Evidence Eliminator Cleans Everything!

The other hard disk drive cleaners / internet history file erasers can't!

Evidence Eliminator is thorough, yet still very easy to use. You will only need to read this information once to help you configure your own custom requirements. Set up your options once, and then everything will run automatically for you.

Never need a re-install, and never have a faster running pc! The reason for this is quite simple: using Evidence Eliminator regularly!

Review for Evidence Eliminator

Welcome to the one and only, the original and best, total Hard Drive Eraser & Privacy Protection utility - Evidence Eliminator. The program itself is self-documenting and this Help file has additional instructions to enable you understand it completely.

Evidence Eliminator is an easy-to-use powerful and flexible data cleaning system for a single-user Microsoft Windows PC or Laptop. Daily use protects you from unwanted data becoming permanently hidden in your PC.

Evidence Eliminator is the most important program to stop yourself being persecuted unjustly for data you only downloaded by accident. 

To Protect Your Privacy! CLICK HERE NOW 

This help file is presented for serious users to learn exactly what Evidence Eliminator is capable of. It goes beyond the self-documenting "Options" window of the program. You will probably only need to read it once, and will be glad that you did. Evidence Eliminator is a very powerful tool in the right hands.

Before Evidence Eliminator, maintaining a clean Windows installation was hard work. Thousands of complicated tasks had to be done every day.

Evidence Eliminator does all the hard work for you. Configure the program with with this Help file, set your options properly, use the Safe Shutdown button and Evidence Eliminator will take care of you. One button, one program, total security. Like a good automobile, look after the program and it will look after you.

Evidence Eliminator uses an "Open" interface. Set it up exactly how you want it and customize its features for your individual PC. Configure your program options and a single button-click will begin a fully automatic data cleaning routine to thoroughly purge your PC of hidden computer data which could later be recovered with Forensic Software to be used as evidence against you.

Run Evidence Eliminator daily with maximum options.

The first time you run Evidence Eliminator you may be amazed how much evidence it analyzes and eliminates from your hard drive. Daily use will let the program run considerably faster eliminating only evidence accumulated since the last cleaning session. Keeping you safe, secure, and law-abiding.

Deleting files on-demand

With the new "Hot-Key Recycle" feature, press Delete, then CTRL-Delete to send files to the Recycle Bin and then eliminate its contents.

With Evidence Eliminator v3.1 and above, you have Windows explorer shell extensions. You may right-click on files, folders, My Computer, or the Recycle Bin, and select the "Evidence Eliminator" options from the menus. A blue "EE" icon will appear in the menu only when files or folders are selected.

Note: Securely deleting a single file completely destroys the file. It's better than pressing Delete, but still does not necessarily fully remove all traces of it from your computer. Traces of the file's data may remain in temp files and many other areas.

The only certain method is full cleansing of the system provided by the Safe Shutdown/Restart features. Any files remaining in the Windows Recycle Bin will be eliminated when you run your Safe Shutdown. Even if you empty the Recycle Bin, the file's data will move to Free Space where Evidence Eliminator will still destroy it along with everything else you don't want to keep.

Levels of security offered by this program

Normally when you press the "Delete" key the files disappear from your Windows but their physical data remains on your hard drive available to snoops, law-enforcement, police, and others.

This program "Eliminates Evidence". If you use this program even in its basic setting (a single overwrite of Zero's) the target data is practically destroyed. Forensic Analysis software like Encase a standard tool of the trade used by law-enforcement, and others, simply cannot recover the data. If scientists examine the hard drive surface with special microscopes, there are theories that over-written data fragments can be partially reconstructed. 

In practice this is extremely difficult and expensive, and time-consuming, and if any fragments of files were ever reconstructed their value as "Evidence", would surely be doubtful. Reconstructed data brought back from the dead after it had been overwritten with new data?? Even if it worked it would be extremely difficult for anyone to prove that you intended to keep the data. 

Having run Evidence Eliminator to completely destroy all traces of the data, you would obviously be completely innocent of intending to keep anything you might have accidentally downloaded and later deleted.

You can be confident that Evidence Eliminator does exactly what the name suggests.

There is no service available commercially that can successfully recover any data eliminated with this program. Evidence Eliminator secures your PC like no other program has ever done before.

Who wants Evidence Eliminator banned?

Evidence Eliminator is the World's First hard drive cleaning program that is publicly advertised as designed, tested and proven to defeat the exact same "Forensic Analysis" equipment as used by police and government agencies, private investigators, etc.

There are those who don't like Evidence Eliminator and want it banned to stop you using it. If you visit message boards, bulletin boards or public newsgroups, you may observe some odd behaviour from semi-anonymous "people" if our wonderful software is mentioned or discussed. 

Typical anti-Evidence Eliminator messages seem to be the ridiculous claims that our program is not legal, or it doesn't work, or the advertising isn't true, or it isn't good for your computer, etc, etc. All these ridiculous accusations are nonsense, because Evidence Eliminator is legal, it does work, the advertising is true, and it is very good for you and your computer. 

In an article recently published at the Vogon Forensics Website, the distribution of a leading UK National PC Magazine, with Evidence Eliminator on the front-cover, is described by Vogon as

"struck a blow for IT Security teams and law enforcement Officers".

