Autoruns vs BCWipe Total WipeOut

Autoruns shows programs and drivers configured to run during Windows boot, login, or when certain built-in Windows applications start. It reports startup items from locations such as the Startup folder, Registry keys, Explorer extensions, services, scheduled tasks, and Winlogon entries. Users can hide signed Microsoft entries to focus on third-party items, inspect startup images configured for other accounts, and disable an entry or delete its configuration. Scan options include signature verification and VirusTotal hash checks; submitting files not previously scanned requires the upload option, and VirusTotal features require accepting its terms. The download includes Autorunsc, a command-line version that can output CSV or tab-delimited data, verify signatures, and scan an offline Windows system. The Autoruns and Autorunsc download is listed as 3 MB, and Microsoft offers a Sysinternals Live option. Autoruns costs nothing, with no limit on installation or use on devices owned or supported by the user, but no redistribution license. Microsoft says Sysinternals tools are provided as is without official support and points users to a community forum.

BCWipe Total WipeOut erases complete storage devices before reuse, disposal, or redeployment. It covers HDDs, SSDs, NVMe, SSHDs, Mac drives, and removable media, including boot records, file-system structures, operating system files, and hidden HPA and DCO areas. The software detects drive types such as SSD and NVMe and applies drive-aware policies, including hardware erasure commands. It supports more than 14 erasure standards, with schemes including DoD and NIST. For organizations, Enterprise Console can wipe multiple computers over a network through a web browser and automate tasks for computer groups. It supports Administrator, Operator, and Auditor roles and creates tamper-proof PDF certificates with erasure details, verification results, and hardware diagnostics. Jetico says the product passed the ADISA Claims Test Process on sample HDDs and SSDs. The software is listed for Linux, macOS, and Windows; wiping from bootable media is OS-independent, but Windows is needed to create the bootable disk. The 21-day free trial includes one-pass wiping; licensed versions include the full set of wiping schemes.