delete

  • Thread starter Thread starter m
  • Start date Start date
M

m

How can I permanently delete a video file or mp3 from my
computer other than using the recycle bin. Is it still
stored anywhere on my computer, taking up space, even if
I delete it through the bin? How can I see if there are
random files still in my computer? Is there a way to
look at all the files on your computer? Is there a
record of everything that I download somewhere? like
mp3's? or music video clips?
 
bulinka288 said:
How can I permanently delete a video file or mp3 from my
computer other than using the recycle bin.
Shift-delete

Is it still
stored anywhere on my computer, taking up space, even if
I delete it through the bin?
Click to expand...

Yes until that particular part of your HDD is overwritten, which may
take seconds or weeks

How can I see if there are
random files still in my computer? Is there a way to
look at all the files on your computer? Is there a
record of everything that I download somewhere? like
mp3's? or music video clips?
Click to expand...

Ooooh, been downloading PORN have we? Afraid mummy will see it?
there is a file called index.dat in your temp internet file folder that
you can ONLY delete when booted into DOS.
 
To permanently delete a file without using the recycle
bin you need to press the Shift key and Delete key
together. A message will appear asking if you permanently
want to delete the item. All you need do then is press ok.
As to your next question, it doesn't matter what you
delete off your pc it will always leave traces. Actually
nothing ever gets deleted as such. What happens is, when
you delete a file, the file area is marked as free space.
The file is still there until it is overwritten by other
files.
There are ways of over writing the free space by using
freeware software such as Wipeout
(www.securitysoftware.cc) (yes the .cc is correct i
haven't mis-spelt it) Actually this is an excellent
little utility. One word of warning, though, wiping free
space can take time, especially if you have a large hard
drive or partition. Security settings are set to wipe 16
times by default. At this level of security my 20gb
partition (12GB free) managed to over write 30% free
space in 4 hours. I finally settled for a setting of 2
but was still looking at around a 2 hour wipe. Use the
advanced settings tab and also adjust the over write
option to normal priority to quicken the process. Also,
when it wipes the free space it will also wipe all of
your restore points, so be aware! As well as clearing
free space it also clears history, temp internet files,
cookies, recent files. For more details see the advanced
settings.

John Barnett - MVP
Associate Expert
 
Paranoid or what? Learn how to use the search utility. You
can add wildcards instead of actual names to dig out all
the files you want with whatever their extension is. The
help and support center has tons of articles on using the
search utility. Read. Good luck.
 
Paranoid or what? Learn how to use the search utility. You
can add wildcards instead of actual names to dig out all
the files you want with whatever their extension is. The
help and support center has tons of articles on using the
search utility. Read. Good luck.
Click to expand...
To whom are you talking?
 
rifleman said:
To whom are you talking?
--
Click to expand...

I have seen this person's posts pop up lately on the MS XP beginner groups.
Seems like s/he has a slight inferiority complex, and tries to feel better
by putting others down. Clearly, this one is not the brightest bulb in the
pack.
 
John Barnett MVP said:
To permanently delete a file without using the recycle
bin you need to press the Shift key and Delete key
together. A message will appear asking if you permanently
want to delete the item. All you need do then is press ok.
As to your next question, it doesn't matter what you
delete off your pc it will always leave traces. Actually
nothing ever gets deleted as such. What happens is, when
you delete a file, the file area is marked as free space.
The file is still there until it is overwritten by other
files.
There are ways of over writing the free space by using
freeware software such as Wipeout
(www.securitysoftware.cc) (yes the .cc is correct i
haven't mis-spelt it) Actually this is an excellent
little utility. One word of warning, though, wiping free
space can take time, especially if you have a large hard
drive or partition. Security settings are set to wipe 16
times by default. At this level of security my 20gb
partition (12GB free) managed to over write 30% free
space in 4 hours. I finally settled for a setting of 2
but was still looking at around a 2 hour wipe. Use the
advanced settings tab and also adjust the over write
option to normal priority to quicken the process. Also,
when it wipes the free space it will also wipe all of
your restore points, so be aware! As well as clearing
free space it also clears history, temp internet files,
cookies, recent files. For more details see the advanced
settings.

John Barnett - MVP
Associate Expert
Click to expand...
 
To permanently delete. Move to a CD through a writer and use that CD as a Frisbee into a river <s>

Peter
 
Does formating a disk eliminate all traces?
Low level formatting?
Had some difficulties trying the security software.
(e-mail address removed)
 
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