There you have concrete confirmation from an official Police Forensic Investigator that Evidence Eliminator truly does work. Not that we ever needed it.

And if you bought any cheaper imitation software, be aware that:

"Internet Cleanup, Quickclean, Surfsecret and Window Washer........... " 
"This type of software will never delete all the traces that you want it to from hard drives."

Anything that Evidence Eliminator doesn't delete?

Evidence Eliminator cannot delete material it does not know about, such as log entries in new or unknown programs. It may be possible for an intruder to tell the time when you last cleaned your drives. Also when you install and then remove a program, it may leave traces in the system registry showing that it was installed at some time on that computer. Evidence Eliminator does not deal with this information because we could never keep track of every obscure program out there that does not clean up after itself properly. There are Registry Cleaning programs that handle this very well. If in doubt, reformat the drive and install a fresh copy of Windows. This refreshes the system registry and clears out all traces of old program installations.

Other ways your PC can be compromised

While Evidence Eliminator secures your hard disks, it does not protect against internet intruders, nor does it detect "trojan horse" programs or viruses. These external risks are out of the scope of Evidence Eliminator at this moment. You can get general information about antivirus software, and other security software on our Internet Security Mains page.

Backing up your Data

This program is very reliable. But please remember to back up important data on a regular basis.

To back up your configuration of Evidence Eliminator you may simply make a backup of the Data folder under C:\Program Files\Evidence Eliminator\ or wherever you installed the program to.

The Data folder is only created when you save your program options for the first time. Don't edit or modify any files in the Data folder.

Configuring your Swap File - Virtual Memory

The Windows SWAP file is a hard disk file used by Windows as extra memory in addition to the physical RAM memory installed. Correct cleaning of the Swap file is essential for security. It can store copies of any data you have used, even though you may not have "saved" it. By default, Windows varies the size of this SWAP file. To clean it thoroughly the Swap file must be set to a fixed size.

Swap file fixed to 150MB will normally be correct for the average user. If you find yourself running out of memory you can increase this size, but the Swap file will take longer to clean. Please follow these instructions to configure a 150MB fixed Swap file:

Make sure you have more than 200mb hard disk space free.
Right-click on My Computer, select Properties.
Select the Performance tab, and press Virtual Memory.
Tick the option button "Let me specify my own Virtual Memory Settings".
Enter 150 into both the Minimum, and the Maximum boxes.
Press OK. Windows will display a warning message. You can safely ignore it, so press "Yes" to continue.
Windows will ask you to reboot, but there is no hurry to do so.
When you next reboot you will have a fixed Swap file ready for Evidence Eliminator to work with.

Removing Windows Profiles

Disabling multiple Windows Profiles on your system is recommended. Profiles are complicated to keep clean because they use different storage locations for different users. If you receive a red "Windows profiles" warning from the Evidence Eliminator options window, then please follow these instructions to switch Profiles off:

Open the Windows Control Panel, go to Passwords, and select your User Profiles tab.
Click the button that says "All users of this computer use the same preferences and desktop settings".
Then go to Control Panel - Users and delete all user names.
From the Start Menu - "Log off" icon, log off from Windows and reboot the system.
Finally, open your C:\Windows folder and delete/erase the Profiles folder in it.

Special 10% Discount link to the Evidence Eliminator website CLICK HERE NOW 

The Evidence Eliminator Control Panel

Safe Shutdown

The most popular option for regular daily use. Safe Shutdown runs a full elimination process, then shuts the machine down to finish the job completely. On completion, your machine remains in DOS, thoroughly cleaned and ready to switch off.

Safe Restart

The same Safe Shutdown, but instead of leaving a DOS prompt on completion the system will reboot back into Windows, thoroughly cleaned and ready to go.

Both Safe Shutdown and Safe Restart provide the same maximum protection. 

Quick Mode

The Quick Mode button runs a quick cleanup of those parts of the PC that can be cleaned in a minute or two. A blue "Q" symbol with a red "X" in the top-right of the Options Window shows those items which are skipped in Quick Mode.

Quick Mode is good for quick clean-ups but  it does not completely clean your machine. Your browser can appear to be remembering URL's (because they have been deleted from disk but they are still in memory), and plenty of unseen forensic evidence will still remain on your drives. To run a full process of elimination you require one of the above two options: Safe Shutdown or Safe Restart.

Test Mode

The Test Mode button starts Evidence Eliminator to run in Windows only, and stop to allow you to view or save the log. Test Mode deletes files.

Test Mode is a useful mode for testing your options and viewing the results but it does not completely clean your machine. Your browser can appear to be remembering URL's (because they have been deleted from disk but they are still in memory), and plenty of unseen forensic evidence will still remain on your drives. To run a full process of elimination you require one of the above two options: Safe Shutdown or Safe Restart.

Options

The Options button displays the Options window where you configure your individual custom set-up.

Help

The Help button displays this help file in your default Internet Browser.

The Task Window

On the left, a list of data elimination tasks to complete. On the right, their status reports.

The Log Window

A full log is provided of what Evidence Eliminator has done on your system. You can clear it, save it, view it, hide it, or copy the log to the clipboard. Choose whether or not the log window is displayed on start-up, from the Options window. Leaving it showing is recommended so you can see the processing being done. You can also customize the log display font in the "Misc" tab of the Options window.

