1.1  System Requirements

USB Driver Requirements

For Android devices, a manufacturer USB driver must be installed on the PC:

For iPhone, iTunes or the Apple Devices app (Microsoft Store) must be installed — it includes the Apple USB driver.

1.2  Installation Steps

• 1
  Run the installer

  Double-click PIWIPE_Setup_x.x.x.exe. If Windows SmartScreen appears, click "Run anyway". Confirm the UAC prompt.
• 2
  Visual C++ Runtime

  The installer automatically installs VC++ 2015–2022 Redistributable. If it is already present, this step is silently skipped.
• 3
  Choose installation directory

  Default: C:\Program Files\PIWIPE Windows\. Changing this is not recommended. Click Next to continue.
• 4
  Complete and launch

  A desktop shortcut is created. On first launch, right-click → Run as administrator.

1.3  First Login and License Activation

The login screen appears when the application starts. Sign in with your ProİMHA account (email + password).

• 1
  Sign in

  Enter your email and password. If you don't have an account, one can be created at piwipe.com or via an invitation from your organization administrator.
• 2
  License and credit check

  License status and remaining credits are fetched automatically from Firebase. A warning displays if the license is expired or credits are insufficient.
• 3
  Complete company information

  On first use, go to Settings → Company Info and fill in your details. This information appears in the header of all generated PDF reports.

1.4  Interface Overview

2.1  What Are Credits?

PIWIPE deducts 1 credit after each successfully completed wipe. A credit check is performed before every operation — if the balance is zero, wiping cannot be started and a warning screen is shown.

2.2  Credit Packages and Pricing

For high-volume use, the Enterprise package offers the best value. For custom volume pricing, contact info@piwipe.com.

2.3  Payment Methods

Card Payment (PayTR)

• 1
  Open the credit request screen

  Click the credit indicator in the top bar, or navigate to Reports → Add Credits.
• 2
  Select a package and pay

  Click Pay by Card. You are redirected to the PayTR secure payment page. Once payment is complete, credits are loaded to your account automatically.

Bank Transfer / Wire

Transfer the exact amount to the IBAN below and include your registered email address in the payment description. Credits are loaded manually after verification (during business hours, typically same day).

Account holder: Tekniknokta Bilişim Mühendislik Hizmetleri İnşaat Proje Çözümleri Ltd.Şti.

License Key Activation

If you have a license key provided by your organization administrator, enter it in Settings → License Key. Credits are added immediately upon successful activation.

2.4  Out of Credits — What To Do?

When credits reach 0, wiping is blocked and a warning screen is shown.

1. Fastest method: Card payment via PayTR — credits appear within minutes.
2. Wire transfer: Same business day if received during business hours, otherwise the next working day.
3. Via organization admin: Contact the PIWIPE support team — info@piwipe.com.

3.1  Connecting an Android Device

Enable USB Debugging

• 1
  Open Developer Options

  Go to Settings → About Phone → Build Number and tap it 7 times in a row until you see "You are now a developer".
• 2
  Enable USB Debugging

  Go to Settings → Developer Options → USB Debugging and toggle it on.
• 3
  Connect and trust

  Connect the device via USB. When the "Allow USB debugging / Trust this computer" dialog appears on the phone, tap Allow and check "Always allow from this computer".

3.2  Connecting an iPhone

The Apple USB driver must be present on the system (installed with iTunes or the Apple Devices app).

• 1
  Install iTunes or Apple Devices

  Install the Apple Devices app from the Microsoft Store (recommended), or download iTunes from apple.com/itunes. Either option installs the required Apple USB driver.
• 2
  Unlock iPhone and connect

  Unlock the device with your passcode, then connect via USB. A "Trust This Computer" prompt appears on-screen — tap Trust and enter your passcode to confirm.
• 3
  Pairing complete

  PIWIPE creates a pairing file. Once done, the iPhone appears in the left panel. Keep the device unlocked throughout the session.

3.3  iPhone Parts Verification

When an iPhone is selected in the left panel, a Parts Verification table appears automatically in the right panel. The original factory-recorded serial numbers stored on the device are compared against the serial numbers currently read from each component — revealing which parts may have been replaced.

Checked Components

Reading the Results Table

The parts verification table shows three columns for each component:

What Does "Possibly Replaced" Mean?

When a component shows Possibly Replaced, it indicates that the component may have been changed since the device left the factory. Common reasons include:

• Repair performed by an unauthorised (non-Apple) service provider
• Component swapped by the user
• Repair at an Apple Authorised Service Centre (in some cases the factory record may not be updated)

In second-hand device buyback workflows, this result can serve as a signal to inspect the device more closely and apply a price adjustment accordingly.

