Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with eraser

Why does Eraser crash, or what can I use instead?

wastelands — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 07:53:31 -0800

The Windows program called Eraser fails partway through erasing unused space on my drive. Why? Or, recommend a different, free drive erasing utility? Eraser used to work for me. But for several versions (the last year or so?), it won't complete the "erase unused space" job. I set it to run overnight and it only ran for 30 minutes and erased 9 GBs.

I am running Windows XP SP3 on a three year old Dell system. No other programs running to speak of, no anti-virus or anything like that.

I downloaded the latest version here:
http://www.heidi.ie/node/14

Anybody experienced this or could you recommend an alternative (preferably free) erasing program? I'm thinking of selling my computer once I upgrade to a new one, and I don't want my years of "deleted" data on the HDD.

Thanks!

ID these silicone promotional items!

wtdoor — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 11:52:37 -0800

A friend in Austria sent us these silicone ... things in a Christmas package. They're clearly promotional items for this castle near Salzburg. Are they just random knickknacks, or do they have some other use?

The quest for the best in mechanical pencils

!Jim — Thu, 02 Nov 2006 23:19:20 -0800

I can't be the only MeFite who with a mechanical pencil fetish, help me find the ultimate mechanical pencil. I have just recently discovered the joy of writing with an excellent mechanical pencil. After years of your basic cheapy 10-pack affairs, I finally bought a Pentel Sharp, and it's a wonderful thing. The thing feeds super smoothly, feels solid as a tank and fits my hand quite well.

There's just one problem: the eraser. It has this metal sleeve that fits around the eraser. The eraser inevitably slides around inside the sleeve, which means I have to adjust it back out every time I erase something. On this latest pack of erasers, the sleeve actually fits into the barrel for some reason, which causes all kinds of problems with the eraser getting stuck inside the pen, meaning I have to get something sharp and jab it out!

So help me, hive-mind, what have been the best mechanical pencils you've used?