Log entries for file elimination follow a pattern of report symbols. A typical file elimination log record looks like this:

Eliminating: C:\Data\logo[1].gif <P1>[0][-][R]<NAME><ZERO><KILL><OK>

The symbols in the log mean:

<P1>   - Beginning elimination pass 1
[0]    - Destroying file data with Zeros (00000000)
[-]    - Destroying file data with Reverse of Zero (11111111)   [optional]
[R]    - Destroying file data with Random garbage   [optional]
<NAME> - Renaming the file
<ZERO> - Zero-sizing the file
<KILL> - Finally deleting the file
<OK>   - Finished OK. File successfully destroyed.

You may see some other symbols too:

<NOWIN> - File is inaccessible from Windows
<DOS> - File is being queued for DOS elimination
<QUEUED FOR REBOOT> - File will be destroyed on reboot

Stop Work

Pressing "Stop Work" will signal Evidence Eliminator to stop processing at the earliest safe opportunity. After you press this button, several seconds may pass before processing actually finishes. When the hard drive is being scanned for files the mouse pointer will change to an Hourglass (Wait pointer) and the program will be slightly unresponsive to the mouse. This effect is normal because the file scanning is normally done in cache memory after the first pass on the drive, and it is a highly processor-intensive activity. The faster your machine, the faster the program can scan your drives.

Clear Log

Clears the contents of the Log Window.

Copy Log

Copies the contents of the Evidence Eliminator activity log into the Windows Clipboard so you can paste it into another program.

Save Log

Saves the log to a file called EELog.txt. By default the file is saved on your Windows desktop. You can customize the location under Misc/Logging tab in the Options window.

View Log

Toggles the log window on and off. By default it is shown. You can alter this setting in the "Misc" tab of the Options window.

Closing the Main Window

When you click the "X" in the top-right of the main window, that window disappears. The program does not immediately close, it remains loaded as a blue EE icon in the System Tray on the right of your Windows Task Bar. Double-click the system tray icon to restore the main program window, or right-click on it and select "Exit" to fully terminate the program. This must be done before installing any upgrades to the program.

When Evidence Eliminator is processing, you can minimize it to the Taskbar, but you must press "Stop Work" before the window will be completely hidden or moved to the System Tray.

To Protect Your Privacy! CLICK HERE NOW 

The "Options" Window

In this window you configure your personal options

Three basic classes of cleansing operations are available: File, Folder and Registry operations. A legend is included at the lower left of the window indicating which is which. Some options go beyond the basic specification and target more involved specific known areas where evidence can be stored on your computer.

Make sure the settings are correct for your system

When setting and checking the options you are advised to open windows to your drives and make sure the paths and files specified are correct. By pressing the small square browse buttons next to files and folder locations, you can browse to the correct locations. Common sense says that if you select to eliminate Temporary Internet Files, then surf the Internet, you will see Evidence Eliminator processing for that section when you next run it. If it doesn't process then you will know your settings should be adjusted until you can see the files being correctly destroyed. 

Windows Tab

Windows SWAP File

Eliminates the Swap file. Under Windows the Swap file is locked. Instead your swap file will be queued for DOS mode. In other words you cannot eliminate your Swap file using "Test Mode". Although Test Mode will report "1 File queued" on the swap file it will not remove it. You must use "Safe Shutdown" or "Safe Restart" facilities to actually clean the data in the Swap file. In DOS mode, when you see a full screen full of dots, that's the Windows Swap File being totally eliminated.

Temporary Files

Evidence Eliminator scans and totally obliterates the Windows Temporary files. These can build up to a large volume quite quickly and contain all kinds of evidence. If any programs are running while you run Evidence Eliminator with this option it may interfere with them or cause errors by deleting files which other programs are still using. Therefore please remember to close all programs before running Evidence Eliminator. Further information about dealing with "locked" temporary files is listed under Hot Tips

User Profiles

This section warns you if User Profiles appear on your Windows system. User profiles can greatly complicate cleaning the machine. Instructions on how to switch them off completely are above in the "Quick Start" section.

Windows Registry Streams

Two options are available to clean "Streams". Streams are history kept by Windows about your Explorer window settings. If you need to eliminate memory of file and folder accesses from Windows explorer, it is recommended that you check these items. A side-effect is your Explorer windows will forget their appearance settings and revert to the default "Show As Web Page" settings. This is normal.

Windows Application Logs

Under Windows 98, logs are kept on how often you run your programs. This option enables secure destruction of those logs.

Common Dialog History List

Common Dialogs are the standard Windows file open/save boxes that most programs use to open and save files. Some versions of Windows maintain hidden history lists for these boxes. It is recommended you leave these options switched on.

Media Player History

If you view movies from the Internet then the Windows Media player remembers their names. This option eliminates that history.

Media Player v7 Media Library and Playlists

In Media Player v7 press the Media Library button. Playlists and other information are stored about files you have used. This option eliminates that history.

Clipboard

After you finish using programs or performing copy/paste operations in Windows, all kinds of data can be left behind in the system's memory. This data can be obtained by other programs and other users. This option eliminates the Clipboard memory contents.

