What is the BEST software (or anything else) to use to PERMANENTLY delete files from a computer?

Question

Meaning permanently deleting files from a hard drive, etc. so that there is absolutely no trace of any file I delete should I sell my computer. Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

Using the Windows install disk to reformat does not ensure all the data is removed. In order to destroy all data you need to overwrite all the information (preferably several times) on the hard drive.

Darik's Boot and Nuke (DBAN)

Use DBAN (free) to overwrite all data on the hard drive. It offers several options for overwriting the disk . DOD 5220-22.M (7-passes) is preferred. Will run 6 hr- 7 hr for a 120 GB drive.
http://www.download.com/Darik-s-Boot-and-Nuke/3000-2092_4-10165154.html
http://security.calpoly.edu/docs/policy/Security_HardDrive_DBAN-Guide_120505.pdf
http://secure.nd.edu/disposal/index.shtml
http://dban.sourceforge.net/
http://dban.sourceforge.net/faq/

DBAN will automatically and completely delete the contents of any hard disk that it can detect, which makes it an appropriate utility for bulk or emergency data destruction.

Burn DBAN ISO file on disk
http://dban.sourceforge.net/faq/CDBurnerXP.html

How to burn the ISO image using CDBurnerXP Pro
http://dban.sourceforge.net/faq/CDBurnerXP.html

Or you could choose to destroy the hard drive
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGXh6RVTuq0


Videos on DBAN
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=dban&search=Search

Answer 2

To remove every trace of a file, use a tool such as Cipher.exe to permanently overwrite deleted data.

Cipher.exe Security Tool for the Encrypting File System
Source: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/298009/EN-US/

Cipher.exe is a command-line tool (included with Windows 2000) that you can use to manage encrypted data by using the Encrypting File System (EFS). As of June 2001, Microsoft has developed an improved version of the Cipher.exe tool that provides the ability to permanently overwrite (or "wipe") all of the deleted data on a hard disk. This feature improves security by ensuring that even an attacker who gained complete physical control of a Windows 2000 computer would be unable to recover previously-deleted data.

IMPORTANT: Please note the following important information:
• You must install Cipher.exe by using the installer package instead of copying the new version of Cipher.exe to your computer. The tool relies on additional NTFS functionality that is added as part of the installation process. If you only copy the Cipher.exe file to your computer and then run it, you could destroy data on the drive.
• You must close all programs before you start Cipher.exe.
• Cipher.exe is not a cure-all that makes it safe to store sensitive data in a plain-text format. Although you can use this tool to remove sensitive data from a drive, if best practices are followed, such data would not normally be created on the drive. For additional information about these best practices, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
223316 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/223316/EN-US/) Best Practices for the Encrypting File System

Answer 3

well, when you delete a file (either directly or after cleaning your recyling bin) the data does not actually get deleted (turned to 0's) the beginning of the file gets a special symbol, i forget which one, but it's greek, anyway, that just tells your file system, that that space is available to be written to, once the data gets written to that spot, i don't think it's recoverable, and most people don't know how to do this, just a reformat, and you should ge good, if you decide to sell your computer some day.

Answer 4

YOU CAN NEVER ACTUALLY DELETE FILE FROM YR HARD DRIVE OR ANY OTHER STORAGE MEDIA
when you delete file you only delete windows reference to that file and it still lays down somewhere on yr hard drive or any other storage free space - what shredding software does is just searches for free space on hard drive and overwrites it - they claim it works but with the state of recovery technology today as long as hard drive can be spinned data can be recovered - the only 100% way that nobody can read data is to drill two holes in hard drive - for the state-of-the-art recovery technology today check Data Saver's web page http://www.datasavers.com -
ANY OPERATING SYSTEM, ANY COMPUTER STORAGE DEVICE

Answer 5

FileShredder.org This one allows you to choose the method with which you want to shred all your free disk space.

One of the methods on this program overwrites 35 times. I have heard of data being recovered from 7 or 8 overwrites, but not 35.

Answer 6

A32 WipeErase is a good free easy to use program. You can erase files beyound recovery with this program.

Answer 7

whats up,you downloaded the record ,first,flow into the recycle bin and click on restoration this is going to placed it returned to the place is grow to be in case you already know what prog.you used to obtain it then flow returned into that prog.and delete it from there first then ,that could desire to do it for you,solid luck Tony.

Answer 8

cyberscrub, it can be selected to write zeros onto the hard drive