Just How Good Are They: ? (hard drive cleaners)

Basic.J · #1 (**permalink**) April 5th, 2008

I am rather new to posting here but I seem to keep reading about software but how good are the so-called hard drive cleaners and are they as good as they claim to be.

I have Window Washer 6.5. Build.
I have Cyber Scrub.

Both claim to work wonders and miracles , both claim that if I delete my documents and clean my hard drive with them. All documents , music and files can never be recovered , but how much of this is true.?

Do you use these.?
Have you in the past.?
Have you used something better.?

What are the best FREE downloads.?

Links and thoughts on this topic.

ursula · #2 (**permalink**) April 13th, 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Basic.J

...I seem to keep reading about software but how good are the so-called hard drive cleaners and are they as good as they claim to be.

I have Window Washer 6.5. Build.

WW is the ONLY really good one.
But, 'really good' is relative, hmmm ?

Quote:

...claim to work wonders and miracles ...if I delete my documents and clean my hard drive with them. All documents , music and files can never be recovered , but how much of this is true.?

Easy answer: None of it.

Quote:

Do you use these.?
Have you in the past.?
Have you used something better.?

Yes... WW exclusively now (Except for testing newer apps).
5 years.
No.

Quote:

What are the best f r e e downloads.?

None.

Quote:

Links and thoughts on this topic.

This topic... the efficacy of so-called washers or wipers, has been a point of discussion

amongst the mods here for a few weeks now...

My experience is basic as in every day on many machines ...what I am about to describe is NOT some anomaly related to a single computer...

I have run WW, Registry Mechanic (btw, just because Reg Mech is good does not mean that Spyware Doctor should even be considered !), Diskeeper normal defragment followed by a FULL boot-time defragmentation and...
wait for it...
STILL been able to recover deleted files with a very simple recovery program.

WW is great for maintenance... Enhanced Security does not exist via software.

Enhanced Security that is = to, "My files are GONE. I can relax !", is easy to achieve...

Take your HDD, open the case using whatever method you like, and physically destroy the disks with a hatchet and acid and fire.

Anything short of that = BSing oneself !

p.s. re: WW... Be VERY careful doing the Options setups...
NEVER allow it to start and run on system start...
Wipe out updates and incomplete downloads and all sorts of other amusing things ! Adobe updates will run for ever that way !

If you have any problems with disabling the Start on system start function, let me know... There is a registry setting that needs to be deleted... This is a definite bug that I see many times.

ursula · #3 (**permalink**) April 13th, 2008

It is not possible to regard our race with anything but alarm… from primeval ooze to the stars, we killed everything that stood in our way, including each other.

re: Your sig...

What you say is, "...just human nature."

As in inhuman and unnatural.
So it goes

and

goes.

Lord of the Rings · #4 (**permalink**) April 13th, 2008

I know of a song that refers to "raped the forests" ... I think that is in part basically what the sig is gesting at. And without forests .. chain reaction .. well not to mention the natural paranoia, self-defence and belief in which empires demands growth and destruction of everything in its way. Well that can be included in today's business world too. lol