Overwriting JUST the "blank" space (email, flash, Office)

[Mike from back east]

Group, looking for advice before I divest myself of an old PC, a 2001 Dell.

Preparations so far:
- Deleted programs (like Turbo Tax) that did NOT come with the PC.
- Deleted emails, word docs, spread sheets, pix, music, etc, and other files and folders of content.
- Kept MS Windows XP, MS Office apps, McAfee misc programs that came with the PC.

Problem area:
- All those programs and files I deleted could be recovered by use of simple forensic tools, like Helix. Not good. Can't have that.
- Prefer to NOT wipe the drive totally, i.e., prefer to NOT wipe the basics of MS Windows XP, MS Office, McAfee, etc.
- Prefer to ONLY overwrite (7 times) the "blank" space where all those deleted programs and files used to be.

Misc:
- I've about products like "DBAN" but it wipes EVERYTHING, or that's how I understand it works.

Question:
- Is there a utility out there that will overwrite the "blank" space on my drive, leaving intact the Windows XP, Office, McAfee, etc. I'd like to avoid having to reload the entire set of MS and other products.

THANKS!

[f_m]

You could probably get by by doing a defragmentation on the drive. This will move all the existing files into a more efficient layout on the drive. It physically will move files around, and in the process that runs over other sections on the drive. Just right click on the drive icon and go to TOOLS and choose defragment. Now this probably would work best on a drive that has been used a lot and with only moderate amounts of free space.

I think there may be other options too, such as items listed below.
http://www.freedownloadscenter.com/Best/wipe-free-space.html (broken link)

Also beware, Flash stores data too, check this link and then clear it:
http://www.macromedia.com/support/do...manager06.html

[thecoalman]

bcwipe wipes free space. Be sure to use the "wipe files slack" option.

[Nomander]

Originally Posted by Mike from back east

Group, looking for advice before I divest myself of an old PC, a 2001 Dell.

Preparations so far:
- Deleted programs (like Turbo Tax) that did NOT come with the PC.
- Deleted emails, word docs, spread sheets, pix, music, etc, and other files and folders of content.
- Kept MS Windows XP, MS Office apps, McAfee misc programs that came with the PC.

Problem area:
- All those programs and files I deleted could be recovered by use of simple forensic tools, like Helix. Not good. Can't have that.
- Prefer to NOT wipe the drive totally, i.e., prefer to NOT wipe the basics of MS Windows XP, MS Office, McAfee, etc.
- Prefer to ONLY overwrite (7 times) the "blank" space where all those deleted programs and files used to be.

Misc:
- I've about products like "DBAN" but it wipes EVERYTHING, or that's how I understand it works.

Question:
- Is there a utility out there that will overwrite the "blank" space on my drive, leaving intact the Windows XP, Office, McAfee, etc. I'd like to avoid having to reload the entire set of MS and other products.

THANKS!

There are programs which help in such tasks, but understand that even those products are not a 100%. The only safe way to clean a drive is destruction.

[Brian.Pearson]

Originally Posted by Mike from back east

Question:
- Is there a utility out there that will overwrite the "blank" space on my drive, leaving intact the Windows XP, Office, McAfee, etc. I'd like to avoid having to reload the entire set of MS and other products.

THANKS!

CCleaner. I think TekFreek clued me in on that.
Open CCleaner
Click Options
At "Secure Deletion" tell it how many wipes you want it to make
Choices are 1 wipe, 3 wipes,7 wipes, or 35
Make sure C:/ is checked

I'd probably defrag and run the normal CCleaner mode first. That way everything is in order, and unnecessary files are gone before wiping.