Deleting Files

How can I be certain that a few files that I want permanently deleted cannot
be recovered by someone at a later date. I am using Windows Vista Home
Premium and I recently did a full hard disc recovery, reinstalling all the
applications of Microsoft Office. However, I read somewhere yesterday that
some files may still be recoverable by knowledgeable searchers. I had some
files that I never want to see again and I do not want anyone else to see
them either. How can I do a reliable, permanent delete? Thanks for any help
you can give me.

Gene L.

Gene L. wrote:
> How can I be certain that a few files that I want permanently deleted
> cannot be recovered by someone at a later date. I am using Windows Vista
> Home Premium and I recently did a full hard disc recovery, reinstalling
> all the applications of Microsoft Office. However, I read somewhere
> yesterday that some files may still be recoverable by knowledgeable
> searchers. I had some files that I never want to see again and I do not
> want anyone else to see them either. How can I do a reliable, permanent
> delete? Thanks for any help you can give me.
>
> Gene L.
>



Google for "file shredder"

Gene

It can always be recovered by Professionals that deal with file recovery. There is
nothing that will remove any access to it be it File Shredder or any 3rd party
software that claims so. The only possible way is to take out the Hard Drive and
destroy it. Governments and Law enforcement always have access to recover a
information on a hard drive even if you think it was wiped or overwritten

--
Peter

Please Reply to Newsgroup for the benefit of others
Requests for assistance by email can not and will not be acknowledged.

"Gene L." <> wrote in message
news:...
> How can I be certain that a few files that I want permanently deleted cannot be
> recovered by someone at a later date. I am using Windows Vista Home Premium and I
> recently did a full hard disc recovery, reinstalling all the applications of
> Microsoft Office. However, I read somewhere yesterday that some files may still be
> recoverable by knowledgeable searchers. I had some files that I never want to see
> again and I do not want anyone else to see them either. How can I do a reliable,
> permanent delete? Thanks for any help you can give me.
>
> Gene L.
>

"Peter Foldes" <> wrote in message
news:%...
> Gene
>
> It can always be recovered by Professionals that deal with file recovery.
> There is nothing that will remove any access to it be it File Shredder or
> any 3rd party software that claims so. The only possible way is to take
> out the Hard Drive and destroy it. Governments and Law enforcement always
> have access to recover a information on a hard drive even if you think it
> was wiped or overwritten
>
> --
> Peter
>
> Please Reply to Newsgroup for the benefit of others
> Requests for assistance by email can not and will not be acknowledged.
>
> "Gene L." <> wrote in message
> news:...
>> How can I be certain that a few files that I want permanently deleted
>> cannot be recovered by someone at a later date. I am using Windows Vista
>> Home Premium and I recently did a full hard disc recovery, reinstalling
>> all the applications of Microsoft Office. However, I read somewhere
>> yesterday that some files may still be recoverable by knowledgeable
>> searchers. I had some files that I never want to see again and I do not
>> want anyone else to see them either. How can I do a reliable, permanent
>> delete? Thanks for any help you can give me.
>>
>> Gene L.
>>
>

Thank you very much for the reply. I guess that a future recovery would not
imperil the security of the United States or anything of that importance -
just some personal data and information I would like to have obliterated
permanently. I appreciate your willingness to help.
Regards.
Gene

Hi, Gene.

Peter is correct. Even an amateur like myself can download and run an
application like WinHex.exe. With this, I can read any sector on the hard
disk, whether it has been deleted or not - whether it is or ever was in any
file or not. Even most re-formats leave much readable data behind. If it
has been overwritten - not just deleted - my chances are much less.

There are applications to examine even overwritten data, but they are not
generally available to us amateurs. So a "shredder" application should
suffice for most purposes. Just be sure that it overwrites ALL THE DISK,
not just current or deleted files. Some of the juiciest tidbits might be in
the "slack space" at the end of a long file that has been only partially
overwritten by a shorter file.

Physical destruction of the disk platter(s) is the only sure way. A
whole-disk shredder will suffice for most purposes.

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX

Microsoft Windows MVP
Windows Live Mail 2009 (14.0.8089.0726) in Win7 Ultimate x64

"Gene L." <> wrote in message
news:eJ$...
> "Peter Foldes" <> wrote in message
> news:%...
>> Gene
>>
>> It can always be recovered by Professionals that deal with file
>> recovery. There is nothing that will remove any access to it be it File
>> Shredder or any 3rd party software that claims so. The only possible way
>> is to take out the Hard Drive and destroy it. Governments and Law
>> enforcement always have access to recover a information on a hard drive
>> even if you think it was wiped or overwritten
>>
>> --
>> Peter
>>
>>> How can I be certain that a few files that I want permanently deleted
>>> cannot be recovered by someone at a later date. I am using Windows Vista
>>> Home Premium and I recently did a full hard disc recovery, reinstalling
>>> all the applications of Microsoft Office. However, I read somewhere
>>> yesterday that some files may still be recoverable by knowledgeable
>>> searchers. I had some files that I never want to see again and I do not
>>> want anyone else to see them either. How can I do a reliable, permanent
>>> delete? Thanks for any help you can give me.
>>>
>>> Gene L.
>>
>
> Thank you very much for the reply. I guess that a future recovery would
> not imperil the security of the United States or anything of that
> importance - just some personal data and information I would like to have
> obliterated permanently. I appreciate your willingness to help.
> Regards.
> Gene

Once again, I thank each one who responded to my inquiry. I do not wish to
appear mysterious because I am just an average old-timer who is considering
the purchase of a new lap top. I would like to donate my present desk
computer to the local school system but I do not want to have some personal
information dug up by some amateur hacker. It would be just embarrassing -
not criminal.



