Free Evidence Eliminator v5.0 User Guide

New user information guide on the many secure Internet Eraser Options and Hard Drive Eraser Settings in Evidence Eliminator v5.0

Welcome to the one and only, original and best total hard-drive-eraser protection utility - Evidence Eliminator™. The program is self-documenting and the Help file has additional instructions to help you understand it completely.

On this page we review the many secure eraser options that are available to Windows computer users to clean up their hard drive, Windows system history, and Internet history using the Evidence Eliminator program.

It is a straight forward process to use the Evidence Eliminator secure program Options to change your secure hard drive erasing settings at any time. The Evidence Eliminator™ program screenshots, show you how easy it is to switch these user control options on and off as required to suit your specific security needs.

Introduction and Program Mode Controls

Evidence Eliminator™ is an easy-to-use powerful and flexible hard drive data cleaning system for a single-user Windows PC. Daily use protects you from unwanted file history data becoming permanently hidden in your PC.

The program has been designed for genuine Internet users who wish to protect their personal and business privacy. We do not encourage anybody to download banned material from the Internet and accept no responsibility if anybody does.

Before Evidence Eliminator™, maintaining a clean hard drive and Windows installation was hard work. Many complicated tasks needed to be done every day. Now, Evidence Eliminator™ does all the hard work for you.

Configure the program with the 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 and complete privacy.

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

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 secure erasing/cleaning session. Keeping you safe, secure, and law-abiding.

Please see the Features page for a summary list of the secure eraser functions performed by the Evidence Eliminator program.

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Evidence Eliminator Secure Eraser Settings

Normally when you press the "Delete" key the files disappear from your Windows but the physical file data remains on your hard drive available to privacy 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 file/history data is practically destroyed. The program can be set to any number of OVERWRITE sequences in the Secure Eraser Mode Options Tab.

Even Forensic Analysis software like Encase a standard tool of the trade used by law-enforcement and private investigators, simply cannot recover the data. You can be confident that Evidence Eliminator™ does exactly what the name says.

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.

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Secure Delete files on-demand

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

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

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Safe Shutdown/Restart System Cleaner Modes

The most popular option for regular daily use. Windows 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.

Windows Safe Restart is the same as Safe Shutdown, but instead of leaving a DOS prompt on completion of the secure eraser process, the system will reboot back into Windows, thoroughly cleaned and ready to go. Both Windows Safe Shutdown and Windows Safe Restart provide the same maximum protection. 

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

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Quick Mode Computer Cleanup Process

Evidence Eliminator's Quick Mode button runs a quick computer 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.

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

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Test Mode Windows Cleaner Process

The Test Mode button starts Evidence Eliminator™ to run in Windows only, and then stops to allow you to view or save the log. Test Mode will still delete and erase selected files.

Test Mode is a useful mode for testing your options and viewing the results but it does NOT completely clean your machine. To run a full secure eraser process you again need to run one of the above two options: Windows Safe Shutdown or Safe Restart.

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Evidence Eliminator Program Options Window

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

Three basic classes of secure cleaning processes 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.

Windows History Cleaner Options Tab

The Windows Options Tab provides control over four areas of concern. General history data files recorded by Windows such the Swap File, Computer user activity logs, the Windows clipboard functions, and other areas as shown below.

The following secure Windows history cleaner options are available:

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Windows Start Menu History Options Tab

There is a hidden encrypted database in the system registry which remembers a wide range of Windows history 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 and erase Start Menu History database and eliminate all the entries from it.

The Start tab will erase various history lists from your Windows Start Menu:

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Internet Browser History Options Tabs

Evidence Eliminator runs as a secure Internet History and Cookies Eraser. The IE tab contains configuration settings for Internet Explorer browser users, and the NSN tab contains settings for Netscape Navigator browser users.

Internet Explorer [IE] Options Tab targets the following items for erasing:

Netscape Navigator [NSN] Options Tab targets similar items as above for secure file erasing. Please see the program Help file for more information.

