Before running a task, BCWipe warns you about System Protection active on your computer and recommends turning it off.
It is necessary to disable System Protection because the system saves copies of all files that were changed or deleted. Copies of files stored in the System Protection archive are named 'Shadow Copies'. Here is an example of how it works:
- Create a restore point.
- Then choose any file (for example any .txt file) and edit it. The right-click drop-down menu for this file will offer to select ‘Restore previous version’. When clicking this option you will see that there is a Shadow Copy available.
- Press ‘Shift-delete’ for this file.
- Create a file with the same name. The right-click drop-down menu for this file will offer to select ‘Restore previous version’. When clicking this option you will see that there is a Shadow Copy still available.
- Therefore, you could easily restore the previously deleted file.
This clarifies why it is so important to turn off System Restore before wiping.
On Windows 10, 'Restore previous version' command has been removed from user interface, but it is still possible to access previous versions of files stored in Restore Points using Shadow Explorer.
On Windows XP this is not such a critical issue - if you wipe files with System Restore ON, then it would not cause a security leak because it does not concern your private data: On Windows XP, System Restore Points only include files needed for system boot.