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Program that resets trial programs (30 day trials, 15 day trials, etc)

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ISX:
Bestcrypt or something like that deletes the hidden files in windows, and re-writes over them in 1's and 0's. I can do it manually, but I can't write over them manually...
I'll probably only need it once anyway though so it shouldn't be a problem.

iancom:
Okay... if you only need to do it once, this method should get you the same effect without the extra expense:

Make sure you have deleted all of the offending files from your system, and emptied the recycle bin.

Fully defragment your hard-disk
(start-programs-accessories-system tools-disk defragmenter)

Open a notepad session and create a file containing the following:


@echo off
:loop
echo fdwescn0ec734250-y2341oi54bnfoicndsc0df9u-3jhr >>deleteme.tmp
goto loop


(the bit after the echo is just meant to be any old rubbish)

Save the file out as "GO.BAT" in the root of your c: drive (or the drive you're interested in).

Open a DOS window, and type:

c: <ENTER>
go <ENTER>

this will now make a new file that it will repeatedly fill with rubbish. When it has completely filled the hard disk it should fail. This could take a very long time if you've got a large disk.

You must then delete the file before rebooting!

del deleteme.tmp <ENTER>

check you've got all your free space back:

dir <ENTER>

This isn't as sophisticated a method as a commercial program would employ, but unless someone pays a professional a lot of money to analyse your hard disk they're not going to get much from it after this.

Of course if you're really that worried about your data being unearthed then

1. you shouldn't be using Windows in the first place
2. the price of a shareware utility should be nothing to you compared to the piece of mind that your data is safe!

Experienced Windows users may have a better way of doing this (is there an equivalent of /dev/random?) ...?

Cheers...

voidmain:
Good one IanC.  That outta work just dandy (as long as you don't reach maximum file size limits, but then just start another tmp file).

ISX:
What's better, deleting/getting rid of the files your way or this way:
http://fuckmicrosoft.com/content/ms-hidden-files.shtml
Or do I do both?

And what if I dont delete that file before it reboots?

I have a 20GB HD, how long will it take? I'm gonna reboot now and do it riddlers way, and then I might try yours, but I want to make sure nothing bad happens.

Thanks for all the advice.

ISX:
Oh, and how do you get rid of the registery files, it just says where they're located in that article..

And how do you get rid of findfast?
I'm gonna be switching to Mandrake soon, but not right now.

Also, does MS log your MSN coversations? My guess is yes.

Anyway to get rid of those?

Thanks again.

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