[v6] Why do I have reduced Free Space After Using Eraser?

Re: [v6] Why do I have reduced Free Space After Using Eraser

dholley said:
Windows issues a notice of low disk space and eraser crashes before it completes the erasing / wiping of unused disk space.
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This has always been an issue with the free space erasing method used by Eraser. Windows is not altogether predictable in the way it responds to low disk space conditions. And, as you are using a version of Eraser that is no longer supported on an OS that is completely obsolete, it is unfortunately difficult to give specific help.

You certainly need to check that, when Eraser crashed, it did not leave erasing files on your drive, thereby reducing the available space. There is advice in these FAQ on how to do this for Eraser 6; I would expect that the procedure for Eraser 5 is similar. When you have done this, it would be worth running a disk check and de-fragmenting the drive before trying the free space erase again.

dholley said:
If eraser is writing to all the unused space how does making a ballast solve the problem of low disk space?
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It doesn't. Ballast files are used to reduce the amount of free space on the drive so that the time taken by the free space erase is reduced. That is a totally separate issue from your problem.

David
 
Re: [v6] Why do I have reduced Free Space After Using Eraser

I have been using Eraser since v5.xx on an ME machine in 2001 and in now am running it on a Windows XP with v6.07.1893. I guess I'm lucky but this is the first time the program got down to the last 1MB of free space then shut down leaving the random data files in place. My machine would hardly run anything but I did a file search for all files written on 19 Jun. Since eraser was the only program running since 12am it immediately started showing the files. I openned the containing folder and sent a few to recycle bin which I then erased to free up a little space to get computer funtionality back. I then openned eraser and changed the file erase default to "first/last 16KB erasure" then selected all remaining random data files and erased them using that method. It took about 3 minutes to get rid of 195GB+/- of the files.

Two questions: 1) I didn't shut down the AVG scheduler and it turned itself on sometime during the night during the erasure, is this the cause of the problem since I've never encountered it before? 2) I assumed since the random files already generated were for US DoD 7 pass security that the much faster first/last 16KB method of eliminating those files would not really breach security - is that assumption correct or should I reacomplish the entire erasure?

Thanks
 
Re: [v6] Why do I have reduced Free Space After Using Eraser

If you are using Eraser 6.0.7, you may have encountered a bug. Eraser 6.0.8 contains several bug fixes to prevent these unscheduled shutdowns, and I would advise you to upgrade. It might be a sensible precaution to uninstall 6.0.7 and delete the old Task List file before installing 6.0.8.2273.

You did the right thing to get rid of the erasing files left behind by the shutdown. But you don't need to erase (rather than just delete) them; doing this only serves to replace garbage with other garbage.

First/last 16KB will make the files unrecoverable. The problem with it is that what remains on the drive can easily be read (and searched in) by a disk sector editor. It is however a good method for doing file erasing before doing a free space erase.

David
 
Re: [v6] Why do I have reduced Free Space After Using Eraser

I really need detailed help with this. I removed a torrent with 3 huge bluray movies from the utorrent client into the recycle bin. instead of using empty recycle bin I deleted erase bin by using eraser.
somehow the task log process took a long time and would never complete, so i cancelled the task and even delete the task log from eraser window.

now I'm stuck with 30gb lost space and I don't know what to do. this is not even c: disk but a storage disk for files with nothing installed on it.

I don't know where to look for folders with random names and stuff. I used checkdisk, defrag and I even used erase free space with eraser but nothing seems to help. I'm still missing 30gb. No folders found on that disk either. is it somehow related to the system drive?
I really need help with this cause the task log is gone :/
 
Re: [v6] Why do I have reduced Free Space After Using Eraser

I solved the problem. Might share with everyone else having lost disk space problem.
Run CCleaner once and check in all options boxes except for advanced settings. hope it helps everyone else having that problem. Just run "Cleaner" process. doesn't require "Registry" ^^
 
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