Start Tab

The Start tab removes various history lists from your Windows Start Menu:

Run Program History

On your Start Menu, the "Run" option contains a drop-down list of programs that have been run.

Find Computer History

If you often search for other computers over a network, a history of searches is stored in a list. 

Find Files History

When you search your machine for files, Windows remembers and keeps a list of what you searched for.

Recent Documents List

On your Start Menu, the last 10 or 15 documents you read are stored in the Documents folder.

Start Menu Order History

When items are moved around your Start Menu, it makes a separate memory of their names and their positions. This option clears the whole history of the Start Menu items and resets them to alphabetical order. For "Recent Documents", this memory is automatically cleared by the above option to prevent recent documents menu order being stored.

Start Menu Click History

There is a hidden encrypted database in the system registry which remembers a wide range of information about what you have clicked on your start menu. The dates and times of mouse clicks are stored with the names of programs started. This option will clear this database and eliminate all the entries from it.

IE Tab

The IE tab contains configuration settings for Internet Explorer users.

TIP: If you are running Internet Explorer 4, please upgrade to v5. It's free from http://www.microsoft.com/ or http://www.cnet.com/internet/0-3773.html. Internet Explorer 5 is faster, better, and more reliable.

History and Cache Tab

Internet Explorer Typed URL's

In the Address Bar normally at the top of Internet Explorer, where you type the URLs to visit, you will see a drop-down arrow on the right. It stores a history of all the URL's you have typed into the Address bar.

Internet Explorer AutoComplete

This option clears the automatic drop-down list that can remember passwords, form data, URLs and other history of what you have typed into web forms.

Internet Explorer Download Folder memory

Internet Explorer remembers the location of the last file you saved from the Internet. This option clears the memory.

Internet Explorer URL Error Logs

This option clears an intermittent logging file which keeps records of page URLs you have tried to access that resulted in an error.

Internet Explorer Cache

This option eliminates pictures and documents that have been automatically saved onto your hard drive from the internet. The first time you run Evidence Eliminator you may be surprised how many hidden internet files it finds. Daily use of Evidence Eliminator will make the process much faster. An "Auto" button is provided to re-detect the location automatically.

Internet Explorer Cache (Local Settings)

An alternative location to check for cache files, as above. This is a secondary storage location used by some versions of Windows and Internet Explorer.

Internet Explorer Favourites (URL Bookmarks)

This option can clear your bookmarks automatically. The Sub Folders box gives you the option of eliminating folders too, in the favourites folder.

If the Sub Folders box is not checked, then only bookmarks in the main Favourites menu will be eliminated. This allows you to keep folders with permanent bookmarks, but always have the main Favourites menu cleared of anything you have not deliberately moved into a storage folder.

An "Auto" button is provided to re-detect the location automatically.

Internet Explorer Visited URL History

This option securely destroys a hidden URL list which Internet Explorer keeps of all the Web sites which you have visited. An "Auto" button is provided to re-detect the location automatically.

Cookies Tab

Internet Explorer Cookies

This option permanently destroys "Cookies" which have been stored by the browser. For a full definition of cookies, please read the browser help file. Cookies are basically data that Web sites leave in your browser to identify you on return visits. Over a few hours of surfing you will see that many cookies have been deposited in your browser.

If you visit certain sites which you trust, and you want to keep cookies from those sites only, use the Add button to add them to the Cookie Keep List. Evidence Eliminator will skip just those cookies, and eliminate the rest. An "Auto" button is provided to re-detect the location automatically.

The "Refresh" button loads all Internet Explorer cookies on the PC into the Current Data window. Once you have built up a list of cookies you wish to keep, use the "Only New" button to refresh the list of cookies with only those cookies which are new, i.e. you do not already have them on your Keep List. This features makes it much easier to manage new cookies while ignoring ones you have already chosen to keep.

Downloaded Components Tab

Internet Explorer Downloaded Program Files

Deletes downloaded Program files and components which have installed themselves into your browser from web sites. Sometimes these programs are harmless, but do you really know what they all do? Sometimes it's hard to tell, so we eliminate them all.

If you visit certain sites which you trust, and you want to keep components from those sites only, use the Add button to add them to the Keep List. Evidence Eliminator will skip just those components, and eliminate the rest.

Special 10% Discount link to the Evidence Eliminator website CLICK HERE NOW 

NSN Tab

Options for Netscape Navigator Users

If you are a user of Netscape Navigator versions 3 or 4, you can configure Evidence Eliminator to suit the browser installed. The default file and folder paths are taken from a standard installation of Netscape, but if you have Netscape in a custom or complex configuration you may need to change them (see below). All evidence of your Netscape browsing is securely eliminated.

The JavaScript section works on two files used by NSN 4. The files are prefs.js and liprefs.js. Hidden there is a memory of web sites that you have visited. Evidence Eliminator does not delete these files which are required by the browser. It only cleans the memory URL's out of them and leaves the rest of the data intact.

Note the Netscape cookie function works a little different from the Internet Explorer. In the IE section you select individual cookies to keep. But in the Netscape section, when you choose to keep one cookie for a domain, then all cookies from that domain will be kept.

Eg: Select to save 1 cookie at hotmail.com. Then all cookies at hotmail.com will be kept.

This function also removes the hidden memory of the last download directory used to save files from Netscape.