Certificate Integration

The detected status of each component (Original / Possibly Replaced / Unknown) is automatically included in the PDF certificate. This is especially valuable for second-hand device buyback companies: the component history can be documented at the time of purchase and delivered to the customer as a legally valid, auditable report.

3.4  Wipe Method Comparison

After selecting a device in the left panel, choose a wipe standard from the right panel before starting.

3.5  Progress Tracking and Certificate

Once the wipe starts, the phases appear in the right panel in real time:

3.6  Estimated Wipe Times

Times vary by device type, storage capacity and selected standard. The values below are approximate estimates for typical conditions.

4.1  Connecting and Detecting Disks

PIWIPE uses WMI (Windows Management Instrumentation) to scan for disks. Disks already connected when the app starts are detected immediately; newly plugged-in disks appear in the left panel within a few seconds.

Supported Disk Interfaces

Detection by Connection Method

4.2  Reading and Interpreting SMART Data

When a disk is selected, SMART (Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology) data is displayed in the right panel. These values reflect the disk's health and usage history.

4.3  Disk Wipe Standards

What Is NVMe Sanitize?

On SSDs supporting the NVMe protocol, PIWIPE issues a hardware-level Sanitize command to the disk controller. This erases all NAND cells — including reserved areas, wear-levelling cells and over-provisioned space inaccessible to software. It is more thorough than software-based methods and typically faster. If the disk does not support the Sanitize command, PIWIPE automatically falls back to NIST SP 800-88 and notes this in the certificate.

Detection and Erasure of Hidden Disk Areas

Beyond the standard wipe pass, PIWIPE detects and clears three hidden areas that could otherwise prevent full disk coverage:

Before wiping begins, PIWIPE queries the disk via ATA commands to detect HPA and DCO; if found, they are removed so the wipe covers the disk's true capacity. For remapped sectors, the Reallocated Sector Count value is read from SMART data and recorded in the certificate.

4.4  Estimated Wipe Times

The times below are calculated by the application's estimation engine. Actual duration may vary depending on disk health, system load and hardware.

5.1  Automatic Certificate Generation

No manual steps are required. When a wipe completes successfully, PIWIPE:

1. Writes a certificate record to Firestore (wipe_reports/{certId} for phones, wipe_sessions/{certId} for disks).
2. Generates a PDF report and saves it to Documents\PIWIPE\DD.MM.YYYY\.
3. Uploads a backup copy to Firebase Storage.
4. Deducts 1 credit from the account.

PDF Report Structure

5.2  QR Code Verification

Each PDF has a QR code in the bottom-right corner. Scanning it opens:

https://piwipe-phone.web.app/verify/PW-2026-XXXXX

This verification page requires no login and can be shared with customers. It retrieves certificate data directly from Firestore and displays:

• Device type (📱 Phone or 💿 Disk), brand and model
• Wipe standard and completion date/time
• Company name, operator and authorized person
• Certificate ID and validity status
• Certificate validity period (1 year from the date of issue)

5.3  SHA-256 Integrity Hash

An integrity hash is computed for each certificate using the following inputs and printed on the PDF:

SHA-256( certId + IMEI/SerialNumber + endTime )

This hash can be used to independently verify that the report has not been tampered with. Any modification to the document will produce a different hash.

5.4  Digital Signature (PKCS#7 / PFX)

When Settings → Digital Signature is enabled, a PKCS#7 detached signature is embedded in the PDF.

• Adobe Acrobat Reader displays a "Signed and all signatures are valid" banner.
• If no custom PFX is configured, the auto-generated default certificate is used.
• For corporate use, load your own PFX file via Settings → Custom PFX (see Chapter 6).

SHA-256 Hash vs. Digital Signature — What's the Difference?

PIWIPE certificates use two separate security layers. They are different technologies and complement each other.

SHA-256 Verification Hash (Server-Side)

For each certificate, when erasure completes, critical data (device info, standard, start/end time, result) is combined and converted into a single hash string using the SHA-256 algorithm. This hash is both written into the PDF and saved to the certificates collection in Firestore.

• How verification works: When the QR code or verify link on the certificate is opened, the system compares the hash in the PDF with the hash in Firestore. If they match, the certificate is authentic.
• What it proves: That the certificate data (date, device, result) has not been altered since it was created. If someone edits the PDF and changes a date or result, the hash won't match.
• Limitation: Requires an internet connection — a query is made to the server.
• Analogy: The reference number on a bank statement — authenticity is verified by comparing it against bank records.

