Eraser unable to delete files like cookies.txt

[painkiller2]

Hi,

For some reason I am having problems with erasing cookies.txt and history.dat from Firefox. When I use the on demand, it clearly has not deleted anything and trying it manually from within Windows Explorer reveals "the process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process."

This is with Firefox closed. I get the same error with other files sometimes and I know their application is not being used.

Any ideas how to solve this; it will delete other Firefox files like temp internet files, just not cookies and history. Deleting this files from Explorer normally works fine, so the problem is Eraser, not the files.

Thanks...

 

[phkhgh]

Many of those files are "protected" by Windows when OS is running, esp the index.dat, for instance.

If you have the option under Edit>Preferences>General >>"Enable resolving of file locking" checked, Eraser will (should) run the next time you reboot, before Windows locks those files again.

Then you can check to see if it actually erased them.
Or, you can try CCleaner - Crap Cleaner. It seems to erase those w/o rebooting. I'm assuming it takes steps to unlock the locked files first.

Like for the prefetch files that Eraser won't erase until reboot, Ccleaner seems to do it right away, cause the files are gone w/o rebooting. There are others that'll probably do the same, but they all have files they find and some they don't.

 

[Robbie]

Many of those files are "protected" by Windows when OS is running, esp the index.dat, for instance.

If you have the option under Edit>Preferences>General >>"Enable resolving of file locking" checked, Eraser will (should) run the next time you reboot, before Windows locks those files again.

Then you can check to see if it actually erased them.
Or, you can try CCleaner - Crap Cleaner. It seems to erase those w/o rebooting. I'm assuming it takes steps to unlock the locked files first.

Like for the prefetch files that Eraser won't erase until reboot, Ccleaner seems to do it right away, cause the files are gone w/o rebooting. There are others that'll probably do the same, but they all have files they find and some they don't.

CCleaner works by marking the files for deletion, as far as I am aware. I don't think the program literally deletes them there and then. The next time you restart the computer those files are deleted (but not securely wiped) and a new file is created.

 

[phkhgh]

...I am having problems with erasing cookies.txt and history.dat from Firefox. ...it ...has not deleted anything ... "the process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process."

This is with Firefox closed. I get the same error with other files sometimes...
Thanks...

PainK,
It will delete those files in Firefox for me w/o rebooting, IF FF is [truly] closed. Verify that no FF files are running in background - use Task Mgr, or similar.

You could try using CCleaner on just those files you mentioned & see. Make not of all items CCleaner checks by default for ref, and uncheck all but the FF files under the "Applications" tab in CC. Don't run the "Issues" cleaner (registry) until you know what you're doing, and also understand what the items listed (checked) in the "Windows" and "Applications" cleaning tabs are, before cleaning them.

Also, sometimes Eraser (5.82) gives reports that a file can't be erased (or erasing failed) if that file doesn't exist. I'm not sure these messages always give a precise explanation of the actual error (or if it's just lack of any action taken, i.e., "nothing to do"). If the files have already been deleted / don't exist, by using FF "Clear Private Data" or other means, Eraser may give an error message, when no error occurred.

In Preferences, enable a report after erasing files. It may give more detail of what's happening. Certain files like index.dat, etc., won't be erased until you reboot. That may not be the problem here.

If you can't resolve this quickly, consider completely uninstalling & reinstalling Eraser. Make sure U have the latest stable version, and a good download. Don't remember if the site has a MD5 for Eraser or not, but might check that if you d/l it again.

CCleaner works by marking the files for deletion, as far as I am aware. I don't think the program literally deletes them there and then. The next time you restart the computer those files are deleted (but not securely wiped) and a new file is created.

Can't say for 100% certainty, but it does go thru the motions of actually wiping the files (like index.dat) w/o rebooting. I believe I've looked after it did this (before a reboot), and the files were gone - at least Explorer didn't show them any longer. I'll double check.

And yes, CCleaner 1.37 has the option to securely erase under Options>Settings, for up to 7 passes. Don't know method used. Now have v1.39:
v1.39.502
- Rewritten secure deletion code, now over 2x faster.
- Performance improvements deleting Internet Cache.
- Fixed bug in Recycle Bin cleaning.
- Fixed overflow error with a large number of temp files.
- Added AntiVir PE Classic and Premium cleaning.
- Removed PerfectDisk 8.0 cleaning.
- Optimized file size for language DLLs.
- Added Bosnian translation.
- Added Macedonian translation.
- Updated several translations.
- Minor bug fixes.