# NTFSWIPE(8) - man - phpMan

[NTFSWIPE(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/NTFSWIPE/8/markdown)                            System Manager's Manual                           [NTFSWIPE(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/NTFSWIPE/8/markdown)



## NAME
       ntfswipe - overwrite unused space on an NTFS volume

## SYNOPSIS
       **ntfswipe** [_options_] _device_

## DESCRIPTION
       **ntfswipe**  clears  all or part of unused space on an NTFS volume by overwriting with zeroes or
       random bytes.

## OPTIONS
       Below is a summary of all the options that **ntfswipe** accepts.  Nearly  all  options  have  two
       equivalent  names.  The short name is preceded by **-** and the long name is preceded by **--**.  Any
       single letter options, that don't take an argument, can be combined into  a  single  command,
       e.g.  **-fv** is equivalent to **-f** **-v**.  Long named options can be abbreviated to any unique prefix
       of their name.

### -a --all
              Wipe all unused space. This may take significant time. If the option --unused-fast (or
              -U) is also present, the faster wiping method is used.

### -b --bytes
              Define  the allowed replacement bytes which are drawn randomly to overwrite the unused
              space. BYTE-LIST is a comma-separated list of values in range 0-255 expressed  in  oc‐
              tal, decimal or hexadecimal base.

### -c --count
              Define  the  number  of  times  the unused space is to be overwritten. If both options
              **--bytes** and **--count** are set, the space is repeatedly overwritten this number of  times
              by each of the values in the list.

### -d --directory
              Wipe all the directory indexes, which may contain names of deleted files.

### -f --force
              This  will  override  some sensible defaults, such as not using a mounted volume.  Use
              this option with caution.

### -h --help
              Show a list of options with a brief description of each one.

### -i --info
              Display details about unused space, without wiping anything.

### -l --logfile
              Overwrite the logfile (update journal).

### -m --mft
              Overwrite the unused space in the MFT (main file table, which contains the file names,
              and the contents of short files).

### -n --no-action
              Executes the wiping process without writing to device.

### -p --pagefile
              Overwrite the Windows swap space.

### -q --quiet
              Suppress some debug/warning/error messages.

### -s --undel
              Overwrite the space which had been allocated to a file which has been deleted recently
              and is still undeletable. This option is not compatible with **--bytes** and the  replace‐
              ment bytes are random ones or taken from a standard list.

### -t --tails
              Overwrite the space at the end of files which is unused, but allocated because the al‐
              locations are always done by full clusters.

### -u --unused
              Overwrite the space which is currently not allocated to any file (but  may  have  been
              used in the past).

### -U --unused-fast
              Overwrite  the space which is currently not allocated to any file, trying not to over‐
              write the space not written to since the previous wiping.

### -v --verbose
              Display more debug/warning/error messages. This option may be used  twice  to  display
              even more messages.

### -V --version
              Show the version number, copyright and license of **ntfswipe**.

## EXAMPLES
       Wipe out all unused space in an NTFS volume.

              **ntfswipe** **-a** **/dev/sda1**

       Wipe out all deleted file names from an NTFS volume.

              **ntfswipe** **-dms** **/dev/sda1**


## BUGS
       There are no known problems with **ntfswipe**.  If you find a bug please send an email describing
       the problem to the development team:
       <ntfs-3g-devel@lists.sf.net>

## AUTHORS
       **ntfswipe** was written by Richard Russon, Anton Altaparmakov and Yura Pakhuchiy.  It was ported
       to ntfs-3g by Erik Larsson.

## AVAILABILITY
       **ntfswipe** is part of the **ntfs-3g** package and is available from:
       <https://github.com/tuxera/ntfs-3g/wiki/>

## SEE ALSO
       [**ntfs-3g**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/ntfs-3g/8/markdown), [**ntfsls**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/ntfsls/8/markdown), [**ntfsprogs**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/ntfsprogs/8/markdown)



ntfs-3g 2021.8.22                             June 2014                                  [NTFSWIPE(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/NTFSWIPE/8/markdown)