WipeFreeSpace Files

This is the README file for wipefreespace, a program for secure wiping
 of free space on file systems.

Wipefreespace wipes the following things (when supported by the backing
 library):
- free space (space in unused blocks/clusters)
- free space in partially used blocks (also called the "slack space")
- deleted files' names and other data that can be used to undelete a file
  (like the journal)
Wipefreespace does NOT decrease the amount of available free space when
 working.

NOTE: it is best to use this program on un-mounted file systems, what
 makes sure the journal is committed.

NOTE: if a block is damaged, it is only wiped until the first error. There is
 no guarantee that it will be fully wiped.

================================================================

Requirements for compiling the full version:

- a working C compiler. XFS, ReiserFS, Reiser4 and NTFS support require the
  'long long' data type. NTFS support may require the gcc compiler.
  C++ compilers won't work due to variable casts.

- development package for the C library (like glibc-devel and glibc-headers)

- the 'make' program

- Ext2/3/4: the development package for the ext2 file system library, libext2fs
  (usually included in something like e2fsprogs-devel). If you don't have
  anything like this installed or available (check twice), then go to
  	http://e2fsprogs.sf.net/
  Then compile and install that package. Ext4 support requires new versions,
  like 1.41.

- NTFS: the development package for the NTFS file system library,
  ntfs3g-ntfsprogs. If you don't have anything like this installed or
  available (check twice), then go to
	http://www.tuxera.com/community/ntfs-3g-download/
  Then compile and install that package. You can also use libntfs (usually
  included in something like ntfsprogs-devel).

- XFS: xfsprogs installed and in your PATH variable, if you want XFS support.
  Get these at http://oss.sgi.com/projects/xfs/. The following utilities
  should be available: xfs_db, xfs_freeze, xfs_unfreeze. The xfs_db program
  should support the following command-line options: "-i", "-c" and the
  following interactive mode commands: "quit", "freesp -d", "blockget -n",
  "ncheck", "sb 0", "print". Version 2.7.11 is enough, earlier versions will
  probably also work.

- ReiserFSv3: development package for reiserfsprogs (header files - *.h - and
  compiled static libraries - *.a - from the package). ReiserFS requires either
  the fork() function (unistd.h) and one of the waitpid(), wait() functions
  (sys/wait.h), the mntent.h header file (with at least one of its functions
  - getmntent() or getmntent_r()).

  If you're having trouble compiling, try to apply the patch first:
	patch -F10 -p1 < /path/to/wipefreespace-XX/patches/reiser-3.6.XX-compile-fix.diff

  See below for other patches that may be necessary.

- Reiser4: development package for reiser4progs, libuuid (e2fsprogs or
  e2fsprogs-libs), libaal and the mntent.h header file. Go to
  	http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/utils/fs/reiser4/
  and
  	http://e2fsprogs.sf.net/
  to get the libraries. After installing, libmisc.a needs to be copied
  in the same place as libreiser4.a, but under a different name,
  libreiser4misc.a:

  cp reiser4progs-XX/libmisc/.libs/libmisc.a /dst/path/libreiser4misc.a

  Libmisc.a is in reiser4progs, of course. Nobody thought it would be
  needed, but libreiser4.a is useless without it.

- FAT12/16/32: tffs-lib, the Tiny FAT FS library. Go to
	https://github.com/likema/tffs-lib
  to get the library (former address: http://code.google.com/p/tffs-lib/).
  To make WipeFreeSpace work faster, apply the patch that removes synchronising
  the filesystem from TFFS (WipeFreeSpace does its own synchronising):

	patch -F10 -p0 < /path/to/wipefreespace-XX/patches/tffs-speed.diff

  If you experience crashes (especially on x64), you may try to apply three
  more patches:

     patch -F10 -p0 < /path/to/wipefreespace-XX/patches/tffs-free-fix.diff
     patch -F10 -p0 < /path/to/wipefreespace-XX/patches/tffs-overflow-fix.diff
     patch -F10 -p0 < /path/to/wipefreespace-XX/patches/tffs-fat-eof-fix.diff
     patch -F10 -p0 < /path/to/wipefreespace-XX/patches/tffs-dir-fix.diff

  After applying any patch, you need to recompile and install the library -
  libtffs.a - and ALL its header files - *.h - (including the private ones,
  from the src directory).

- MinixFS: "mfstool", the MinixFS tool. Go to
	http://mfstool.sourceforge.net/
  to get this program. Before compiling, perform:

  	sed -i 's/opt_squash/0/g' `ls *.c | egrep -v main`

  then compile the program (./configure && make), then perform

  	ar surf libminixfs.a `ls *.o | egrep -v main`

  Then copy the files libminixfs.a, minix_fs.h and protos.h to a directory
  where the C compiler can find them (or put the correct -I and -L options
  in the compiler flags). You can use the provided patches to do this
  instead of the sed command:

	patch -F10 -p1 < /path/to/wipefreespace-XX/patches/mfstool-0.5.diff

- JFS: jfsutils and libuuid (the <uuid/uuid.h> header file). Go to
	http://jfs.sourceforge.net/
  to get jfsutils. Libuuid can be a part of "util-linux-ng", which can be
  found on the kernel site:
	ftp://ftp.kernel.org/pub/linux/utils/util-linux-ng/
  or as a part of e2fsprogs available at
  	http://e2fsprogs.sf.net/

  Compile jfsutils, then copy all the jfs_*.h header files from the
  "include" subdirectory and the libfs.a file to a directory where the
  C compiler can find them (or put the correct -I and -L options in the
  compiler flags).

