CCleaner Questions

[MaximusX]

Today in ccleaner I started a wipe free space(still running) are there any bad things about this or good things?

[Godlygamer23]

I would use it for security purposes. That's about it. It's useless on SSDs(aside from security) usually unless your OS doesn't support TRIM. That could take its place.

[MaximusX]

I would use it for security purposes. That's about it. It's useless on SSDs(aside from security) usually unless your OS doesn't support TRIM. That could take its place.

Whats TRIM? Also does it have any downsides?

[Godlygamer23]

Whats TRIM? Also doe it have any downsides?

Free space on a drive(after say you delete something) isn't really "free." Data is still there. It's just been marked free in the file table. The problem with that is over time SSDs can actually become slower in write performance because more memory cells are full. SSDs normally have some sort of "overflow" memory chips are that used when the user accessible chips become full. Now, you might ask "why does this affect SSD write performance?" It's because when an SSD wants to overwrite data in a memory cell, it can't just overwrite it. It needs to delete the old data and then write the new data, taking up two cycles and causing degradation in write performance. That's where TRIM comes in - it's a command sent out by the OS or software that tells the SSD to delete data in the "free space" area. In most modern OSes, this is automatic, except for Linux based OSes(that I know of).

[MaximusX]

Free space on a drive(after say you delete something) isn't really "free." Data is still there. It's just been marked free in the file table. The problem with that is over time SSDs can actually become slower in write performance because more memory cells are full. SSDs normally have some sort of "overflow" memory chips are that used when the user accessible chips become full. Now, you might ask "why does this affect SSD write performance?" It's because when an SSD wants to overwrite data in a memory cell, it can't just overwrite it. It needs to delete the old data and then write the new data, taking up two cycles and causing degradation in write performance. That's where TRIM comes in - it's a command sent out by the OS or software that tells the SSD to delete data in the "free space" area. In most modern OSes, this is automatic, except for Linux based OSes(that I know of).

I am using a hard drive so...

[Godlygamer23]

I am using a hard drive so...

TRIM is only applicable on SSDs.

[MaximusX]

TRIM is only applicable on SSDs.

So is it useless on hdds besidides security.

[Godlygamer23]

So is it useless on hdds besidides security.

What you're referring to is wiping free space - yes, that is pointless besides making sure that no one can access any data on the drive if you decide to sell it or give it away.

[MaximusX]

What you're referring to is wiping free space - yes, that is pointless besides making sure that no one can access any data on the drive if you decide to sell it or give it away.

Thx for answering my questions, but should I back to a system restore I didn't know what I was doing at first.(The System Restore was taken right before.)

[Godlygamer23]

Thx for answering my questions, but should I back to a system restore I didn't know what I was doing at first.(The System Restore was taken right before.)

It doesn't affect your drive like that. There's no need to perform a System Restore - nothing about the "visible" files have been changed.

[MaximusX]

It doesn't affect your drive like that. There's no need to perform a System Restore - nothing about the "visible" files have been changed.

Ok thanks for the help .