Mail Tab

This section allows you to securely destroy stored history of your e-mail activities under IE5 or Netscape 3/4.

Outlook Express v5

New for Evidence Eliminator v5 is full control over the database files stored by Outlook Express v5.

At the top of this option, the function can be switched on or off, and the storage folder is selected. This folder normally lives on a long and strange folder path which is now auto-detected when Evidence Eliminator starts for the first time. If you change your Outlook Express settings, an "Auto" button is provided to re-detect the location automatically. On fresh Windows installations, the "Auto" button will not work until you have set up an e-mail account in Outlook Express.

Two windows are provided listing database files. The upper window lists all database files currently kept by Outlook Express. Select an item in the upper list and press "Add" to add it to the lower window - the "Keep List".

When you run Evidence Eliminator, it will delete everything in Outlook Express except those items on the lower Keep List. 

The default settings may be restored with the "Restore Defaults" button. The defaults keep Inbox, Outbox, Drafts, Sent and Deleted items.

Most database file names will appear self-explanatory for the various mail folders and newsgroups which you use. 

"Pop2uidl.dbx" can be safely deleted.

"Folders.dbx" contains lists of newsgroups available on servers and may contain other information about which groups have been read. If in doubt delete it, but you will have to reload the groups list when you log on next time.

Your account information (passwords, internet mail and news server accounts, names, e-mail addresses that you use) are not affected by this function. They are stored in the system registry and changed from the Outlook Express "Tools - Accounts" menu.

It is advisable to run "Compact" from the File Menu of Outlook Express to remove traces of sent and deleted mails from the main database, before running Evidence Eliminator.

Netscape Mail 3.x and Messenger 4.x

Check the top two boxes according to the Netscape Mail versions installed on your computer. Ensure that the folder paths listed point to the Mail folder in your Netscape installation.

Netscape Mail "Hidden Evidence Files" - dangerous security hole.

The ".snm" files created by Netscape Communicator Mail v4.6 (and possibly other versions) are seriously insecure and can store and preserve megabytes of information from your hard drives which are nothing whatsoever related to E-Mail. These files are allegedly certified disposable by Netscape support and this does not interfere with the operation of Netscape. Evidence Eliminator will destroy them for you automatically.

Netscape Mail History

Enable this option to eliminate copies which Netscape keeps of your sent and deleted e-mail messages. It will not delete folders from the trash. If you delete any folders when configuring Netscape Mail, remove them manually from the trash. 

Netscape Mail Security Hole 2:

After you use Netscape Mail, select "Compact folders" from the menu. On our test version (4.73) this function often fails and leaves copies of sent e-mails hidden in the database. Our advice if you are concerned about e-mail security is to use Microsoft Outlook Express instead.

Custom Tab

Set up your custom files, folders and programs here.

Custom Files

Enter here individual files which you wish to be processed and deleted. MS-DOS names like c:\test12~1.txt should not be used. Always use the full Windows name, including any spaces. This section only deals with individual known files. It does not scan for files matching patterns.

Custom Files Contents

Enter here individual files which you wish to be processed without being deleted. The file will remain in the same place on the disk with contents securely deleted. MS-DOS names like c:\test12~1.txt should not be used. Always use the full Windows path and file name, including any spaces. This section only deals with individual known files. It does not scan for files matching patterns. Please note this function is not intended for the Windows SWAP file and may cause problems if any In-Use Windows-locked files are entered here. It is intended only for specialist applications like large Memory-Dump files which special programs need,  and users require to keep in the same place on the disk with the contents eliminated.

Custom Folders

All folders you list here will be securely deleted. Any files within them will be deleted, and any sub-folders inside, and their contents, will also be deleted.

The checkbox on the left of each name you entered for your Custom Folders allows you to choose whether the root folder will be deleted.

Without the checkbox selected the contents and sub-folders of your chosen folder are eliminated but the folder itself is not affected. If you check the box, the folder itself is eliminated too.

Please remember to terminate your folder names with the trailing slash \

Folder Scans

All folders you list here will be scanned with the specified file masks.

This function is identical to the Drive Scan except it allows you to target individual folders and file types. An example: To delete all .log files in c:\test\ you would enter c:\test\ in the folder section and enter *.log in the mask section.

For detailed instructions on how to create file masks please read the Drive Scan Tab section.

Please remember to terminate your folder names with the trailing slash \

Plug-Ins

All Evidence Eliminator Plug-Ins available are listed for popular applications. Check the boxes on the left to enable or disable each Plug-In and read their descriptions below. For complete information about Plug-Ins, read the main Plug-Ins Help Page

Mode Tab

Select your choice of secure file destruction methods. In Windows mode, you can if you wish set up file deletion similar to the U.S. Government Department of Defense DOD Standard 5220.22-M. This standard is quite old, and does not particularly guarantee anything, but it's there if you want it. In our opinion, for the average user these standards are total "overkill" - even in the lowest security setting, this program securely destroys data and the chance of recovery of evidence is practically zero.

