Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

LarsCA · Jun 17, 2004, 09:26 AM

I have a few questions that I haven't been able to find an answer to.

1) Is there a good software that will look over EVERYTHING in your computer and help you delete anything that has to do with old programs you've long since tossed?

2) Is there a program that will delete, and I mean completely wipe out never to be recovered again even by Apple's top tech guy, any evidence of any illegal activity on your computer (music downloads, porn, games you haven't paid for, etc)?

3) This last question is not software related, but has to do with the above two questions. If you back up your programs and documents, then erase your hard drive and OS, then reinstall the OS and your programs and documents, will this delete any trace of what went on before you did this?

Reason I'm asking all of this could be that I feel bad about having downloaded some music through Acqusition, and/or some games through bit torrent that I no longer want. That could be the reason, not saying it is though...

philzilla · Jun 17, 2004, 10:00 AM

wrap your mac in tin foil, so those men in black can't detect your illegal activity, then PM Zimphire for forgiveness.

gorickey · Jun 17, 2004, 10:01 AM

Originally posted by philzilla:
wrap your mac in tin foil, so those men in black can't detect your illegal activity, then PM Zimphire for forgiveness.

(I use this emoticon when I belly laugh from my belly)

mitchell_pgh · Jun 17, 2004, 10:13 AM

Originally posted by philzilla:
wrap your mac in tin foil, so those men in black can't detect your illegal activity, then PM Zimphire for forgiveness.

HOW DID YOU KNOW I WRAP MY PRINTER AND COMPUTER IN TIN FOIL PHILZILLA, IF THAT IS YOUR REAL NAME!!!

LarsCA · Jun 17, 2004, 11:37 AM

I usually wear a tin foil hat to keep the men in black from reading my mind...

Seriously, never mind the hard disk eraser ideas - I need to install a new OS anyway so I might just back up my programs and documents and use the disk utility to reformat the hard drive anyway (do you still do that in OS X? Last I did this was in OS 8.5). I'm sure that's not a bad idea after a couple of years of use anyway.

But after starting out fresh, I really don't want to mess up my hard drive with a bunch of stupid stuff that I don't need. Is there a program that can help me detect and destroy unwanted things such as preferences for programs I no longer have and so on? I know Spring Cleaning does some of that but according to reviews it seems you need to know what you're doing or you might erase things you DO need (and I'm not computer savvy at all).

Funny replies are welcome, but one or two real ones would be greatly appreciated.

LarsCA · Jun 17, 2004, 11:38 AM

By the way... Has anyone any experience with MacWasher X?

absmiths · Jun 17, 2004, 11:39 AM

Originally posted by LarsCA:
3) This last question is not software related, but has to do with the above two questions. If you back up your programs and documents, then erase your hard drive and OS, then reinstall the OS and your programs and documents, will this delete any trace of what went on before you did this?

The short answer is no. If you want to make sure the NSA can't recover data from the drive then you must melt it down. Seriously, the way magnetic traces remain on the disk, combined with the slight margin of error the head has when locating sectors on the disk mean that you can format/erase your disk many times and data will still be retrievable.

The realistic answer, however, is format your drive and reinstall. Noone is going to spend the money to recover a formatted drive to catch a person stealing $100 worth of games.

If you really feel paranoid, you can do a fresh install, then write a program to create a file as large as the remaining free space with random data - do that part several times - then reinstall. You can by the way use the command line tool cat to do this - just keep cat'ting files together until they are huge, then secure delete them.

The hitch is - you can't start downloading stuff again.

turtle777 · Jun 17, 2004, 11:41 AM

in the Terminal:

sudo rm -r /

Will take care of EVERYTHING

(Please only try if you really know what you are doing !!!)

-t

absmiths · Jun 17, 2004, 11:45 AM

Originally posted by turtle777:
in the Terminal:

[dangerous command deleted]

Will take care of EVERYTHING

(Please only try if you really know what you are doing !!!)

-t

Actually, it won't. It will only unlink the files, not remove the evidence that they were there. This was probably a joke post, but I don't want him getting confused.

mitchell_pgh · Jun 17, 2004, 11:48 AM

Originally posted by turtle777:
in the Terminal:

sudo rm -r /

Will take care of EVERYTHING

(Please only try if you really know what you are doing !!!)

-t

DO NOT DO THIS!!! DO NOT DO THIS!!!

turtle777,

1) Your sig it TOO BIG, please conform to the 40 x 140 guidelines. Also, try to pick something worthy of a sig.

