5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What does the demo version of BitRaser File Eraser do?

Using demo version of the software you can only select volumes and drives. To erase anything, you need to purchase and register the software.

2. Why do I need to use BitRaser File Eraser?

Deletion is not secure. When you delete a file from your hard drive, the first letter of the filename in a directory entry is changed to a special character (hexadecimal code E5h). This is a special tag that tells the system ”this file has been deleted and the space is free”. In fact the file’s data remains on the disk. It may remain on the hard drive until it is overwritten. Anybody can easily recover this data using data recovery tools. If this deleted data happens to be sensitive information, you can be in trouble. So that is the answer to why you need to use BitRaser File Eraser. It ensures complete and safe removal of data as it puts zeroes or random data in the space marked as free. Therefore, there is no chance of recovery of deleted data by any data recovery software.

3. Does not the process of formatting delete all the data permanently?

No, because the process of formatting only deletes the file system entries from the hard drive, while the data remains recoverable by effective data recovery utilities.

4. Does erasure cause any harm to my hard drive?

No, erasure does not cause any kind of harm to your hard drive. 

5. What if data of the application traces are not erased after the complete erasure process?
It happens in case, you have not closed the application during erasing process or if you are viewing newly created files and folders after the application has restarted on completion of an erasure process.

6. Can I erase a specific file using BitRaser File Eraser ?
Yes, you can erase some specific files by adding them to the erasure list or you can also erase selected files through Search & Erase option. 

7. What if the data of System Traces are not erased after completion of an erasure process?
This problem arises in case you are viewing the recently created files or folders, as the operating system automatically creates some system traces at different time intervals.

8. What are the algorithms BitRaser File Eraser uses for completely erasing the data?

BitRaser File Eraser uses the following algorithms for erasing the data:

• Zeroes

• Pseudo-random

• Pseudo-random & Zeroes

• DoD 5220.22 - M (3 passes)

• DoD 5200.28 - STD (7 passes)

• DoD 5200.22-M (ECE) (7 passes)

• Russian Standard - GOST

• B.Schneier's algorithm (7 passes)

• German Standard, VSITR (7 passes)

• Peter Gutmann (35 passes)

• US Army AR 380-19 (3 passes)

• North Atlantic Treaty Organization - NATO Standard

• US Air Force, AFSSI 5020

• Pfitzner Algorithm (33 passes)

• Canadian RCMP TSSIT OPS-II (4 passes)

• British HMG IS5 (3 passes)

• Random Random Zero (6 passes)

• NIST 800-88 Purge

9. What are passes in Erasing algorithms ?

Passes in erasing algorithms are number of times overwriting process is repeated. for example, in Peter Gutmann method, a series of 35 patterns is written over the region to be erased. 

10. Which algorithm should I choose for best erasure?
It depends upon how many times an algorithm overwrites the data precisely or the number of passes used to erase the data. More the number of passes used by the algorithm, more effective it is. Each algorithm performs a different set of features from where you can choose the suitable algorithm as per the requirement. See List of Erasure Algorithms and their Descriptions, to know more. 

11. What if the software is taking too long to erase the data?
It depends on the size of the data you are erasing, configuration of the system and the algorithm you are using to erase the data. A large amount of data, lesser configuration and more number of passes may consume more time for erasure.

12. If a single overwrite can erase hard disk securely enough, why are there so many data sanitization algorithms?

Not everyone agrees on a data sanitization algorithm that will prevent all possible methods of recovering the data. Since many advanced, hardware based methods of extracting information from hard drives exist, several governmental organizations and researchers have independently devised certain methods of overwriting data that, according to their research, should prevent these advanced recovery methods from working. 

13. Are there files that cannot be erased using BitRaser File Eraser? What types of files are those?

Yes. For security reasons, you cannot erase system files. 

14. I don't want to clear all my Internet activities. How can I do that?
BitRaser File Eraser provides you with an option of erasing all or some specific traces of Internet Activities.
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