Windows - Method Of Destruction

Zero - The file is over-written with zero's. (00000000)
Zero + Reverse - As above but then overwritten with 1's (11111111)
Zero + Reverse + Randomize - As above, but then overwritten with pseudo-random garbage

Windows - Repetitions of Destruction

The above process can be repeated up to nine times. If you enter Zero + Reverse with 2 repetitions, that multiplies to 4 overwrites (Zero, Reverse, Zero, Reverse) and the two passes will appear in the activity log as: <P1>[0][-]<P2>[0][-]

Windows - Extra Countermeasures

By scrambling the file's name and size before deleting it, you can add another layer of security against snoops. 

It is also possible to choose "Standard" insecure deletes if speed of deletion is the most important requirement.

DOS Mode - Select Repetitions

In DOS Mode, a different and simpler system is used. You can select up to 9 overwrites and those overwrites will alternate between Zero and Reverse at each pass.  Processing a swap file on maximum setting of 9 may take ten minutes or more, and leave no real advantage to most users than overwriting once. Securely overwriting just once will practically destroy data so that forensic software cannot recover any evidence from your drives.

To Protect Your Privacy! CLICK HERE NOW 

Misc Tab

This tab contains miscellaneous program options, starting with the Registry Tab.

Registry Tab

Windows Registry Backups

Enable this feature to scan and remove automatic registry backups. They take drive space, and can store plenty of evidence. Some earlier versions of Windows 95 also made another backup in c:\windows\system.da0 and c:\windows\user.da0 which may be included under "Custom Files" if required. This backup is refreshed as Windows boots.

Clean Registry

Enable this feature to automatically run Microsoft's RegClean utility.

This is essential for the next function (Compact Registry) and Highly Recommended for all users. RegClean by Microsoft is a freeware utility. Free Download from these links:

ZDNET http://downloads-zdnet.com.com/3000-2094-10007196.html 

Your download from these links is a file regcln41.exe

You can not use the downloaded file in Evidence Eliminator until you extract it.

The downloaded file is a WinZip self-extracting exe and it extracts to three files. Double-click regcln41.exe to extract the contents to a temporary folder. One file it produces is called: REGCLEAN.EXE The size is 818KB approximately. Run this file and make sure it runs the Microsoft RegClean utility properly.

Copy this extracted file to the same directory as Evidence Eliminator.

In the Evidence Eliminator Options window, click the small blue "Browse" button on the left of the path and choose this file.

Evidence Eliminator automatically runs RegClean to clean your registry of errors.

RegClean makes files called "UNDO......   .reg" in the folder where you install it. These files can be checked with Windows Notepad. Refer to RegClean documentation for information. They contain normally boring system information in case RegEdit damages the Registry.  

Defragment Registry

Backup information is provided for safety only. Our systems always worked properly with this function, but in case you need it:

When Evidence Eliminator or another program alters the system registry the deleted information can remain in the registry files.

The registry files are c:\windows\system.dat and c:\windows\user.dat You can search the registry files and read their information with the Windows utility c:\windows\regedit.exe Avoid making any changes to your registry unless you know exactly what you are doing.

This function of Evidence Eliminator will first backup your registry files, making copies to c:\system.dat and c:\user.dat. Then this function will clean your registry.

When your system has been rebooted and running correctly you can delete the backup files c:\system.dat and c:\user.dat

Special 10% Discount link to the Evidence Eliminator website CLICK HERE NOW 

Shutdown Tab

Shutdown Interception

This feature is designed for use with task schedulers. If you have a daily shutdown schedule that runs a scandisk, virus checker, etc, then shuts down your PC every day, this option allows you to use Evidence Eliminator as part of your automated process. The best procedure is not to load Evidence Eliminator at boot up, but to load it at the beginning of your scheduled shutdown procedure (to give the program ample time to load before you require it to begin work). At the end of your scheduled shutdown procedure when you shut down your PC, Evidence Eliminator will then take over the shutdown and perform a Safe Shutdown or Safe Restart instead.

New in v4.0.5 and higher, the "Intelligent" option makes Evidence Eliminator respond to the selection you have made off your start menu. Choose Start Menu-Shutdown  to bring up the "Shut Down Windows" dialog box. Choose Shutdown to begin a Safe Shutdown, or Restart to begin a Safe Restart. If you select any other shutdown option like MS-DOS mode or "Standby", those are NOT intercepted but they are allowed to proceed as normal.

Explorer Tab

Explorer (Context Menu commands)

When you right-click your mouse on the Recycle Bin, or on Files or Folders, you will see "Evidence Eliminator" options in the pop-up context menus.

Shell Extensions

In this section you can choose to activate or de-activate the context menu options. "Stealth" users will find this an advantage when using an Evidence Eliminator installation on machines which others may have access to. The changes you make are effective immediately.

The Drive Ops Tab

Various hard drive-specific cleaning functions in a centralized format, beginning with the Drive List Tab.

Drive List

This the central list of hard drives on the system.

Normally you should enter here the names of all your drives. E.g. C:\; D:\; etc.

Drive Scan Tab

Functions which scan for special file types which you wish to eliminate from your drives.

Enable File Scanning

The checkbox switches the scanning function on or off.

File Masks 

File masks are patterns which the drives will be scanned for. Wild-cards of * and ? are allowed.

? - in a pattern means any single character
* - in a pattern means any number of characters

If you enter *.* or *. or * a warning message is displayed. For if you ran this function with C:\ and *.* you would delete your entire hard drive!