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Email & News Message History Options Tab

This section allows you to securely erase Email and News Message history stored within programs and hidden Windows files. This includes email and newsgroup activities under Outlook Express v5/v6, Internet Explorer v5/v6 or Netscape Navigator v3/v4.

Evidence Eliminator™ v5 offers full control over the hidden database files stored by Outlook Express to erase email folders and selected news message history databases.

The Evidence Eliminator Erase Email News Message Options Tab targets the following items to securely erase:

At the top of this option, the erase function can be switched on or off, and the email/news storage folders selected. An "Auto" button is provided to detect the file folder locations automatically. On new 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/erase 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 email/news database file names will appear self-explanatory for the various mail folders and newsgroups which you use. The file "Pop2uidl.dbx" can be safely deleted/erased.

"Folders.dbx" contains lists of newsgroups available on servers and may contain other information about which groups have been read. If in doubt erase/delete it, but you will have to re-download the news 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 old data file traces of sent and deleted emails from the main database, before running Evidence Eliminator™.

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Netscape E-Mail News Messenger History Options Tab

Netscape E-Mail 3.x and Messenger 4.x

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

Netscape Email "Hidden Files" - 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 erase/destroy them for you automatically.

Netscape Mail History

Enable this option to erase copies which Netscape keeps of your sent and deleted email 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 Email 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 emails hidden in the database. Our advice if you are concerned about email security is to use Microsoft Outlook Express instead.

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Custom File Cleaner Options Tab

The Custom Tab is used to set up the hard drive cleaner functions to erase or save specific files, file contents, folders and special program history records.

Special software Plug-ins have been included in Evidence Eliminator to target various popular programs, and they also provide a Custom Plug-in Tool that allows you to create individual plugins for specific programs you may be running on your own computer.

The custom file cleaner, folder scans, and plug-ins Options Tab targets the following items for erasing:

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Chat logs and other program history logs

If you use Chat programs, view your Program Files directory for 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.

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Secure Eraser Mode Options Tab

Select your choice of secure file eraser/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. Even in the lowest security setting, Evidence Eliminator 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 Security 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.  Securely overwriting just once will practically destroy data so that forensic software cannot recover any evidence from your hard drives.

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Misc Computer System Cleanup Options Tab

This Evidence Eliminator Options Tab contains miscellaneous secure cleanup functions and control settings, including the Windows Registry functions, Program Control and Stealth Mode Tabs.

The Miscellaneous Computer cleanup Options Tab offers the following user control functions and targets the following items for erasing:

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Hard Drive Disk Cleanup Operations Tab

The Drive Ops Options Tab provides various specific hard drive disk cleanup eraser functions in a centralized format, beginning with the Drive List Tab.

In High performance mode, two functions are available - high-speed cleaning of directory structures and high-speed cleaning of file cluster tips.

Erase Directory Structures

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 erasing 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. 

Erase 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.

Evidence Eliminator™ automatically scans all your drives, analyzes each individual file and securely overwrites [erases] 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.

Cleanup/Erase Cluster Tips of locked files

Evidence Eliminator™ will cleanup/erase 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

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!

Scramble File 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.

Randomizing 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 randomized 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 randomization process of Evidence Eliminator™.

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

Erasing Free Space on your hard drives

An essential function to make sure you complete the job properly. Don't skimp on this section. It takes a little time.

Enable Hard Drive 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. 

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Evidence Eliminator™ Lifetime User License Package

A Lifetime Of Protection

As a Licensed User you are entitled to use Evidence Eliminator™ on a permanent basis. This includes free lifetime Technical Support and you are entitled to obtain and activate all future upgrades on this product for free! You do not have to pay again!

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

To install additional copies of Evidence Eliminator™ to each PC, simply download from the Website and use your existing Key Codes to activate the License on the new installation.

Click here to Download Evidence Eliminator Now!