Completely Remove File

  • Thread starter Thread starter denmarfl
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denmarfl

Running Vista Home Prem 32BIT

I deleted a file, it was in a Folder I had created that was located on my
desktop. I realize when you delete a File, the File Pointer is the only
thing erased, the file data remains on the drive. This is a sensitive file
and I would like to know if there is away to completely erase the file so its
not recoverable (I don't want to Reformat my drive....just want to remove the
Erased file)
 
denmarfl said:
Running Vista Home Prem 32BIT

I deleted a file, it was in a Folder I had created that was located on my
desktop. I realize when you delete a File, the File Pointer is the only
thing erased, the file data remains on the drive. This is a sensitive
file
and I would like to know if there is away to completely erase the file so
its
not recoverable (I don't want to Reformat my drive....just want to remove
the
Erased file)
Click to expand...

First steps are to empty the wastebasket and defragment the drive. Past
that, you need specialised tools. Google "erase files".
 
Looked at software....didn't find what is used....or...how it works to find a
file deleted from the HDD by using Windows to delete the file (but the file
stll remains of the HDD....only the Pointer is erased)...then
deleting\erasing the file which remains on the HDD...completley......
 
After you instsall FileMenu Tools - Right click on the file, then select
FileMenu Tools>>Shred Files.
 
denmarfl said:
Looked at software....didn't find what is used....or...how it works to
find a
file deleted from the HDD by using Windows to delete the file (but the
file
stll remains of the HDD....only the Pointer is erased)...then
deleting\erasing the file which remains on the HDD...completley......
Click to expand...

Did you delete it from the recycle bin? You could try Recuva see if you can
recover the file, if you can't then it might be good as lost.

If you have sensitive files you don't want recovered try this...

Make a copy of some file (any file like a DLL) and rename it to file you
want to destroy and copy over the file you don't want anyone to recover,
then you can delete it.

Or edited it and save it before deleting the file.

Another option you can try now is to copy a lot of data on to the drive to
overwrite the area the file was on. Try copying DVDs until there's no more
room and delete it after you're done.
 
Do a Bing search for "file eraser" - there are a great many such utilities
out there.
 
Running Vista Home Prem 32BIT
Click to expand...
I deleted a file, it was in a Folder I had created that was located on my
desktop. I realize when you delete a File, the File Pointer is the only
thing erased, the file data remains on the drive. This is a sensitive file
and I would like to know if there is away to completely erase the file so its
not recoverable (I don't want to Reformat my drive....just want to remove the
Erased file)
Click to expand...

In the future, before you delete a sensitive file you can use a file
eraser to overwrite. Now that you've erased the file (i.e., it's no
longer in the recycle bin) you can still use a utility to overwrite all
the unused space on the drive. In doing that it will of course
overwrite what used to be the sensitive information...but it does take
a long time on a large drive.

I use Eraser or whatever it's called, which can do both of the above.
Rather than being called as a command, it attaches itself to the right
click menus - "Erase" for a file, "Erase Unused Space" for a drive. It
is available free from Heidi Computers Ltd. - but I don't have a link
available, so you'll need to Google.
 
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