All the listed file masks are scanned on all the listed drives, and then all matching files are eliminated. The standard configuration includes these types:

*.bak  - Backup files
*.gid  - Unnecessary Help files
*.chk  - Re-claimed disk clusters
*.old  - Backup files
*.tmp  - Temporary files
*.$*   - Temporary files
*.~*   - Temporary files
*.---  - Temporary files
~*.*   - Temporary files

This default provides a balanced set of protection for most people. In your individual system configuration you might discover other file types which programs leave behind that you would like to target. You may add other types. All masks listed are deleted from all the named drives or paths.

Suggestions to add your own file masks

Picture viewers may create Index files on your drives containing thumbnails. Paint Shop Pro's picture browse feature creates index files which can be eliminated with a mask of *.jbf for example. 

High-Performance Mode Tab

High-Performance Mode

New in Evidence Eliminator v3.0 we introduced cutting-edge drive cleaning technology. Two functions are available - high-speed cleaning of directory structures and high-speed cleaning of file cluster tips. You can safely check all options in this section and be amazed at the rapid rate with which Evidence Eliminator will thoroughly cleanse your drives. Cleaning rate is approximately 3,200 files per minute on a fast PC for cluster tips. A detailed explanation follows on each function:

Directory Structures

A diligent user reported this issue in v2.01 and it is now fully implemented in v3.0 and later.

When you delete files, Windows sometimes keeps their names buried in the directory structure of the hard drive. This function scans and analyzes all the folders on your drives, securely eliminating all traces of deleted file names, and also their times, dates, sizes and attributes, leaving not one single trace of evidence remaining. As a full low-level cleaning solution, it is activated by a single checkbox. There is no need to adjust this function in any way, it is fully automatic. 

File Structures

Files are stored on your disk in clusters. Clusters are fixed chunks of space provided by the Windows File System. If the cluster size is 4kb and your file is 6kb, then your file takes two clusters but only occupies half the second cluster. Files normally have free space at their tips, containing data left-over from previous insecurely deleted files.

Under FAT32 the cluster size varies from 512 bytes to 32kb. Under FAT16 the cluster size is a fixed 32kb. These hidden spaces are quite big enough to contain evidence of web pages you have viewed, pictures, sounds, anything. 

In Win95 FAT32 and all versions of Win98 the cluster size varies according to partitioning and drive size. On an average 6GB drive the cluster size will be 4kb or 4096 bytes.

FAT32 is a faster, more efficient and secure file system than the FAT16. If you have old windows 95 FAT16, upgrading is a good idea. We recommend the use of the latest Windows 98SE (Second Edition) with FAT32 drives.

Evidence Eliminator automatically scans all your drives, analyzes each individual file and securely overwrites the cluster tip space with multiple passes of garbage according to your settings under the Mode Tab. There is no commercial service available that can reverse this function - total elimination. A file size limitation of 2 Gigabyte applies for cleaning of cluster tips. Files above this size are skipped. Most ordinary users never have files anywhere near to that size. 2 Gigabyte is larger than 3 full CD-ROMs.

The existing data in your files is not altered by this function. Only the free unused space in the file clusters is cleaned.

Cleans Cluster Tips of locked files

From V3.0 onwards Evidence Eliminator will clean the cluster tips of all files, including system files and DLL's - even while Windows has the files "locked" - Evidence Eliminator will still clean them for you.

Secure Under-Writing of existing Files and Folders

New World-Beating technology in v4.5 is now available. The disk space beneath existing files and folders can be securely overwritten with multiple passes of garbage according to your settings under the Mode Tab to defeat hardware analysis of deleted files by electron microscopes. 

Future advancements for this function have already been designed too, and will be available in new versions of Evidence Eliminator as soon as we have manufactured and fully tested them for reliability and performance.

This function may take several hours to complete on a large drive. On ULTRA-DMA drives with a single Zero overwrite set in the Mode tab we have achieved test results of around 10GB of drive space cleaned per hour. The time taken increases proportional to the number of overwrites you select in the Mode Tab and the size of your drives.

Please read carefully the safety messages you receive on enabling this function. There is a slightly increased risk of loss of data, over the normal risk that exists if a PC is powered-off or crashed during disk writes, whatever software is in use. However, this function has performed perfectly in our test procedures. We recommend the normal sensible precautions when using a powerful disk cleaner like Evidence Eliminator including maintaining a good working Windows installation, booting freshly before use, keeping regular data backups, running Scan Disk, making sure other programs are not running, and a good power supply to the PC, preferably a UPS (Un-Interruptible Power Supply) if available for maximum resilience and system reliability.

A small red "Magnet" icon appears to the right of the lower Status Bar in the main program window when Under-Writing is in progress.

Scramble Attributes

Within each file and folder in your disk, a variety of date and time information is stored. You can see some (but not all) of this information by right-clicking on files or folders in Windows explorer and selecting "Properties". In addition to Date and Time of creation, modification and date of last access, each file also remembers a hidden counter of Centi-Second (one-hundredths of one second) accuracy, showing when the file was made.

This option enables Evidence Eliminator to completely scramble these records as it performs the "Securing Directory Structures" operation.

You can set up to 24 months into the past and up to 24 months into the future as the range for randomisation of the dates and times.

