O&O SafeErase FAQ
2. Why is my version of the software no longer on the website? Am I eligible for an upgrade of the product?
O&O SafeErase is the newest generation of our solution for the safe erasure of files, folders, and complete partitions. This version replaces earlier versions of the software. Please visit the product pages of O&O SafeErase to find out more about downloads and upgrade opportunities at: http://www.oo-software.com/home/en/products/oosafeerase/
3. I am using O&O SafeErase. How can I contact the O&O technical support?
O&O Software offers expert technical support to solve every issue you might have, aiming for 100% customer satisfaction. O&O Software provides e-mail support for home users and phone support for corporate customers, as well as on-site support for corporate customers with maintenance agreements - upon request world-wide - staffed directly by O&O technicians or authorized O&O partners.
Please note: O&O also offers on-site support for corporate customers evaluating O&O SafeErase for an enterprise environment. Please do not hesitate to send us your questions and requests. Our technicians will answer all of your questions.
Support for Registered Users (Customer Support): http://www.oo-software.com/home/en/support/csupport/
Support for Trial and Freeware Software: http://www.oo-software.com/home/en/support/tsupport/
4. My computer has finished the SafeErase process. Is the data now safely deleted?
Yes, O&O SafeErase erases the selected files, folders or complete partitions, including boot partitions beyond recovery. The software creates reports about the successful erasure processes, so you can review what has been safely erased.
5. How can I check if my hard drive contains supposedly deleted data?
Your hard disk might contain supposedly deleted data in those parts shown as free space on your partitions. You might install and test-drive one of O&O’s powerful data recovery solutions, such as O&O DiskRecovery or O&O UnErase. These allow you a free scan for supposedly deleted data on your storage devices. The results of the scans will show you data that has been deleted but not beyond recovery, thereby making it potentially recoverable using a full version of one our recovery products.
6. How can I safely delete any potential data left in the “free space” on my hard disk?
To do this, choose the partition from which you wish to wipe the free space from the Windows Explorer and select the function "Secure Deletion of Free Disk Space" from the Context Menu and confirm.
By this process, all free disk space is overwritten and already deleted files annihilated, making it possible to remove any trace of sensitive data you thought had already been erased.
7. My SafeErase process is taking a long time. Is this normal?
Yes, the safe deletion of files, folders or partitions takes time. All data has to be completely overwritten. Depending on the security level chosen, data is being overwritten up to 35 times. While O&O SafeErase is doing its work, this may take minutes for a mid-size file up to a few hours for a complete hard disk partition.
8. What is O&O SafeErase?
O&O SafeErase offers a reliable solution for safe erasure of security sensitive files and gives you the ultimate in data protection. With O&O SafeErase even hackers and data spies cannot restore your safely erased files. O&O SafeErase does not simply delete your files; it annihilates them using approved and recommended methods.
9. Is O&O SafeErase secure to use?
O&O SafeErase is safe to use for securely deleting and overwriting data and files. Performing a SafeErase process is as safe as the everyday process of writing files within your Windows system.
10. For whom is O&O SafeErase intended for?
O&O SafeErase is intended to be used by home and home office users using single licenses. It may also be used within O&O's corporate licensing for the safe data deletion on corporate workstations and server.
11. Do you offer O&O SafeErase licenses for Administrators or Technicians?
O&O SafeErase can be purchased as single licenses and for corporations using O&O’s corporate licensing with volume licenses and site licenses. If you are interested in the O&O volume licensing program, please contact us at: http://corp.oo-software.com/en/order/easylicensing/form/
12. Why use O&O SafeErase instead of a competitive product?
O&O SafeErase is the technologically leading solution for the secure deletion of sensitive data from data storage devices such as hard disks. With just one click of the mouse you can securely and permanently delete files, folders and partitions.
