Wipe is a free software program for the Windows operating system that scans the computer system for traces that have been generated by automatic usage with the option to delete all or selected temporary files from the operating system. The program is in this regard similar to the popular application CCleaner which provides that functionality as well.
Wipe will automatically scan the system upon startup offering to clear the history and traces right away or switch to advanced mode which is displaying a list of analyzed items and the amount of files on the disk, entries in the Windows Registry and the total size of the files in a list.
The items that are found are divided into categories like Windows, web browsers like Firefox or Internet Explorer and applications like Skype or Microsoft Office.
CCleaner provides a better overview of the elements that are analyzed. Wipe on the other hand displays the previously mentioned file size, Registry and file counts for each item individually which can be very helpful in determining the biggest offenders.
Each item in the list can be selected individually by clicking on the checkbox in front of its line. It is furthermore possible to select or deselect all items in a category by selecting the category header (for instance Windows 7). This will select or deselect all items automatically.
Items that can be cleared with Wipe include:
- Windows: clipboard, mru list, temporary Internet files, rss feeds carche, recent wallpapers, thumbnail caches..
- Firefox, Opera, Internet Explorer: temporary Internet files, download history, cookies, passwords..
- Windows Media Player: recent items, autocomplete and record path histry..
- Java, Flash: temporary Internet files
- Microsoft Office: recently accessed items, autocomplete history..
Missing are options to add programs or paths that are not included in the program yet. This includes for instance the Google Chrome web browser which cannot be cleaned with the program.
A click on the delete button will clear the history of all selected items. A standard delete will be performed which can be changed in the program's options to make the traces unrecoverable. Available deletion methods are one-pass anti-recovery, DOD anti-recovery, Gutmann or Russian Gost anti-recovery (the last three only available after registration).
The deletion of files can take additional time depending on the choice in the menu. Wipe can close any running process before the history is cleared which is for instance important if the web browser is running all the time on the system.
Wipe is a good alternative to CCleaner. It lacks the customizability but offers a better overview of the files, registry entries and sizes of the entries that it lists in its interface. The program can be downloaded from the developer's website.
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