Eraser Beginner needs help on installing

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I have just downloaded eraser and unzipped it. I simply want to use it in order to delete history files on my computer and to not record the internet sites that I am using on the URL line. :shock: Any assistance would be sincerely appreciated. Signed, Computers 101
 
To tell you the truth, that would have to be one of the most common things that people try and use Eraser for, and it is also one of Eraser's weakest sides. Because of the fact that the index.dat files are "locked" when Windows is running means that trying to use Eraser to "wipe" them is pointless. The only real way is to do it in DOS before Windows boots.

There are other recommended programs out there which can be used to clear such files. One is Spider, which can be found here: http://www.fsm.nl/ward/

After you have used Spider you'll then have to reboot into DOS and use eraserd to overwrite the freespace.

Personally to me this is all a lot of mucking around. I use a browser called NetCaptor, which amongst it's many functions has an in-built Gutmann-compliant eraser (you can specify how many wipes you want to do), which will wipe out the temp files, history, cookies, typed URLs and any other data that is retained when you browse websites and enter URL's, and it does this whilst in Windows, so you never have to boot to DOS (not that I can do that with Windows XP anyhow) again. I just set it to run when I exit the browser. Of course it'll cost you a couple of bucks to purchase a NetCaptor licence, but hey why be a cheapskate all your life? :wink:

Or even better still, buy yourself a licence for a copy of NoTrax and then you'll never have to worry about things being recorded on your PC. :D
 
Browsing privacy

Personally,for all sorts of other reasons,I would preder to use another browser,and in this context,Opera is the one that firstly comes to mind.It has the facility to delete all(and I mean all) private browsing data at the click(well two actually) of a mouse! Another option,is to use Mozilla,which has only 3/4 files(not "locked") which might compromise privacy-easily overwritten by Eraser,and a simple click can remove typed URLs from the address line. I find,using Mozilla mainly at the moment, Eraser brilliant for "housekeeping" duties in keeping my cache etc down in size,and if anything,unlikely naturally, crops up of a risque nature,it`s removed anyway! If paranoia really sets in,of course Eraser can do a thoro` free space wipe as well!
 
Thai all

I had tried to use ERASERL>EXEfile and launch the BATCH file while the windows loads by adding the link in the autoexec.bat file

I donot know if I made soem mistake or whta or if the index.bat file regenerates itrslef I foudnthat after reboting also.
any more ideas

I had checked the site of spider

I think that vulnerability whichspider uses to grab URL's is patched itseems in IE 6 na so Ithink it cannoe be much useful na sir, tell me.

thenany more ideas of implementing this Ithin kwe cando while the system is booting, allll these type of things but have to check if it again regenerates or what

Thanks
 
I donot know if I made soem mistake or whta or if the index.bat file regenerates itrslef I foudnthat after reboting also.

Well that's what happens, as Windows will regenerate the index.dat files because Internet Explorer uses them. That's why any overwriting (as in overwriting the free space once occupied by the index.dat files) has to be done in pure DOS mode.

I think that vulnerability whichspider uses to grab URL's is patched itseems in IE 6 na so Ithink it cannoe be much useful na sir, tell me.

The bug which Spider addresses is the one whereas older versions of IE prior to IE v5.5 "retained" URL information in the index.dat file even after clearing the cache using the conventional method (via Tools - Internet Options). Apparantly IE 5.5 and 6.0 doesn't retain this bug, so the cache can be cleared with the index.dat files being cleared as well, but clearing the cache is just like plain ordinary deleting files on your harddrive without "erasing" the data, so that data can be easily recovered (using recovery programs). Same for the URL's that were on the index.dat files. So that is why you can still use Spider to delete whatever index.dat files are on your PC, and then for further security a freespace overwrite whilst in DOS will ensure that they cannot be recovered.

Which is also why I refer to the process as a lot of "mucking around". :wink:
 
Hai

I think what I read about spider is different sir, because Ithink I read that it can just GRAB URLs, and not delete indx.dat files.
so only I didnot downlaod that as it was also writtenthere taht the bugis cleared
anyhow thanks for info

Regards
Raghu
 
securitywonks said:
Hai I think what I read about spider is different sir, because Ithink I read that it can just GRAB URLs, and not delete indx.dat files. so only I didnot downlaod that as it was also writtenthere taht the bugis cleared anyhow thanks for info Regards Raghu
Click to expand...

Oh it does delete the index.dat files, in fact that is one of Spider's primary functions. When you run it it will scan for and find all index.dat files which are stored on your PC, and then when it deletes them it will restart Windows. Trust me I know because I used to use Spider a while back. Nowadays with the built-in "erasing" capabilities of NetCaptor, I no longer really need to use Spider.
 
Actually whilst we're on the topic, and especially if you're not sure about whether you want to try Spider or not, then here's another (free) program which will delete index.dat files and clear all internet related data that is stored on your PC. System Security Suite can be found here:
http://www.igorshpak.net/

It does quite a bit more than plain old Spider does. :wink:
 
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