a component when a dialog prompt you for what to do
4. Select the Offline Browsing Pack
5. Restart your computer

After you finish the above steps you can try to schedule again.

If you are logged on to the computer at the time the scheduled task starts running the graphical user interface will show. Otherwise your scheduled task will run in the background without a graphical user interface, and the results will be logged in a file named iSafeguard.log under your "My Documents" folder.