Just ran into this on the Eraser forum. http://bbs.heidi.ie/viewtopic.php?t=5144
Comments?
Not had any problem, but I go off line and shut down as much as possible for a full run of Eraser - seems faster that way.
Jwall, trying to use Erase over avast files is the same as destroying the files. The self-defense module will prevent this.
If this happens when you try to erase the free disk space, well, it will be another thing and maybe Alwil team should take a look into Eraser actions over avast files.
Do you leave avast running?
So, do you think one should disable the self defense module when wiping free space?
Only if it gets warnings from avast that ‘Eraser’ is trying to manipulate avast files.
Otherwise, let it on.
Just stop the on-access protection and the services.
Wow… I never had to do that… maybe it’s safer just to disable the self-defense module instead.
I installed Eraser to take a look at this report. What a nasty little program.
I asked it to clear the freespace on my C: drive. I monitored it and it asks for write access to every file in the system and other logs I have effectively record it as modifying every file in the system. No wonder avast complains
I asked it to clear freespace … why on earth does it have to mess with every file in the system to do that?
All vestiges of Eraser are about to be removed from my system.
It’s not /necessary/, but the less running the quicker the access. I do the same for Defrag. Also for copying drives, there are fewer files tied up.
I’d never considered it as ‘nasty’; also not noticed it wanting write access - but as I turn off almost everything I wouldn’t be told! :
It’s v. useful for removing all recoverable traces of files (although other places have to be cleared out, of course, before running Eraser). I have some databases containg lots of personal details of about 6000 people, so I keep those secure and run various tools about once a month - just to tidy up.
There is another program I have used for these purposes in the past (before the current avast design) . I shall have to look at how it compares.
I have installed on my system a free program called File Shredder.
I just asked it to perform a clearance of the free space on my C: drive and it proceeded without touching any existing files and did not provoke any self-protection concerns from avast.
So, maybe “nasty little program” is a tad excessive for Eraser … but still … that program shall never have disk space on my system again.
Since I was infected once while ‘just disabling the antivirus for a while’… well, no more.
Is it this one?
http://www.fileshredder.org/
Eraser used to be ‘nasty’, but the latest version seems to work OK.
I did a free space wipe yesterday, did nothing to avast!, and yes, it did balk when it came to an avast! .ini file, but I just clicked ‘yes’ and continued on and there seems to be no ill effects.
I think I’ll look into the file shredder program though.
Thanks.
avast balked for the reasons above … I only downloaded Eraser a few hours ago - and removed all traces of it slightly less than a few hours ago.
Yes that is the program.
Seems promising… faster than Eraser, clean Context Menu… sooner I’ll be an ex-Eraser user 
Ah well! I am rather sad to be down on a product that seems to come from Ireland … the land of quite a lot of my ancestors.
FileShredder doesn’t mention cluster tips and alternate data streams, so if it’s just an overwrite it’s a bit basic.
Eraser is very usefully in the context menu, so erasing files is easy. Its also good for History and Index.dat that some apps won’t do (although I use a couple of free apps. that clear most things).
Been using Eraser for about 5 years with no problems, but I have seen that it didn’t play well with some systems.
As I recall I just told File Shredder to get itself out of my context menu and I noticed that Eraser put itself in there too without my consent. The context menu will get longer than the screen itself in no time if we let all these applications have their way.