Best Hard Drive / Memory Cleaner

[Guest021417]

I use the free version of CCleaner which is set to run on startup. One of the attributes of the free version is "Privacy Protection" which (I assume) is limited to cleaning out the history and cookies when it runs at startup.

The next version CCleaner Professional has an attribute called "Complete Cleaning". According to the Piriform website is simply an administrative tool to clean multiple users as an admin.

Is there a better program out there (preferably free, but not expensive) that gives performs better in erasing my web history? The SO is rarely on my laptop but just looking for the best possible alternatives. Also, is there a way to do a "factory reset" that erases everything in case the "nuclear option" is necessary (i.e. the SO wants to have the laptop analyzed by a pro)?

[2wheels2fun]

Another option is to run a linux distro called Tails. The entire OS runs from a cd-rom. While in use, no data is ever written to the hard-drive. Thus, there is nothing to find.

[YoHou]

Originally Posted by 2wheels2fun

Another option is to run a linux distro called Tails. The entire OS runs from a cd-rom. While in use, no data is ever written to the hard-drive. Thus, there is nothing to find.

Tails is overkill for this gentleman, but there are other options. It's probably the best option if he wants to protect it from a "pro," but it's not going to be very fun for him.

You can use your browser and set it into private mode. This wipes history and clears cookies after every session.

If you're using chrome press CTRL+SHIFT+N and a new window should open up with mr spy on the top left of the window. This means you're in incognito mode.

For Firefox, you press CTRL+SHIFT+P.

If you have firefox, then you can also create a new profile and switch between them.

You can run that command in start > run, but it's going to stay in Run's history.
Doing it in the live start menu is a little more stealthy. You can also have the cleared using CCleaner though...


To launch the profile manager, click on start, and type in:

firefox -p

You should see a profile manager pop up and you can create a prpfile there. Keep the default there and not use it for the hobby/porn. When you want to use it, just launch the manager and start firefox with the profile you want. This should keep it separated and she would never know. Still visible to a pro though, depending how through he is or what tools he uses. Chances are they don't check profiles, but if they go into the appdata manually, then they can see it.



You can also take it a step further by installing a separate browser, like Opera, and deleting all the icons from the desktop and start menu. To launch it you would just click the start menu and type in opera.exe. This is just like the firefox profile method, except it's a different browser.

There are many different ways to skin this cat, but those are some of the easier ones.

Also, when you use ccleaner, use the wipe free space (NOT DRIVE WIPER). That way if someone tries to scan your HDD for deleted files it will only be finding the zeros filled in to the unused sectors of the drive, usually "deleted files".

Drive wiper does the same thing, but it'll nuke your whole drive and you will lose the info on it.

[normalguy21]

Since data is stored in so many places on you PC there is a lot of stuff the cleaners don't remove.

Short of reloading your OS your still leaving tracks.

Glary web is also very good free utilility.

[Mr. GPop]

Originally Posted by pilot4u2.0

I use the free version of CCleaner which is set to run on startup. One of the attributes of the free version is "Privacy Protection" which (I assume) is limited to cleaning out the history and cookies when it runs at startup.

The next version CCleaner Professional has an attribute called "Complete Cleaning". According to the Piriform website is simply an administrative tool to clean multiple users as an admin.

Is there a better program out there (preferably free, but not expensive) that gives performs better in erasing my web history? The SO is rarely on my laptop but just looking for the best possible alternatives. Also, is there a way to do a "factory reset" that erases everything in case the "nuclear option" is necessary (i.e. the SO wants to have the laptop analyzed by a pro)?

Are you looking to wipe the browser history or the system itself?

You can set up FireFox to run off a a thumb drive with auto-mount. what that does is when you plug in the thumby into your pc, the FF icon appears on the desktop. All cookies, history, bookmarks etc are stored on the thumby

As for a "Nuclear Option" there are 2 ways I suggest. If your laptop/desktop has the "Oh Shit" disks (the ones that re-install the system to the factory set up it came from day 1, IE, no programs installed other than the OS) then you can use that. If it did not come with these disks, there might be a program that allows them to be made.. usually 2-4 DVD's all you will need for what is known as Day 1 install.

The other option is download the G-parted Distro from distrowatch.com and create a boot CD.

Gparted can remove, repartition and format the drive. Once you have removed all partitions on your HD, then created 1-3 partitions, formatted them then gone back and removed them again THERE IS NO WAY DATA CAN be collected.