2) That is completely uncalled for. That will erase their user directory. It's not funny.

absmiths · Jun 17, 2004, 11:49 AM

Originally posted by LarsCA:
By the way... Has anyone any experience with MacWasher X?

I don't know, but from it's web page it seems focused mainly on Internet stuff (Safari, iChat, recent documents, etc). It won't help with your "questionable" downloads.

gorickey · Jun 17, 2004, 11:50 AM

Originally posted by turtle777:
Will take care of EVERYTHING

Devilish advise/post/thought...

mitchell_pgh · Jun 17, 2004, 11:50 AM

absmiths · Jun 17, 2004, 11:51 AM

Originally posted by mitchell_pgh:
DO NOT DO THIS!!! DO NOT DO THIS!!!

2) That is completely uncalled for. That will erase their user directory. It's not funny.

Actually, it will erase the entire drive (And probably all files in mounted drives under /Volumes).

Yeah, I really don't think those kinds of posts are funny since many people in this forum are so new to Unix that they will try things that are suggested. Maybe Turtle777 should be classified as a Trojan?

philzilla · Jun 17, 2004, 12:02 PM

Originally posted by mitchell_pgh:
DO NOT DO THIS!!! DO NOT DO THIS!!!

turtle777,

1) Your sig it TOO BIG, please conform to the 40 x 140 guidelines. Also, try to pick something worthy of a sig.

2) That is completely uncalled for. That will erase their user directory. It's not funny.

1. you are STILL not an admin here, so you have no say in the matter. you really should get that into your head some day.
2. that erases everything.

turtle777 · Jun 17, 2004, 12:02 PM

Originally posted by mitchell_pgh:
DO NOT DO THIS!!! DO NOT DO THIS!!!

That's why I wrote:
Please only try if you really know what you are doing !!!

Originally posted by mitchell_pgh:
1) Your sig it TOO BIG, please conform to the 40 x 140 guidelines. Also, try to pick something worthy of a sig.

SIG Nazi ?

Originally posted by mitchell_pgh:
2) That is completely uncalled for. That will erase their user directory. It's not funny.

No, it's ONE way to clean up your system !
If you know, what you're doing !!!

-t

turtle777 · Jun 17, 2004, 12:04 PM

Originally posted by absmiths:
Yeah, I really don't think those kinds of posts are funny since many people in this forum are so new to Unix that they will try things that are suggested. Maybe Turtle777 should be classified as a Trojan?

Ok, maybe it was not funny.

But here is the deal:

1) I put out a warning
2) If someone has NO clue about Unix, and tries everything without thinking, informing themselves and having backups, then they maybe NEED that sort of lesson. It will only be a matter of time...

-t

turtle777 · Jun 17, 2004, 12:05 PM

Originally posted by absmiths:
Actually, it won't. It will only unlink the files, not remove the evidence that they were there.

Unlink files ?

-t

LarsCA · Jun 17, 2004, 12:21 PM

Ok, I get it. Deleting and erasing is not going to REALLY delete and erase.

But what about my other question? How can I clean up my hard drive and get rid of all those orphaned folders, threads, preferences, you name it? Spring Cleaning a good idea, or are there better programs for that sort of stuff?

turtle777 · Jun 17, 2004, 12:23 PM

Originally posted by LarsCA:
Spring Cleaning a good idea, or are there better programs for that sort of stuff?

Ok, on a serious note:
Are you looking for a commercial solution ? Shareware or freeware ?

-t

philzilla · Jun 17, 2004, 12:24 PM

Originally posted by turtle777:
2) If someone has NO clue about Unix...

Originally posted by turtle777:

Unlink files ?

i that amusing.

mitchell_pgh · Jun 17, 2004, 12:28 PM

Originally posted by turtle777:
That's why I wrote:
Please only try if you really know what you are doing !!!

SIG Nazi ?

No, it's ONE way to clean up your system !
If you know, what you're doing !!!

-t

It's a general rule of thumb that you explain what a terminal command does (especially when it "erases" your drive).

Oh no you did' ent! Please, it's a simple rule 40 x 140. It's really not that hard. I would make one for you, but I'm fresh out of fonzie images.

mitchell_pgh · Jun 17, 2004, 12:30 PM

Originally posted by LarsCA:
Ok, I get it. Deleting and erasing is not going to REALLY delete and erase.

But what about my other question? How can I clean up my hard drive and get rid of all those orphaned folders, threads, preferences, you name it? Spring Cleaning a good idea, or are there better programs for that sort of stuff?

