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Re: [v5, v6] Why does it take so long to overwrite free spac No, because, even if it could be done while Eraser was running (I haven't tried), that would free up space that would have to be overwritten all over again. Was the 15GB you mentioned the figure when Eraser was running? If it was...

The trouble is that, in the real world, nothing is ever quite that random. That is, I believe, why it is so easy to spot pseudorandom data in a file list or memory dump. Zeroes do at least beg the question: has this entry ever been used? Another approach is to use file names (user selected?)...

This really intrigued me. I was under the impression that .NET did all the memory management, and so leaks should not arise as a result of program code, because .NET would clean up all the garbage. I know that there are complex algorithms to determine what .NET regards as garbage, so I suppose...

Wipe Free Space and MFT - drive contents affected? The MFT is the file table on an NTFS formatted drive; on a FAT16 or FAT32 formatted drive the file table is just called the FAT. The point here is that as soon as you create a partition, format it and give it a drive letter so that Windows sees...

Oh, the joy of the simple solution ... :) David

With this new information, I withdraw my suggestions until Joel is clear on the implications of the 'used with Linux' issue. There isn't currently an option just to clear the MFT, but it is on the 'to do' list. I think that it's potentially quite useful, because it is quick and makes deleted...

I think the request is: does the file name have to be with random characters? For example, cannot an MFT entry be cleared with all zeroes (which is presumably its state before it is used)? IMO, erasing with zeroes is the best way to make finding what has been erased difficult. David

Is there an entry for Eraser in Control Panel|Programs and Features. If there is, does Eraser uninstall? David

Assuming that you are using version 6.o.x, try clearing the log for the task; there will be loads of messages about non-erasure of cluster tips, which will take up RAM when Eraser is running. Then do a disk check on the drive (Windows will schedule this to take place when you reboot). Then see...

Re: Erase Cluster Tips? A good description of cluster tips is here. The facility to erase cluster tips is useful, but I regard them as less of a threat than other aspects of the file system. David

You can erase any file (on a conventional hard drive), but you cannot really hide the fact that Eraser has been used. That said, why would you wish to? Unless you uninstall it after every use, the installation is there for anyone with access to your machine to see. David

The OP said that the drive apparently formatted correctly. David

I'd advise against using DBAN on any machine on which you wish to retain anything. Also, it may not work as it has not been updated or supported for a long time. If there really is a hardware of drive/partition issue, DBAN is unlikely to help. It is best to get to the root of why this drive...

Re: Fresh install of 6.0.10.2620 says a new version is avail If the first problem is fixed the second will probably be fixed too. In the meantime, check the downloads page for any updates. It will be at least a couple of months before there is any movement there, I guess. David

I suggest that you follow Joel's advice. Uninstall Eraser, then reinstall the current stable version, 6.0.10. If you still have problems, we van take it from there. David

This is presumably a non-system drive (i.e. not C:). Eraser works with the file system, and as it uses .NET (that is Microsoft) code to do so, it is reasonable to assume that you have file system or drive hardware issues, or indeed both. So the first thing is to check that the drive shows up...

Sadly, Eraser 6 was designed to do successive erasing tasks sequentially rather than in parallel. This is more efficient for the most common uses, but a real limitation for people with your requirement. Joel does have plans to enable parallel erasing on separate drives, but progress on the next...

On the Island on which I live, there is a dialect word - "somewhen". I think it exactly specifies the release date of 6.2 ... :)

File permissions issues in Windows can be a real bugbear. And, contrary to many people's understanding (and indeed the way things used to be in XP and earlier), even administrator permission will not allow you access to certain files. Let's try the simple things first. Did you stop the running...

I'm really sorry, but the whole idea of Eraser is that the information cannot be restored. David