Surf the Web and Leave ZERO Traces

How to Surf the Web and Leave no Traces on Your Computer – Ever!
(Written for Windows XP, and 7 , it could work for Windows 8, I just refuse to upgrade to Windows 8 to try it out.)

With the revelations which Edward Snowden has brought to, not just America, but all world citizens as a whole, of the massive surveillance to gather information by the NSA, and the new traiterous laws which have been created in America to allow a 100 mile “No Constititutional Border Zone” giving authorities the ability to take a person’s laptop and search it, I wondered if there was an easy way in which a person using Windows could completely erase their Web surfing tracks in such a way as to appear as thought they never existed in the first place? I found a way.

Here are the steps and software to accomplish this on your computer.

First, download the following two programs:

1. Softperfect RAM Disk, this is available at many freeware sites besides the link below: If the program is not available at this link, DO NOT download and install a similar program named RamDisk. This program uses Microsoft .NET4 framework which I do not recommend you use. http://www.softperfect.com/products/ramdisk/

2. Next, you will need the portable version of Firefox Web Browser. This version of Firefox includes all the components necessary to install this Web browser on say a portable flash drive. For this project you will NOT need to purchase a portable flash drive. http://portableapps.com/apps/internet/firefox_portable

Putting Your FREEDOM Browser to Work for You.

Okay, you have the above two programs downloaded. Now it’s time to put them together to make your computer, your surfing, and all of the cached content of each surfing session completely vanish as though it never existed.

Click on ramdisk_setup.exe in your downloaded files and execute the program. Once it has completed installation, you will have a new program that has an icon that looks like a “golden ram” either directly on your task bar or inside it, if you do not see it on your task bar, simply click the up arrow icon at the bottom of your screen – when you hover your mouse over the “golden ram” icon it should display the following information, “SoftPerfect RAM disk 3.4.3″.

Click on the icon to bring up the main screen of the program. Once the program is open, on the top menu bar you should see the following choices: FILE, DISK, IMAGE, HELP. Click on “DISK”.

In this window you are going to make a new drive for your computer. But unlike a flash drive, or any other type of drive that physically exists, this drive is totally made up of RAM, (Random Access Memory). Random Access Memory only exists while your computer is turned on, once you turn off your computer, it disappears as though it never existed. Starting to get the picture?

Okay, now you’re going to create a new disappearing disk drive that is going to act in every way just like any other physical drive you have on your computer. Go ahead and click on “DISK” in the top menu bar. The very first selection will be “ADD”. Choose this selection.

Next, a new screen will appear called “DISK INFORMATION”, this is where you are going to create a new RAM disk on your computer. Here are the easy steps to complete this step:

1. “SIZE” – you can make the new RAM drive as large as you like of the available RAM you have, you can see how much RAM you have right under the “SIZE” (MB) box, example – 3492 MB free. For this project we are going to create a drive which is 250 MB, so move the up arrow to 250 MB.

2. Next is “MOUNT OPTIONS” – (The Drive Letter), a designation should already be in this box, but you can choose what you like by clicking the down arrow icon. I will go with “Z” since this is the last letter in the alphabet and most everyone should have this designation available to use.

2b. There are now four boxes to choose from, for this project you’ll be putting a check mark in “WIPE MEMORY ON DISMOUNT” box.

2c. Next is “FILE SYSTEM”, for this project leave the box as “RAW”, you can play around with all of these selections and build different drives later, but please use the selections I have chosen for this project.

2d. Click the box on the bottom “OK”.

Now, in the main screen of the RAMdisk program you should see a green check mark next to drive Z: 250MB RAW RH, and at the bottom it will say “1 RAM DISKS MOUNTED” and then the amount of RAM which is free.

3. Minimize this screen using the (minus) icon in the top right hand side of the program.

Next, you will click on the Windows Explorer icon on the bottom menu of your computer, it’s next to the “Start” button, and choose the new drive you just created (Z:), it should be visible under “My Computer”.

When you click on Z: a screen is going to pop up and say something like, “THIS DRIVE NEEDS TO BE FORMATTED TO USE”, click yes, and drive Z: will be instantly formatted and made available by Windows as an actual physical disk drive.