The software offers truly unique features such as “TotalErase” for the safe deletion of a complete system, including the boot partition. Without the need to create and start the system using a separate media, for example a Boot-CD, “TotalErase” erases the complete system and offers the ultimate protection of the private sphere. Multiple reviews and editors’ choice awards have proven our product success with high volume enterprise users as well as the single license home user. This is because it is important to be in control of sensitive, private or corporate data - until it has been ‘safeerased’.
13. What hard disk and other storage devices does O&O SafeErase support?
O&O SafeErase supports devices without limitation with regards to size and number of partitions that are supported by Windows XP/2003, Windows 2000 und Windows NT 4.
Please note: If you can access the storage system in the manner of accessing a Windows file system partition and this partition is formatted with a file system supported by Windows, O&O SafeErase is able to safely erase this storage device.
The unique and worlds first “TotalErase” feature even allows you to safely erase unformatted devices.
14. Do I need to uninstall an earlier version of O&O SafeErase before I install the latest update?
Yes, please uninstall your installation of a previous version, and afterwards install the new release.
15. Is O&O SafeErase compatible with Windows Vista?
Yes, it is. O&O SafeErase runs with all versions of Windows Vista, XP, 2000 and 2003,
Please note: O&O SafeErase cannot be installed on computers running Windows 95/98/ME or NT.
16. But I thought files are already deleted by emptying the Windows Recycle Bin?
No, emptying the Recycle Bin does not at all securely erase your files. The data is still on the hard disk, although you can not see it. By using industry-standard data recovery software such as O&O DiskRecovery you may easily get access to the supposedly deleted data again.
If you want to test whether your hard disk contains supposedly deleted data, just download the free test version of O&O DiskRecovery or O&O UnErase and carry out a scan of your hard disk. We are sure you will find many files you thought were already deleted.
17. I've heard that it is impossible to restore files securely deleted with O&O SafeErase. Is this true?
Yes, thanks to our advanced and expert proven methods the data is being erased beyond recovery. The deletion methods guarantee the maximum security, whatever your need may be. In addition to the standardized methods of erasure from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and the German Department for Security in Information Technology (BSI, Bundesamt für Sicherheit in der Informationstechnik), you can choose the Gutmann method, which is appropriate for those matters requiring the highest security. This scientifically approved method of data erasure overwrites the appropriate corresponding areas of the hard disk 35 times following precisely defined rules. As a result, O&O SafeErase exceeds the requirements of DoD and BSI.
Please note: You should therefore be absolutely sure you wish to delete your file!
18. Is O&O SafeErase compatible with a version of Windows running Service Pack?
Yes!
19. What tests have there been to assess SafeErase's capabilities?
Numerous computer magazines carried out tests with file recovery software and were unable to restore any data that had been deleted with O&O SafeErase.
20. What is the scientific basis behind O&O SafeErase?
O&O SafeErase draws upon a wealth of scientific knowledge to provide the most secure methods of file deletion. Our medium security level is based on the recommendations of the BSI (German Computer Security Agency), our high level on the standards of the US National Security Agency, and our highest level on the work of scientist Peter Gutmann's article "Secure Deletion of Data from Magnetic and Solid-State Memory". Our highest level, which is set by default, thereby exceeds the recommendation of the German and US governments.
21. Why can't I just format my hard disk?
This is not enough to prevent data from being restored. Formatting your hard disk simply deletes the "table of contents" from your hard disk. The data can be restored relatively easily.
22. Why might it not be enough to overwrite data once?
Overwriting your files once does indeed prevent anyone from restoring them by software methods. However, when data is written to your hard disk, the area directly adjacent will also be systematically magnetized. There are ways of interpreting this pattern and restoring data, even if the actual file has been overwritten. Restoring data that has been overwritten once or even three times is very expensive, but not completely impossible!
23. How long will it take to SafeErase a file of x MB?
That depends on your chosen deletion method as well as the speed of your hard disk and processor. As a rule of thumb, bear in mind that simple overwriting (i.e. "Lowest Security") will take the same amount of time as writing the file to the same partition. Deleting with "Highest Security" will take around 35 times as long.
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