PKCS#7 Digital Signature (File-Side)

The entire PDF file is cryptographically signed using the private key from the PFX certificate. This signature is embedded inside the PDF's internal structure and cannot be separated from the file.

• How verification works: Adobe Acrobat, Foxit, or any standard PDF reader automatically verifies the signature when the file is opened. If the signature is valid, a green banner is shown at the top.
• What it proves: That not even a single byte of the PDF file has been changed since it was signed. The file itself is portable proof — it can be verified without connecting to any server.
• Limitation: If the certificate is self-signed, Adobe may show "signature valid but not trusted." This warning disappears with a CA-issued certificate.
• Analogy: A notary seal — the seal is on the document itself; authenticity can be determined without visiting the notary.

Side-by-Side Comparison

5.5  Bulk Report Export

In the Reports screen, select multiple certificates with checkboxes for bulk operations:

6.1  Company Information

This information appears in the header section of PDF reports. Filling it in accurately is important for legal validity and customer-facing documentation.

Company Logo

• 1
  Go to Settings → Company Info → Logo

  Click the folder icon to open the file picker.
• 2
  Select a PNG or JPG file

  Recommended size: 300 × 100 px, transparent background (PNG). Oversized files are scaled automatically.
• 3
  Save

  All PDFs generated from this point on will include the logo in the top-left corner of Page 1.

6.2  Digital Signature — Custom PFX Setup

Enabling the Default Signature

Toggle Digital Signature on. The ProİMHA default certificate is used automatically — no additional configuration is needed.

Loading a Custom PFX File

• 1
  Enable "Use Custom PFX"

  In the Digital Signature card in Settings, enable the Use Custom PFX option.
• 2
  Select the PFX file

  Click the folder icon and select your .pfx or .p12 file.
• 3
  Enter the PFX password

  Type the password in the designated field. It is stored locally in encrypted form and never transmitted.
• 4
  Save and verify

  Click Save. Perform a test wipe and open the PDF in Adobe Acrobat Reader — a green signature banner confirms the certificate is working correctly.

6.3  Cloud Report Sending

Send Reports to Firebase toggle:

6.4  System Disk Visibility

Show system disks toggle:

7.1  Logging In to the Web Panel

https://piwipe-phone.web.app

Sign in with the same ProİMHA account used in the Windows application. All certificates are visible because both platforms share the same Firebase project.

7.2  Certificate Search and Filtering

7.3  Customer / Corporate Verification

Internal Use (Login Required)

A logged-in user can view all certificates generated by their organization — search, list, view details, and download PDFs.

Public Customer Verification (No Login Required)

Scan the QR code on the delivered PDF or navigate directly to:

https://piwipe-phone.web.app/verify/PW-2026-XXXXX

The page displays: device type, brand/model, wipe date, standard, company name, operator, and certificate ID. No account creation is required. Share both the PDF and this URL with your customer.

7.4  Admin Operations

For admin operations such as creating users, assigning credits, managing licenses and accessing organization-wide reports, please contact the PIWIPE support team.

8.1  ADB / Android Issues

8.2  iPhone / iOS Issues

8.3  Disk Detection Issues

8.4  Certificate and Report Issues

8.5  Installer and Startup Errors

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Inno Setup 6\iscc.exe" installer\piwipe_setup.iss

8.6  Technical Support

If your issue is not resolved by the steps above, contact support with the error message, your Windows version, and the PIWIPE version number (visible in the title bar).

9.1  What Does the Activity Log Record?

The Activity Log stores timestamped entries for every important event in the application. The following event types are recorded automatically:

9.2  How to Open the Activity Log

Click the 📋 history icon in the top bar (to the left of the language buttons). A full-screen log viewer opens.

From the log screen you can:

• Search: Filter instantly by device name, user, serial number or IP address.
• Type filter: Show only specific event types (e.g. only "Wipe Complete").
• Refresh: Reload the latest entries without closing the screen.
• Copy file path: Copy the full log file path to the clipboard.
• Clear log: Permanently delete all entries (confirmation required).

9.3  Columns and Fields

9.4  Log File Location

Log entries are stored in a local file. Default location:

C:\PiWipe\Logs\activity_log.jsonl

The file uses JSONL (JSON Lines) format — each line is an independent JSON object. It can be read with any text editor, Excel (Data → Get Data → From JSON), or log analysis tools (e.g. jq, Notepad++).

If you have changed the report folder, the log is created under the same parent directory:

<Report Folder Parent>\Logs\activity_log.jsonl