With appreciation:

Gene L.

"
R. C. White" <> wrote in message
news:...
> Hi, Gene.
>
> Peter is correct. Even an amateur like myself can download and run an
> application like WinHex.exe. With this, I can read any sector on the hard
> disk, whether it has been deleted or not - whether it is or ever was in
> any file or not. Even most re-formats leave much readable data behind.
> If it has been overwritten - not just deleted - my chances are much less.
>
> There are applications to examine even overwritten data, but they are not
> generally available to us amateurs. So a "shredder" application should
> suffice for most purposes. Just be sure that it overwrites ALL THE DISK,
> not just current or deleted files. Some of the juiciest tidbits might be
> in the "slack space" at the end of a long file that has been only
> partially overwritten by a shorter file.
>
> Physical destruction of the disk platter(s) is the only sure way. A
> whole-disk shredder will suffice for most purposes.
>
> RC
> --
> R. C. White, CPA
> San Marcos, TX
>
> Microsoft Windows MVP
> Windows Live Mail 2009 (14.0.8089.0726) in Win7 Ultimate x64
>
> "Gene L." <> wrote in message
> news:eJ$...
>> "Peter Foldes" <> wrote in message
>> news:%...
>>> Gene
>>>
>>> It can always be recovered by Professionals that deal with file
>>> recovery. There is nothing that will remove any access to it be it File
>>> Shredder or any 3rd party software that claims so. The only possible way
>>> is to take out the Hard Drive and destroy it. Governments and Law
>>> enforcement always have access to recover a information on a hard drive
>>> even if you think it was wiped or overwritten
>>>
>>> --
>>> Peter
>>>
>>>> How can I be certain that a few files that I want permanently deleted
>>>> cannot be recovered by someone at a later date. I am using Windows
>>>> Vista Home Premium and I recently did a full hard disc recovery,
>>>> reinstalling all the applications of Microsoft Office. However, I read
>>>> somewhere yesterday that some files may still be recoverable by
>>>> knowledgeable searchers. I had some files that I never want to see
>>>> again and I do not want anyone else to see them either. How can I do a
>>>> reliable, permanent delete? Thanks for any help you can give me.
>>>>
>>>> Gene L.
>>>
>>
>> Thank you very much for the reply. I guess that a future recovery would
>> not imperil the security of the United States or anything of that
>> importance - just some personal data and information I would like to have
>> obliterated permanently. I appreciate your willingness to help.
>> Regards.
>> Gene
>

Try this program : SDelete v1.51
<http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb897443.aspx>

On Thu, 3 Dec 2009 08:21:53 -0500, "Gene L." <>
wrote:

>How can I be certain that a few files that I want permanently deleted cannot
>be recovered by someone at a later date. I am using Windows Vista Home
>Premium and I recently did a full hard disc recovery, reinstalling all the
>applications of Microsoft Office. However, I read somewhere yesterday that
>some files may still be recoverable by knowledgeable searchers. I had some
>files that I never want to see again and I do not want anyone else to see
>them either. How can I do a reliable, permanent delete? Thanks for any help
>you can give me.
>
>Gene L.

Remove the hard drive and destroy it.

"Gene L." <> wrote in message
news:...
> How can I be certain that a few files that I want permanently deleted
> cannot be recovered by someone at a later date. I am using Windows Vista
> Home Premium and I recently did a full hard disc recovery, reinstalling
> all the applications of Microsoft Office. However, I read somewhere
> yesterday that some files may still be recoverable by knowledgeable
> searchers. I had some files that I never want to see again and I do not
> want anyone else to see them either. How can I do a reliable, permanent
> delete? Thanks for any help you can give me.
>
> Gene L.
>

http://3d2f.com/tags/wipe/gutman/


"Gene L." <> wrote in message
news:...
> How can I be certain that a few files that I want permanently deleted
> cannot be recovered by someone at a later date. I am using Windows Vista
> Home Premium and I recently did a full hard disc recovery, reinstalling
> all the applications of Microsoft Office. However, I read somewhere
> yesterday that some files may still be recoverable by knowledgeable
> searchers. I had some files that I never want to see again and I do not
> want anyone else to see them either. How can I do a reliable, permanent
> delete? Thanks for any help you can give me.
>
> Gene L.
>

Reading through this thread, I'm curious - if overwritting and deleting does not "really" delete stuff, it's known that there is information there; with all the kacking and IT pros, why hasn't there been something writen or figured out to overcome this issue?Just a small digression; forgive me.Josh


Post Originated from Vista Support Forums