Technically speaking when you hit the ‘Delete’ button attempting to remove any files from your computer, these files are not really removed from your hard disk. What the delete action does is un-link the file so it is not visible nor accessible. These deleted files have a high chance to be recovered with hard disk recovery softwares. So if you want some files to be really removed from your hard disk, you need something more than just deleting them.
Erasing, in the other hand means wiping its entire data beyond recovery. When you want to get rid of sensitive files or folders permanently, try this user friendly software - Eraser. It’s free so you don’t have to pay a penny
Erase Sensitive Files Permanently with Eraser
Eraser is a secure data removal tool that allows you to completely remove sensitive data from your hard drive by overwriting it several times with carefully selected patterns (Gutman, USDoD and others).
What Eraser erases:
- Files and Folders
- Files/Folders that were only previously ‘deleted’
- Index.dat on Reboot
- Contents of the Recycle Bin
- Windows Temporary Files
- Internet Cookies and Cache
- Encrypted Files and Drives
- Free space on 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP and DOS
- Paging (swap) file
You can simply drag and drop files and/or folders onto the on-demand eraser and use the convenient Windows Explorer right-click extension or use the built-in scheduler for automated wiping of unused disk space or browser cache files.
*Be careful when execute this program because the erased file will be gone forever.
Download Eraser (8.53MB)
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Posted by Kay in How-To, Windows Tips , at 06.04.08 |
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Comments
Ramy June 4th, 2008
Thx Hong Kiat, great post. :)
ReplyShoovi June 4th, 2008
Frankly speaking there is always potential(!) possibility to recover files using atomic-force-microscope but it would costs a milions…
ReplyJusdy J. June 4th, 2008
i always use Shift+Delete when deleting my files….no files in Recycle Bin…
Replyhongkiat June 4th, 2008
@Ramy That is a post by my co-author - Kay :-)
@Jusdy J. You’re right, Shift-Del does bypass recycle bin, but the file still stays within the hard disk. Only the logical link to the file is removed. To really ‘erase’ a file from your hard disk, it has to be somehow replaced and replaced numerous time by other files until it’s unrecoverable.
ReplySyahid A. June 4th, 2008
Yeah, this is the one tool that i use to delete sensitive (*cough*) files. Pretty easy to use.
ReplyKay June 4th, 2008
@hongkiat: thanks for introducing me. :)
ReplyAjay@readerszone June 4th, 2008
ya u r right deleting files is tough job and this program makes life very easy for us
ReplySteve Yu June 5th, 2008
I’ve been using this handy software for quite some time, am satisfied with it.
ReplyWelcome to Paradise June 14th, 2008
I mostly depend upon a top level file shredder program and it hasn’t let me down till date.
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