Is it true that files are not actually deleted from your computer? If it is where do they go?

Question

What would be the directory path for deleted files?

Answer 1

Files are stored on the Hard Drive. When you delete a file the protection is lifted and the file is overwritten by other data. The old information can be recovered by specialized programs. The FBI, Police and others recover deleted information all the time.

This is why you should never discard an old computer with the HD. Remove the HD and keep it. If you do want to leave the HD with the computer, then use a very good program that will overwrite the disk 3, and preferrably more, times then reinstall the operating system. At this point the old data would be almost impossible for a regular computer user to access.

Here is a disk erasing program that is free and considered one of the very best.

http://www.heidi.ie/eraser/

Answer 2

Most computer system when they "delete" a file jsut simply remove the location of that file from the directory where the computer keeps the location on disk where that file is. Just because you can;t find a place in the phone book doesn;t mean it doesn;t exist. Another kind of delte is where the location of disk is overwritten with random 1s and 0s. However usually this is a weak write in that the original 1s and 0s that made up your file are still there and actually "stronger:" magnetically speaking than the new 1s and 0s. You will need data recovery software or an expert. It is not simple and you can damage your hardrive. There is not simple way to get the files bad.

Now if you are using Windows and you "deleted" something off your drive and the file was not huge then it was placed in your Recycle Bin which is usually on your desktop. Open it and see it the file is there. If so then righ mouse click on it and say Restore.

Good Luck.

Answer 3

when you 'delete' something, it merely changes the extension of the file, and thereby 'looses' track of it (in it's various fileing systems). to REALLY delete something, you should OVERWRITE it with random data, 3x or better times.
several freeware app's can do this for you.

Answer 4

Its like this...a hard drive is like a piece of paper and deletion is like an eraser. Now, you have rubbed it out and you write over the top of it but it is still there..sort of ...some of it....you get the picture?...it doesnt go anywhere. If you write over it serveral times, its still there...rub and write...still there...rub and write...(**** thats hard to see) ..now its gone!Thats what incryption is...writting over it serveral times.