Autoruns vs DriveWipe

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.

DriveWipe is a drive sanitization and management tool for Linux, macOS, and Windows. It lists 27 methods across software, firmware, and hybrid approaches, with full read-back verification and saved-state resumption for interrupted sessions. A single binary provides command-line, terminal UI, and desktop GUI interfaces. Other functions include drive health monitoring, cloning, partition management, and forensic analysis. Drives can be sanitized from bootable USB or ISO media, or through PXE network boot; the project also describes JSONL audit logging and JSON or PDF report generation. Safety controls include boot-drive detection, multi-step wipe confirmation, saved interruption state, and warnings about software wiping SSDs and USB bridges. Root or Administrator privileges are required for raw device access, but not for installation. ATA Secure Erase and TCG Opal crypto erase are unsupported on macOS, and TCG Opal crypto erase is not yet supported on Windows. DriveWipe costs nothing for personal, hobby, and commercial use. Government, intelligence, forensics, and security organizations are expected to support or contribute to development.