Config File KILLDISK.INI

KILLDISK.INI is a text file with the list of parameter names and values. All KillDisk settings are stored in the [General] section. The latest version of KillDisk still supports settings stored by previous versions. However, on first run KillDisk exports all settings to SETTINGS.XML file and works with this file thereafter. Structure of SETTINGS.XML file is similar to KILLDISK.INI file, however advanced XML file format being used.

When KillDisk changes its settings (erase method, certificate options, etc…) all the current values are saved to the SETTINGS.XML file (older versions support KILLDISK.INI only) at the location where KillDisk executable resides. These settings used as default values when KillDisk runs the next time.

For the parameter storage the syntax being used:

Parameter=value

Here is an example of an INI file:

[General]

excludeSystemDisk=false

initHD=true

initRD=true

initCD=false

initFD=false

defaultSerialDetectionMethod=2

clearLog=false

logPath=C:\\Program Files\\LSoft Technologies\\Active@ KillDisk\\

logName=killdisk.log

logging=0

shutDown=false

saveToRemovable=false

showCert=true

killMethod=0

killVerification=false

killVerificationPercent=10

initDevice=true

fingerPrint=false

autoEject=false

skipConfirmation=false

wipeMethod=0

wipeVerification=false

wipeVerificationPercent=10

wipeUnusedCluster=true

wipeUnusedBlocks=false

wipeFileSlackSpace=false

wipeInHex=false

wipeUserPattern=Erased by Active@ KillDisk

wipeUserPasses=3

eraseInHex=false

killUserPattern=Erased by Active@ KillDisk

killUserPasses=3

accessDeniedCount=10

retryAtt=3

ignoreErrors=true

saveCert=true

certPath=C:\\Users\\UserName\\certificates\\

hideDefaultLogo=false

computerIDSource=0

showLogo=false

logoFile=

clientName=

companyName=

companyAddress=

companyPhone=

logComments=I hereby state that the data erasure has been carried out in accordance with the instructions given by software provider.

technicianName=Technician

sendSMTP=false

attachCert=true

useDefaultAccount=true

fromSMTP=

toSMTP=

nameSMTP=

portSMTP=2525

authorizeSMTP=false

usernameSMTP= password

SMTP=

mapName=

mapPath=

mapUser=

mapPass=

When KillDisk is running in interactive mode all these parameters can be configured in Preferences accessed by clicking the Preferences menu item from Tools menu or by pressing F2 shortcut. Settings can be changed manually by editing the SETTINGS.XML (or KILLDISK.INI) file in any text editor (such as Notepad etc).

Here is an explanation of all settings supported:

Parameter Default Options
defaultSerialDetectionMethod= 2 1 - use operating system’s DeviceIOControl method
2 - use S.M.A.R.T. information, if device supports it
3 – use Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI), if operating system supports it
showCert= true true/false – option of displaying the Erase/Wipe Certificate for printing after completion
saveCert= false true/false – option of saving the Erase/Wipe Certificate after completion
certPath= Full path to the location where Erase/Wipe Certificate will be saved. This is a directory name
logPath= Full path to the location where log file will be saved. This is a directory name
logName= Name of the log file where event log will be saved to
skipConfirmation= false true/false – whether to display or skip Erase/Wipe confirmation dialog
ignoreErrors= false true/false – whether to display disk writing errors (bad sectors), or ignore them (just place them to the log file)
clearLog= false true/false – whether to truncate log file content before writing new sessions or not (append to existing content)
initDevice= true true/false – whether to initialize disks after erasing complete or no
fingerPrint= false true/false – whether to initialize disk(s) and write fingerprint to the disk’s first sector or no
hideDefaultLogo false true/false – whether to hide default KillDisk logo at the top-left corner of the certificate or no
computerIDSource= 0 0 - Disables showing the computer ID on the certificate
1 - Shows BIOS ID in the certificate
2 - Shows Motherboard ID in the certificate
shutDown= false true/false – whether to shutdown PC after Erase/Wipe execution complete or no
sendSMTP= false true/false – to send e-mail report by email via SMTP
attachCert= false true/false – to attach a PDF certificate to e-mail report being sent
useDefaultAccount= true true/false – use pre-defined Free SMTP account for sending e-mail reports
fromSMTP= E-mail address you’ll get a report from, for example: reports@killdisk.com
toSMTP= E-mail address the report will be sent to
nameSMTP= SMTP server (relay service) being used for sending e-mail reports, for example: www.smtp-server.com
portSMTP= 25 TCP/IP port SMTP service will be connected on. The standard SMTP port is 25. Some internet providers block it on a firewall
authorizeSMTP= false true/false – use SMTP authorization for sending e-mail reports (Username and Password must be defined as well)
usernameSMTP= In case if SMTP service requires authorization, this is SMTP Username
passwordSMTP= In case if SMTP service requires authorization, this is SMTP Password
showLogo= false true/false – whether to display custom Logo (image) on a Certificate or no
logoFile= Full path to the file location where Logo image is stored
clientName= Client Name - custom text to be displayed on a Certificate
technicianName= Technician Name - custom text to be displayed on a Certificate
companyName= Company Name - custom text to be displayed on a Certificate
companyAddress= Company Address - custom text to be displayed on a Certificate
companyPhone= Company Phone - custom text to be displayed on a Certificate
logComments= Any Comments - custom text to be displayed on a Certificate
killMethod= 2 [0-23] – Erase method to use for disk/volume erasing. See table of Erase Methods available. DoD 5220.22-M by default
killVerification= true true/false – whether to use data verification after erase or no
killVerificationPercent= 10 [1-100] – verification percent, in case if data verification is used
killUserPattern= ASCII text to be used for User Defined erase method as a custom pattern
killUserPasses= [1-99] – number of overwrites to be used for User Defined erase method
wipeMethod= 2 [0-23] – Wipe method to use for volume wiping. See table of Erase Methods available. DoD 5220.22-M by default
wipeVerification= true true/false – whether to use data verification after wipe or no
wipeVerificationPercent= 10 [1-100] – verification percent, in case if data verification is used
wipeUserPattern= ASCII text to be used for User Defined wipe method as a custom pattern
wipeUserPasses= [1-99] – number of overwrites to be used for User Defined wipe method
wipeUnusedCluster= True true/false – whether to wipe out all unused clusters on a volume or no
wipeUnusedBlocks= False rue/false – whether to wipe out all unused blocks in system records or no
wipeFileSlackSpace= False true/false – whether to wipe out all file slack space (in last file cluster) or no

When you start KillDisk with or without command line parameters its execution behavior depends on either command line settings (highest priority), settings configured in interactive mode and stored in the settings file (lower priority) or default values (lowest priority).

Default value means that if the settings file is absent or exists, but contains no required parameter, the predefined (default) value is used.