http://www.vb-helper.com/HowTo/cleandsk.zip

	Purpose
Erase a 1.44MB floppy disk so it cannot be recovered.

	Method
See below.

Note that this method is fairly secure and should prevent data from being
retrieved using normal data recovery software. It will NOT prevent serious
data recovery experts like certain government agencies from recovering
some or all of the data. If you want to protect your data from everyone,
shred and burn your disk.

	Author
This program was provided by Kenneth Ives.

	Disclaimer
This example program is provided "as is" with no warranty of any kind. It is
intended for demonstration purposes only. In particular, it does no error
handling. You can use the example in any form, but please mention
www.vb-helper.com and the original author Kenneth Ives, kenives@cmpu.net.

-------------------------------------

CleanA.EXE Demo (3/17/98)
Example of cleaning all data off a 1.44mb disk in the same
amount of time (if not less) than it takes to do a full
format.

Author - Kenneth Ives  
         kenives@cmpu.net

Any updates or comments, please write.

-------------------------------------

All of my routines have been compiled with VB5 Service Pack 3.
There are several locations on the web to obtain these 
modules if you have not installed VB5 Service Pack 3.  I did
not use any customized controls other that those that are
distributed with VB5.

[This version was converted in VB4 by Rod Stephens, VB Helper.]

-------------------------------------
CleanA uses multiple VB code snippet examples.  

The main purpose of the program is to completely and securely
erase all data from a 1.44mb diskette in drive A:.  Believe it
or not, but just formatting a diskette may sometimes leave
sensitive data fragments behind.  This program will perform four
functions in the same amount of time it takes to do a full 
format of a diskette.  They are:

     1.  Erase the VTOC (Volume Table Of Contents)
     2.  Fill the disk with &h00 (Chr(0))
     3.  Fill the disk with &hFF (Chr(255))
     4.  Erase the VTOC one more time

Some of the examples of code snippets within this program:

1.  Building and using a DOS batch program within Windows.
2.  What I consider the proper way to end a program.
3.  Seeing if a particular form has been loaded.  If so,
    then unload it.
4.  Determining if there is enough disk space available on
    the disk. 
5.  Determining if a previous instance of this program is 
    already running.
6.  See the SHFileOP.BAS module for some nice routines.
    Most of them were used in this program.  They are:

      Delay          Time delay without using a Timer control
      FileExist      See whether or not a file exist
      RemoveAllData  Clean all data from a diskette (Did not use)
      RunDosShell    This runs my batch file
      BuildFormatBatFile
                     Actually builds two files.  One that does
                     the quick DOS format and the other that
                     responds to the FORMAT prompts.  
      BuildDummyFile This builds the data file that is dumped on
                     the diskette surface. 


Files included are:
    
	ReadMe.txt         The file you are reading
	CleanA.exe         Demo program
	CleanA.frm         Main form
	Working.frm        File working display form
	PrevInst.bas       Previous instance BAS module
	SHFileOP.bas       Misc BAS routines


Legal Stuff:

Registration - There is none.

Copyright and License - This is freeware to do with as 
you see fit. The author accepts no responsibility for 
any damage or data loss caused by this program.