I go the extra mile on my Dell laptop - it has an easy to remove HD, 2 Phillips screws and I can pop out the small hd, pop in a generic OS hd and then I boot it up and let it update - (it runs linux so this will show activity on drive but not much)

Some laptops make it a bit more tricky to do the drive swap so look at this option.

Running Linux as the OS will also allow you to encrypt your HOME directory - this is basically the c:\users\ directory and all data there is encrypted. You create a key file (keep this separate) and you should be safe.

[Muffdiver2014]

Portable Apps

http://portableapps.com

Run everything from a thumb drive
Chrome, Firefox, email client software for your monger email unless you just use gmail or some such.

no history on your PC at all, and you just pull it out when you are done.

[jframe2]

I am a BIG portablepps user.... have been for many years. On my browser right now.

A little clarification is in order about portable apps: while it is correct there will be no history from the web-browser, there can be tracks left showing a program was used.

Also, be aware if you are downloading anything when using a portable app browser, there will be data left on the PC from the download. But straight browsing is fairly safe.

Portable apps are just that, portable; they do not install on the PC but they are not stealth apps.

Originally Posted by Muffdiver2014

Portable Apps

http://portableapps.com

Run everything from a thumb drive
Chrome, Firefox, email client software for your monger email unless you just use gmail or some such.

no history on your PC at all, and you just pull it out when you are done.

[ck1942]

Hobbiests, indeed ALL computer owners need to insure that the very basic hardware security measures are in place.

Your p.c. or laptop or any other personal device, such as your hobby cell phone, must initially be secure. Otherwise wiping any data is almost pointless.

The unit administrator should limit any guest access to a "guest" account.

That way if the s.o.'s computer fails, she may use the guest account which keeps her out of your account. Best always that your s.o. has her own hardware. It is cheap "insurance!"

No one other than you should be using your hardware!

As for wiping data, all you are doing is cleaning your hardware. The cleaners above will do a decent job.

Always remember that there is no way to remove any data your ISP might have. Nor any way to remove data a distant host website may have collected.

Unless you always use a wi-fi host outside your home or office access points, you are always leaving some sort of data trail.

[goodtimes]

If you really absolutely positively need to delete some data from your pc, I recommend Eraser at http://sourceforge.net/projects/eraser/ . It will clean the data to Department of Defense standards and higher, so, you really cant ask for much more than that.

[Guest021417]

Rather than start a new thread I thought I would take this in a different direction. I am now going to install a VPN on my laptops and phone. Probably going with a paid VPN instead of the free ones. Right now I am looking at privateinternetaccess.com or witopia.net. Anyone have any recommendations.

For payment, I plan on using a vanilla prepaid card so there is no trace back to me. In case the VPN does get hacked Ashley Madison style. I was also thinking about upgrading my old hobby flip phone to one with hotspot capability. If I did I would VPN on a mobile phone that was also paid for with a vanilla prepaid card. Is this overkill?

I looked at the portable apps website and like it. However, carrying around a separate thumb drive creates its own problems in my case. If I did do this, it would have to be an encrypted thumb drive. I did find this link informative and there are others if you search VPN.

http://www.eccie.net/showthread.php?...&highlight=vpn

Also plan on installing TOR browser and deleting all the icons and running it as a tor.exe as YoHou suggested above.

Any other thoughts or suggestions?

[goodtimes]

I've heard good things about hidemyass.com (real site). I have not used it personally but I know a few people who have and they had good things to say about it.

[Guest021417]

goodtimes - That came up in my research and on Chat this morning a member suggested cyberghostvpn.com

I am not sure how "hide my ass" runs but with a name like that I think it would stick out on some kind of search. However, I guess most IT guys are familiar with all the VPN names.

[goodtimes]

Originally Posted by pilot4u2.0

goodtimes - That came up in my research and on Chat this morning a member suggested cyberghostvpn.com

I am not sure how "hide my ass" runs but with a name like that I think it would stick out on some kind of search. However, I guess most IT guys are familiar with all the VPN names.

Yeah, probably any vpn service is about as good as the next really. The things I would look for in deciding would be

1. do they support AES encryption (almost all should)?
2. How many/where are the connection points?
3. Does the vpn connection limit your bandwidth (which you would really only know by trying it)?

As to the use of the prepaid card, personally, seems kind of overkill to me. The only "logs" that a vpn provider would ever maintain on you are logs that would indicate connect time and disconnect time, so theres really no trace of what was done during the connection. The mere fact that you connected to a vpn doesnt really mean anything.

Using tor on a vpn is definitely overkill. The purpose of tor is basically to allow you to be annoymous without having to use a vpn, so using both is kind of pointless in my opinion.