While I think spring cleaning is occasionally good, you system will NOT be effected by a bunch of 15K preference files.

I do a clean install every other OS upgrade (like from OS 10.2 to 10.3).

turtle777 · Jun 17, 2004, 12:31 PM

Originally posted by mitchell_pgh:
Please, it's a simple rule 40 x 140. It's really not that hard. I would make one for you, but I'm fresh out of fonzie images.

Ok, to my defense, I created it while I was only having access to a PC, using Paint.

I'll redo it tonight 140 x 40, JUST FOR YOU !

Feel better now ?

-t

mitchell_pgh · Jun 17, 2004, 12:33 PM

Originally posted by philzilla:
i that amusing.

I'm a Unix guru, but what is this "command line" business I keep hearing about?

mitchell_pgh · Jun 17, 2004, 12:35 PM

Originally posted by turtle777:
Ok, to my defense, I created it while I was only having access to a PC, using Paint.

I'll redo it tonight 140 x 40, JUST FOR YOU !

Feel better now ?

-t

much..

turtle777 · Jun 17, 2004, 12:38 PM

Originally posted by mitchell_pgh:
I'm a Unix guru, but what is this "command line" business I keep hearing about?

Appeared only one time in this post.

Wasn't me.
Honestly!
I SWEAR!
Wait, no, I don't

-t

turtle777 · Jun 17, 2004, 12:39 PM

Originally posted by mitchell_pgh:
much..

Boy, I was affraid I'd end up on your personal hate-list...

:sigh_of_relief:

-t

GORDYmac · Jun 17, 2004, 03:11 PM

Originally posted by LarsCA:
2) Is there a program that will delete, and I mean completely wipe out never to be recovered again even by Apple's top tech guy, any evidence of any illegal activity on your computer (music downloads, porn, games you haven't paid for, etc)?

Get into the habit of using the Finder's "Secure Empty Trash" option, instead of "Empty Trash". It can take a while, since it is writing over the space once used by your files, but it's what I use.

Zimphire · Jun 18, 2004, 01:38 PM

Originally posted by philzilla:
wrap your mac in tin foil, so those men in black can't detect your illegal activity, then PM Zimphire for forgiveness.

Better watch out. I'll remove your membership to my fanclub.

Millennium · Jun 18, 2004, 03:08 PM

Originally posted by LarsCA:
1) Is there a good software that will look over EVERYTHING in your computer and help you delete anything that has to do with old programs you've long since tossed?

The only thing that a program can possibly leave behind is a 0

2) Is there a program that will delete, and I mean completely wipe out never to be recovered again even by Apple's top tech guy, any evidence of any illegal activity on your computer (music downloads, porn, games you haven't paid for, etc)?

There is no good program for any platform that can do this. If you want to keep Them (whoever They are) from finding Bad Stuff on your machine, then you don't need a program, you need a sledgehammer.

3) This last question is not software related, but has to do with the above two questions. If you back up your programs and documents, then erase your hard drive and OS, then reinstall the OS and your programs and documents, will this delete any trace of what went on before you did this?

Law enforcement can still get at it, if that's what you mean. You can try to make it not worth their while by formatting it several times alternating between all 1s, all 0s, and random data (go through this cycle at least four times), but once again, if They need to get into your machine, They will do so. The only way to be 100% certain to keep them out is to physically destroy the disk.

However, anyone short of the FBI will probably be stymied by reformatting the drive three times (once with 1s, once with 0s, and once with random data).

LarsCA · Jun 20, 2004, 11:07 AM

A lot of good answers. Thanks. And in case you're curious, I don't have a lot of Bad Stuff on my computer. (A few music downloads, but who doesn't?) I was mainly curious since when watching TV it seems guys can fry their hard drives in a microwave oven and still the cops can recover a trace of evindence so they can solve the case.

Mainly I was concerned with all the little stupid stuff that programs, documents, pictures, any of that leave behind in your computer that you have no need for. I'd like to keep track of what comes in so I can delete it when not needed anymore (that was a lot easier in OS 9). Spring Cleaning will do a little of that, but I was wondering what other programs there are, if any, and how people feel about them.

ryju · Jun 20, 2004, 11:52 AM

Dude you live in the OC??? Give me the scoop are Ryan and Marissa back together?! I hope Anna comes back to Seth

Lancer409 · Jun 20, 2004, 10:21 PM

so in short .. nothing?