  If you're having trouble compiling, try to apply the patch first:
	patch -F10 -p1 < /path/to/wipefreespace-XX/patches/jfsutils-1.1.11-compile-fix.diff

- HFS+: the "hfsplus" package. Go to
https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+archive/primary/+files/hfsplus_1.0.4.orig.tar.gz
  to get it. Before compiling, apply the patch:

	patch -F10 -p1 < /path/to/wipefreespace-XX/patches/hfsplus-1.0.4.diff

  After compiling, install all the libraries - *.a - and ALL the header
  files - *.h - from the libhfsp/src/ directory where the C compiler can
  find them (or put the correct -I and -L options in the compiler flags).

- OCFS: the "ocfs2-tools" series 1.6.x package (other versions also work, but
  disable wiping undelete data in such case). Go to
	http://oss.oracle.com/projects/ocfs2-tools/
  to get it. Then compile and install that package.

  If you're having trouble compiling, try to apply the patch first:
	patch -F10 -p1 < /path/to/wipefreespace-XX/patches/ocfs2-tools-1.6.4-compile-fix.diff

WARNING: Some filesystem backends may not be compatible. Read the full
README file in the documentation.

Type

	./configure

to configure the program for your system.
Type

	make

to compile the program.
Type

	make install

to install the program (NOT recommended) or read below on how to make an
RPM package (recommended).

Type 'info wipefreespace' to get help.

Syntax:

	wipefreespace [options] /dev/XY [...]

Command line options:

--all-zeros		Use only zeros for wiping
--background		Continue work in the background, if possible. This
			disables verbose mode.
-b|--superblock <off>	Superblock offset on the given filesystems
-B|--blocksize <size>	Block size on the given filesystems
-f|--force		Wipe even if the file system has errors
-h|--help		Print help
--last-zero		Perform additional wiping with zeros
-l|--license|--licence	Print license information
--method <name>		Use the given method for wiping (read below)
-n|--iterations NNN	Number of passes (greater than 0)
--nopart		Do NOT wipe free space in partially used blocks
--nounrm		Do NOT wipe undelete information
--nowfs			Do NOT wipe free space on file system
--no-wipe-zero-blocks	Do NOT wipe all-zero blocks on file system (useful for
			virtual/sparse devices, where empty areas are read as
			all-zeros and do not take physical space unless
			actually written to)
--use-dedicated		Use the program dedicated for the given filesystem
			type if supported. Fallback to WipeFreeSpace if
			unsupported (currently, only 'ntfswipe' is supported)
--use-ioctl		Disable device caching during work (can be DANGEROUS).
			NOTE: this may not work for sub-partitions on drives.
			To disable the cache, run the 'hdparm' utility with
			the correct options to disable the cache before
			running wipefreespace and enable the cache afterwards.
-v|--verbose		Verbose output. Use twice for more. This also enables
			progress bars, but be warned: these may not always be
			accurate or increase at a constant rate.
-V|--version		Print version number

The '/dev/XY' part stands for a device with a supported file system.
 Examples: /dev/hda1, /dev/fd0. More than one device can be given on the
 command line, but they will be wiped sequentially, NOT in
 multiple threads. WipeFreeSpace is not multi-threaded and probably
 won't be, because the libraries used can be not thread-safe.
 But, you can run multiple WipeFreeSpace processes (but not wiping the same
 filesystem) in multiple terminals (or under screen/nohup) as a substitute
 for multi-threading.

The following method names (case-insensitive) are available:
 - Gutmann (method similar to Gutmann's, the default, 36 passes)
 - random (shred-like, 25 passes)
 - schneier (Shneier's method, 7 passes, contains ITSG-06)
 - dod (DoD, 3 passes, contains NAVSO P-5239-26 and German Federal
   Office for Information Security)
Each given filesystem is wiped ONLY ONCE, no matter how many times it
 appears on the command line.
WipeFreeSpace also works for file systems created inside regular
 files on any host file system.

NOTE: wiping with just one pattern at a time (-n 1) will NOT perform wiping
 with all patterns of the given method one by one, it will always use the
 first pattern. However, it will be MUCH faster than any "full" method.
 If you need just random wiping, run

	wipefreespace -n 1 /dev/XY

 a few times in a row.

Any option affects all filesystems given on the command line, not just
 the ones following it.

To perform a command after wiping (like sending e-mail), simply run a
 program after WipeFreeSpace is finished, for example:

	wipefreespace [options] /dev/XY; mail [options]

 or in a script:

	#!/bin/bash
	wipefreespace [options] /dev/XY
	mail [options]

To run WipeFreeSpace with a higher or lower priority, simply use the
 "renice" utility, for example:

	renice +1 $(pidof wipefreespace)