The default is up to 6 months in the past and up to 1 month into the future.

Randomising into the future a month or two provides "cover" even after you have finished running EE. Because any dates or times of any file accesses you make, are "smoke screened" by the randomised dates and times you have already created in the future. It's impossible to prove which files were dated because you used them, and which files were dated because of the randomisation process of Evidence Eliminator.

This provides effective cover against snoops analysing the date and time records of the files and programs in your PC.

A safety message about affected programs will appear when you enable this function. If you have any program on your disk which relies on file dates and times, obviously they would be affected. Such programs are rare. Most programs are not interested in file dates and times. If anybody finds any program which is affected by this function, please e-mail the name of the conflicting program to our Technical Support.

Prevent DLL error messages:

DLL files are system files. It is recommended if scrambling attributes, you should also mark the "DLL Version" checkbox in this section. This clears Windows database of the times and dates of its installed DLL files. Failure to do this may cause errors as the machine boots. The exact error message is: "System File Error. The following files have been replaced with older  versions by a program you recently ran. These files are currently in use and cannot be automatically repaired. Windows may not run correctly until you exit and restart Windows so that these files can be automatically repaired."

These annoying error messages are common on Windows 95/98 after daylight saving time changes. Often there is nothing wrong with the DLL's at all. Windows has simply become confused about their timestamps.

The only downside to clearing the DLL database is a badly-programmed installer may down-grade your system DLL files without Windows telling you about it. However, most modern software installers are intelligent and will only replace DLL files with newer versions.

If you use Evidence Eliminator's function to randomize the dates and times of files on your PC, we recommend you go into Scan Disk options and switch OFF the function that corrects file dates & times. Scan Disk will otherwise "repair" any dates set in the future and un-do the randomisation process to some extent.

Write Caching

If you use multi-pass deletion, please note the information on Write Caching under Miscellaneous Tips.

Special 10% Discount link to the Evidence Eliminator website CLICK HERE NOW 

Space Tab

Cleaning Free Space on your drives

An essential function to make sure you complete the job properly. Don't skimp on this section. It takes a little time. Your computer may spend 5-10 minutes on a full Safe Shutdown. Computer time is almost free, let Evidence Eliminator do the hard work for you to keep your system crystal-clear. Hit Safe Shutdown with full options selected every day you surf the Internet.

Enable Free Space Elimination

Free data in all unallocated areas on your drive is overwritten with multiple passes of garbage according to your settings under the Mode Tab. There is no commercial service available that can reverse this function - total elimination. 

Speeding up Evidence Eliminator with "Ballast Files"

The time it takes to clean your drives free space can be reduced by creating "Ballast Files" to occupy unnecessary free space. Please go to the Tips and Tricks Help Page for instructions.

Recycle Bin Tab

Recycle Bin

This option securely eliminates all files in the Recycle bin on all drives.

A single hidden system file "desktop.ini" will be skipped in the Recycle Bin in Test Mode. This tiny file has only a few bytes of system data in it and is required to maintain the integrity of your Windows installation. After a Safe Shutdown or Safe Restart it will be eliminated and Windows will re-create it on boot-up.

Hot-Key Recycle On Demand

With the new "Hot-Key Recycle" feature, press CTRL-Delete to eliminate the contents of the Recycle Bin.

Using the SHIFT key in Windows, you can send files direct to the recycle bin without confirmation. Hence, use SHIFT-Delete instead of the normal Delete for an instant recycle of your files/folders, before you engage Evidence Eliminator to finish the job.

Alternatively right-click your recycle bin and uncheck the "Delete Confirmation" option. Pressing Delete will now send files directly to the recycle bin. 

Uncheck the "Show an OK/Cancel Message" box in Evidence Eliminator, too, (under Options/Misc/Explorer) and you may now simply use the following keystrokes to securely eliminate all and any files/folders on your PC, instantly:

Delete
CTRL - Delete

With this configuration, you only have to press the Delete key twice (holding down CTRL on the second press) and your normal Windows Delete function is complemented with the Evidence Eliminator secure destruction process capable of withstanding determined attack by Forensic Software.

This same function is available by right-clicking on any files or folders and selecting "Evidence Eliminator Safe Delete" from the pop-up menu.

Chat logs

...and similar logs of your activities

If you use Chat programs, view under your Program Files directory at the programs and view any files they keep.

If logs are being kept simply add the full path of the log file to the "Custom Files" list in the Options window, and they will be subjected to the standard data destruction process automatically.

IRC Chat users may add their download folder to the list of "Custom Folders" to guard against any uninvited files put there by other users.

Your Evidence Eliminator Package

A Lifetime Of Protection

As a Licensed User you are entitled to use Evidence Eliminator on a permanent basis. This includes valuable free lifetime Technical Support and because you ordered as part of our amazing Special Lifetime Offer you are entitled to obtain and activate all future upgrades on this product for free! You do not have to pay again. Simply join our Mailing List on our Website to be notified of upgrades which you can download freely.

You may install multiple copies of the program as long as only the specified number of copies is in use at one time. I.E. On a Single-User license, you may install at work, at home and on laptop as long as only a Single copy of the software is in use at one time.

To install further copies of Evidence Eliminator simply download from our Website and use your existing Key Codes to activate the license on the new installation.