Freeware such Shredder and CC Clean claim to get rid of all files from PC's memory. Are they different? more

Question

Is it not the same if you clean thru actions such as Internet tools - delete files - clear memory etc and thru delete-empty recyclebin?

Answer 1

Both are similar, in some ways.

Software like CCleaner provide a centralized location where you can clean various areas. Should you do it manually, it will take you some time to navigate around, and you may even miss something.

File Shredder programs allows for secure deletion of files. Files deleted through Recycle Bin is not actually physically deleted, but simply marking the space occupied by the file as free. Therfore, recovery or forensic tools can easily dig out your contents.

Answer 2

This is the myth that (thankfully) has caught out many a paedophile.

When we "delete" all we actually do is remove the record in the FAT (file allocation table). This means that applications and the operating system simply no longer know about the file
However - just because the file is marked empty doesn't mean the data is removed. There is simply no map to find it. Easily downloadable software from the net can recover these files (and in many cases completely). More complicated and expensive forensics software can recover and in many cases rebuild files.

The only way to be sure that the data is gone is to record more data over the top - and not just once (this is how the forensics software can still find it) it must be done repeatedly to eliminate all trace.

It is believed that the only foolproof number of times is 7 - although a couple of passes should suffice.

To be honest though - unless you are:

1) Downloading kiddie porn
2) A criminal
3) Selling your PC
4) Giving your PC away
5) REALLY paranoid

normal deleting should be enough.


Finally - cc clean does none of the above! It simply aims to normal delete unused files to speed up your PC and free up HDD space. Shredder attempts to obliterate the files completely.

Hope this clears things up for you.

Answer 3

When you do any of the things you mentioned:
Empty recycle bin, etc.
You are merely removing the file from the FAT.
It is very simple to recover the file, if you have the correct tool.

If you have windows XP PRO, you can use a tool called cipher to WIPE files. Cipher comes with 2000 Pro, XP Pro and Vista Ultimate.
At a command prompt type in Cipher /w:C:\
Press enter. Let it do it's thing. This will take a few hours on a 500G drive.

What did we just tell it to do?
Cipher is the tool, /w is WIPE free Space and C:| should be your main hard drive.

Once a file is correctly WIPEd there is no way to ever get it back. NONE.

Answer 4

Not even close to the same.
I doubt that they do what they say either.
The only sure fire way to delete everything is to do a Government Wipe that Erases your Hard Drive in 7 passes 7 times, thus eliminating any trace of anything.
So Unless you are ready to do some serious work in the way of Back up which will include you needing the Operating Systems Disc.
Don

Answer 5

in case you % to wreck all checklist of the practise on the disk then format does not do a reliable interest. It does not overwrite the full disk so maximum individuals of the previous practise remains there for classes that forget approximately pertaining to to the report equipment shape and basically examine uncooked practise off the disk. while you're reformatting just to maintain homestead windows uncluttered then that's not a concern. while you're advertising your pc and % to maintain your economic/inner maximum existence from the client then you definitely % a report shredder application. apparently in case you incredibly, incredibly, incredibly need to maintain your documents secret, basically overwriting the documents with all 1s or 0s nevertheless does not wreck it. for people who've mushy kit it incredibly is achieveable to take the platters and consider what the previous documents replaced into.

Answer 6

try system macanic 7.0 or 7.5 for 30 days

it is from iolo

it is a relly good software