Choosing the Right Wiping Method

DriveScrubber gives you the option to completely wipe all contents from a drive or to just erase the remnants of deleted files from a drive's free space.

To erase all contents of a drive, except the partition containing the operating system -- Wipe all contents of a drive

Wipe all contents of a drive is ideal if:

You want drives other than your system drive to be "like new" after virus damage.
You want to erase drive or partition contents without closing DriveScrubber or using the DOS Boot Disk, or you do not have a DOS Boot Disk.

Every sector and track of the selected non-system drives or partitions to be wiped are overwritten. The data and files including existing files, installed software, and the operating system are permanently erased.

Use with caution. This option permanently erases all data beyond recovery.

The Wipe all contents of a drive wizard is used to wipe drives and partitions other than the system drive.

To erase just the deleted files -- Wipe free space of a drive

Wiping the free space is ideal if:

You want to perform regular security maintenance for your computer and permanently delete private files.
You are planning to sell or give away a computer and want programs and the operating system to remain on it. Personal data you have deleted is completely wiped, but the files you have not deleted are left intact.

The Wipe free space of a drive option erases data remnants left by files you have deleted. By wiping only the free space on a drive, the remnants of deleted data are erased; the used space is not touched and the existing files, programs, and operating system are left intact.

To erase the entire drive including the partition containing the operating system -- Create DriveScrubber Boot Disk

Create DriveScrubber Boot Disk is ideal if:

You are planning to sell or give away a computer and want absolutely no data to remain on it.
You want to start with a "like new" drive after virus damage.

Every sector and track of the drive is overwritten and all data and files – existing files, installed software, the operating system, etc. – are permanently erased.

Use with caution. This option permanently erases all data beyond recovery.

A DriveScrubber DOS-based program is used to wipe drives. The program does not run on an installed operating system so that all drive contents, including the operating system, can be erased. To start the DOS-based application, you will use a bootable disk.

If you have a DriveScrubber installation CD, this CD is also a bootable disk. Simply put the CD in the drive and start/restart your computer.
If you do not have an installation CD or you would rather boot from a floppy diskette, you can create a bootable disk. Click Wipe all drive contents to create a bootable disk. You will need a blank floppy disk or CD (recordable or rewritable).