Hangs on Windows 98 when erasing unused disk space

[profkalk]

When executing an on-demand unused disk space erasure on system disk using Eraser 5.6 my system hangs with the following Eraser dialog display:

Erasing: Unused disk space
Directory Entries...
Item: C: Pass: 0%
Total: 66%

At this point I can still move the mouse around the screen but everything else is hung. Pressing CTL/ALT/DEL tells that "The system is either busy or has become unstable." After this the hang is total. The problem repeats every time I try the command (tried it 3 times).

All Eraser parameters are in factory settings.

Any ideas?

- pk.

 

[garrett01]

Try these:

1. Run scandisk and check for corruption.
2. Shutdown any apps that are running.

Try again. If it still fails report back and Ill see what else we can try. 1+2 usually fixes 99.9% of these problems.

Garrett

 

[profkalk]

The guilty application seems to be F-Secure Anti-Virus 5.40. The hang occurs when I have the real-time virus protection enabled.

Is there a way to work around this problem? I am not allowed to turn virus protection off, and I had planned to perform a scheduled unused disk space erasure every night...

- pk.

 

[garrett01]

>Is there a way to work around this problem? I am not allowed to >turn virus protection off,
You could play around with the settings but I suspect that will not help either.

Could you not scan the entire disk with f-prot and then run eraser.
Finally switching back to normal usage of f-prot?

Garrett

 

[profkalk]

I was hoping (and still hope) to get the erase run automatically every night. It doesnt work if I have to manually switch the real-time virus protection off for every night (which Im not even allowed to do)...

BTW, there are no options to try or play with in the real-time virus protection; its simply an on/off switch.

- pk.

 

[garrett01]

I would suggest you create another partition where you store the f-prot software. say a programs only drive.

It might be that f-prot crashes as the HD fills up with all the random data eraser generates during its freespace wipe.

Garrett

 

[profkalk]

Actually we have several dozens of PCs where we could have used eraser but now it seems that we have to look after another product.

Repartitioning disks and reinstalling other products is not the way for us to proceed.

Any suggestions for other similar products?

- pk.

 

[Sami]

quote:Originally posted by admin
It might be that f-prot crashes as the HD fills up with all the random data eraser generates during its freespace wipe.
The program apparently hangs when clearing directory entries, so this doesnt sound plausible. Its more likely that the antivirus program has issues with Eraser locking the drive, in which case turning off directory entry erasing would solve the problem.

Personally, I have had only bad experience with antivirus software in the past. They seem to be very intrusive, tend to take over the machine, and cause more trouble than they prevent.

 

[dawillie_99]

i had the hang problem with Eraser 554.

to clarify, the scan took upwards of 5 hours to complete and this was unused disc space.

the scan was done, with all running programs closed using either the ctrl+alt+del method or Enditall2.

I found this a bit odd, because I know of another person who uses Eraser 554 and it takes 15 mins.

however with Eraser 56 it takes about 15 mins [].

david williams

 

[profkalk]

Are there any plans to work around this problem (e.g. add an option to skip directory entry clearing) or can anyone recommend another product to perform the free space wipe?

- pk.

 

[Sami]

quote:Originally posted by profkalk
Are there any plans to work around this problem (e.g. add an option to skip directory entry clearing)If I remember correctly, just deselect the "Directory Entries" option from the "Unused disk space" page of the "Erasing preferences" dialog, right under the text "What to erase". Im sure you can find more details from the help file, give it a try.

 

[profkalk]

Kiitos Sami,

And pardon my ignorance. I didnt notice that there already was an option to exclude directory entry cleaning. Now it works without problems even with the antivirus program.

This is a great product!

- pk.