Once your new RAM drive has been created, now you want to use it, so go into Windows explorer again and go to the area where you downloaded the FirefoxPortable application and copy this file into your new drive Z:.

Do that now by clicking ONCE on the file to highlight it with your left mouse button, then clicking once to copy it with your right mouse button. To move it to your new Z: drive simply click the right mouse button again and choose “PASTE”. You’ll see it being copied to drive Z:.

Almost Finished.

Click on the FireFox folder in your new Z: drive and unpack the file to the Z: drive. (IMPORTANT) – when unpacking make sure you are unpacking to drive Z:, it should show this automatically but if it doesn’t show this drive you must manually insert the drive letter Z: into the box then unpack it.

Once the program upacks in your new Z: drive you’ll want to double click on the Firefox folder icon which is present, another folder will appear and you will click on this folder, and then a smaller folder will appear, click this folder and you should see 3 small folders “APP”, “DATA”, “OTHER”, then two icons for “FirefoxPortable” and “HELP”.

((((This last step is very important for you to do, this makes it so easy to launch FireFoxPortable in the future.))))

Using the right mouse button click once on the FirefoxPortable icon in this folder and choose “PIN TO THE TASK BAR”, this step will put a small icon on the bottom menu of your main Windows screen for you to launch FirefoxPortable. Now go ahead and close this screen and you’re finished.

Show Me Yours

Let’s go over what you have now, and what you do not have.

First, let’s go over what you DO NOT HAVE.

You do not have an actual drive, once you turn off your computer, everything, including FirefoxPortable is going to disappear, because the new drive Z: you just created is made up of RAM memory and since RAM memory only exists when your computer is on, it will disappear when you turn your computer off. Of course, that means all your surfing tracks disappear too, as well as all cached Web site destinations, all history, all graphics, everything you do in this portable browser will vanish like a fart in the wind. So, do you need a program to clean your Web surfing tracks? Yes, but not for drive Z:. Do you need to worry about surprise inspections of your laptop, not in drive Z:, because it does not exist once you turn off your computer.

Now, what DO YOU HAVE.

As long as you have the RamDisk program on your computer and you have not uninstalled it, you have the ability to instantly create a drive Z: or any other available drive letter on your computer, or any combination of drives with your choice of MB sizes in the future. You have a container which allows you to download movies, music, and anything else you please, all knowing that with the touch of a button, (the power button of your laptop), it will all instantly disappear.

And lastly, you have two programs on your real physical drive which you just downloaded, Softperfect RAM Disk and FirefoxPortable. I recommend that you copy these two files to a portable drive to keep so that if they disappear suddenly, you’ll always have them. And last, you have a secure way to cruise the Internet and leave no traces whatsoever by simply creating this virtual drive and installing FirefoxPortable inside.

What if I don’t want to lose my browser, what can I do?

If you are at home and are not worried about traveling, there is a safe and easy way to keep your RAMdrives from disappearing on your computer. To do this, simply choose “SLEEP” instead of “SHUTDOWN” when you want to take a break or go to bed. This will keep everything intact for your next surfing session.

I can’t get FirefoxPortable to access the Web:

You shouldn’t have any issues getting on the Web, this drive is as accepted by Windows as any other drive on your computer. But, if you do, check your Firewall by turning it off. If you are able to access the Web with your firewall off, the problem is your Firewall. You will have to figure out what the problem is with your own firewall.

What about Firefox Add-ons?

Yes, some add-ons work well in this configuration for FirefoxPortable, you’ll have to play around with each to determine which works well for you. One of the most important in my view is Adblocker. For those of you who do not use Firefox, Adblocker is a wonderful add-on that prevents advertisements from displaying on the pages you visit. This is important as advertisements not only are annoying, many also track you from one Web site to another. The reason Adblocker works so well is that the browser does not need to close for it to become activated.

What about Proxies?

Yes, Web based proxies work well. Proxies that install software, probably not, as they also install hooks for your browser and since this installation of FirefoxPortable is purely virtual, it probably will not work, although I have not tried it personally. Web based proxies work well as they do not need additional software services to be activated. Just visit the online proxy, type in the Web destination you want to visit and go.

I hope this helps you enjoy freedom once again.

Happy Free-dom Surfing

Boxed in Freight