1.2 Wiping Confidential Data from Unoccupied Drive Space

You may have confidential data on your hard drive in spaces where data may have been stored temporarily.

You may also have deleted files by conveniently using the recycle bin and then emptying the recycle bin. While you are still using your local hard drive, there may be confidential information available in these unoccupied drive spaces.

Wiping the logical drive's deleted data does not delete existing files and folders. It processes all unoccupied drive space so that data recovery of previously deleted files becomes impossible. Installed applications and existing data are not touched by this process.

When you wipe unoccupied drive space, the process is run either from DOS or drive is being locked under Windows before wiping starts. As a result, the process does not depend on Windows system caching and deleted Windows system records can be wiped clean.

KillDisk wipes unused data residue from file slack space, unused sectors, unused space in MTF records or root records.

Wiping drive space can take a long time, so perform this operation at a time when you are prepared to wait. For example, it is a process that can be run overnight.

Open Contents

  1. Product Overview
    1. Erasing Confidential Data
      1. Advanced Data Recovery Systems
      2. International Standards in Data Removal
    2. Wiping Confidential Data from Unoccupied Drive Space
  2. System Requirements for DOS and Windows versions
    1. Personal Computer
    2. Drive Storage System
    3. Other Requirements
    4. Active@ KillDisk for Hard Drives Version
  3. Running Active@ KillDisk for DOS
    1. Preparing a DOS-Bootable USB / floppy
      1. System Formatting
      2. Copying Active@ KillDisk to a USB / floppy
      3. One-Step Method
    2. Preparing a Bootable CD
    3. Modes of Operation
      1. Interactive Mode
        1. Erase Data from a Device
        2. Wiping the Data
      2. DOS Command Line Mode
      3. Autoexecute Mode
    4. Erasing or Wiping Logical Drives (Partitions)
    5. Erase Operation Complete
  4. Running Active@ KillDisk for Windows
    1. Active@ Boot Disk Creator
    2. Modes of Operation
    3. Command Line Mode
    4. Erasing or Wiping Logical Drives (Partitions)
    5. Erase Data from a Logical Drive
    6. Wipe Data from a Logical Drive
  5. Common Questions
    1. How does the licensing work?
    2. How is the data erased?
    3. What is the difference between the Site and Enterprise license?
    4. Which operating systems are supported by Active@ KillDisk?
    5. Is Active@ KillDisk compatible with Macintosh computers?
    6. What to do if I cannot boot from a USB / floppy?
    7. Will I be able to use my Hard Disk Drive after Active@ KillDisk erase operation?
  6. Descriptions of Erase/Wipe Parameters
    1. Erase/Wipe Methods
      1. One Pass Zeros or One Pass Random
      2. User Defined
      3. US DoD 5220.22-M
      4. US DoD 5220.22-M (ECE)
      5. German VSITR
      6. Russian GOST p50739-95
      7. Canadian OPS-II
      8. HMG IS5 Baseline
      9. HMG IS5 Enhanced
      10. US Army AR380-19
      11. US Air Force 5020
      12. Navso P-5329-26 RL
      13. Navso P-5329-26 MFM
      14. NCSC-TG-025
      15. Bruce Schneier
      16. Gutmann
    2. Other Parameters
      1. Verification
      2. Retry Attempts
      3. Ignore Errors
      4. Clear Log File before Start
      5. Skip Confirmation
      6. Wipe out Deleted/Unused data
  7. Glossary of Terms
 

This document is available in PDF format, which requires Adobe® Acrobat® Reader (Free download):

USER'S GUIDE
(for DOS)

Size: 494 KB

USER'S GUIDE
(for Windows)

Size: 714 KB

KillDisk Datasheet
Size: 262 KB