Is it possible to delete old files permanently so that no one can recover or access them? I am thinking of getting a new computer, but don't want people having access to personal information. I thought about deleting sensitive files, then defraging the harddrive, and copying over the hard drive with mpegs which occupy a lot of space, deleting these files again, and then doing another defrag, by doing these steps, well I complete remove the sensitive files so no one can access them?
Thank You
2007-02-12 21:06:24 · 5 answers · asked by coolcatcanada 1 in Computers & Internet ➔ Hardware ➔ Desktops
Nothing short of puttin the hard drive in the oven and bakin it at 350 degrees for 15 minutes! It all boils down to what you consider sensitive files! If you have bank account info, pin numbers, info that could cause identity theft, then bake it! If you are worried about a couple porn site entries, dirty pics, dont waste your time!
2007-02-12 21:12:49 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
A good program I use is 'Window Washer."
Use the "add Bleach" feature. When you delete a file it isn't really deleted. This bleach feature rewrites/overwrites the file you want to delete. Some files that I've deleted, I have had overwritten (with 1 & 0's) up to 35 times. If the file does happened to be recovered, there won't be anything to read/see.
Another good program is File Shredder.
2007-02-12 21:32:50 · answer #2 · answered by Larry F 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think that No file took space on the drive can be deleted forever there is always tools and software's to recover the deleted files on both FAT and NTFS file systems, and the defraging here is useless.
The best thing to do is to make Low Level Format using special hard drive software's to reset the drive to its default situation.
2007-02-12 21:36:10 · answer #3 · answered by Da_ITech 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You could download Eraser at
http://www.heidi.ie/eraser/download.php
I think it works by overwriting the old data in the hard drive and thus,
they will be permanently deleted.
Hope this helps.
2007-02-12 21:15:43 · answer #4 · answered by kmson7 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
you can get programs that do that for you though i cant think of the names offhand (i think file shredder maybe one) they overwrite the files a number of times ensuring they cant be recovered by the various undelete programmes.
2007-02-12 21:11:32 · answer #5 · answered by mat l 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