On Windows 7 how do you securely delete files?

[Jskid]

I’ve got a couple files that I want destroyed beyond recovery. What program can do this?

 

[Jad Chaar]

http://www.howtogeek.com/72130/learn-how-to-securely-delete-files-in-windows/

This site above clearly lists some great software you can chose from.

 

[DelJo63]

FYI:- Background for those that follow this thread.

When you perform a file delete by any means (aka right-click delete, select delete key,,,) the file NAME (not the file) is placed into the Recycle Bin. If and when you get around to Empty Recycle Bin, then two things happen.

1. the space occupied by that file is marked as free-space
2. the file name is removed from the system

Notice that when (1) occurs, the space is not erased.

SECURE DELETE is the process of over-writing the space currently used by the deleted file with (sometimes) multiple passes of binary zeros and ones. This will make data recovery 99% impossible. When the over-write is completed, then 1+2 are performed by the program.

 

[Jad Chaar]

FYI:- Background for those that follow this thread.

When you perform a file delete by any means (aka right-click delete, select delete key,,,) the file NAME (not the file) is placed into the Recycle Bin. If and when you get around to Empty Recycle Bin, then two things happen.

1. the space occupied by that file is marked as free-space
2. the file name is removed from the system

Notice that when (1) occurs, the space is not erased.


SECURE DELETE is the process of over-writing the space currently used by the deleted file with (sometimes) multiple passes of binary zeros and ones. This will make data recovery 99% impossible. When the over-write is completed, then 1+2 are performed by the program.

So that is what wiping MFT Free space is in CCleaner! lol thanks man

 

[DelJo63]

I did not say one word about CCleaner. There are several products that contain securely delete or shred files and I was describing HOW that is performed. Secondly, there is an index to file names and then there is the file space itself - - that portion that gets fragmented.

Securely Shredding a file attacks the file space itself - - the data as that's the portion that IS the thing to be protected.
Very very rarely is the file name of any consequence.

 

[Jad Chaar]

I did not say one word about CCleaner. There are several products that contain securely delete or shred files and I was describing HOW that is performed. Secondly, there is an index to file names and then there is the file space itself - - that portion that gets fragmented.

Securely Shredding a file attacks the file space itself - - the data as that's the portion that IS the thing to be protected.
Very very rarely is the file name of any consequence.

haha I know you didnt talk about CCleaner, I am just saying now I understand the wipe free space function in ccleaner lol

 

[DelJo63]

This will make it more clear

The MFT is where the names, attributes, ACLs (ie: all the meta info about the file) is stored while the file itself is
in the FSD. Secure Delete over-writes the FSD portion of the appropriate file - - not the meta data in the MFT.

 

[tigerant5000]

I would highly recommend Revo Uninstaller. I have it and it is awesome.