Maybe OT: Removing a File Forever

[Jebdeh]

Win2K. This maybe off topic, but I just received the strangest call from
someone requesting that I remove a file from his computer and make sure it
is gone forever. Is there any way to actually do this? I know what I have
used file undelete software to recover deleted files, so simply deleting it
doesn't seem like an option. I have also heard that a clean format of the
drive would wipe the files forever, but I am not sure if that is totally
true. I think he is selling the computer and would like to erase any
evidence of trade-secret protected projects he was working on. I know this
seems like an odd question, but does anyone have any ideas on this? Thanks,

Joseph

 

[molsonexpert]

Win2K. This maybe off topic, but I just received the strangest call from
someone requesting that I remove a file from his computer and make sure it
is gone forever. Is there any way to actually do this? I know what I have
used file undelete software to recover deleted files, so simply deleting it
doesn't seem like an option. I have also heard that a clean format of the
drive would wipe the files forever, but I am not sure if that is totally
true. I think he is selling the computer and would like to erase any
evidence of trade-secret protected projects he was working on. I know this
seems like an odd question, but does anyone have any ideas on this? Thanks,

Joseph

If he's getting rid of the PC, boot with a floppy and completely remove all
partitions (using fdisk or some other utility). The are 3rd party utilities
out there as well.

steve.

 

[Guest]

Joseph, I know Tech TV (now G4Tech TV) did alot of hints
showing applications that write and rewrite over files
to "delete" them forever. When you "delete" a file,
usually you just remove a pointer to the file...meaning
the file is there, but thiere isn't an easy to access the
file. There are programs that can "recover" these
delteted files, by reassociating them to a pointer.

What some of these "cleaner" software programs do, is
write random bits of information over the actual "file" so
if anyone trys to "undelete" them, they woudl get a bunch
of garbage. I'm not sure offhand what these programs are
called, but you might want to try www.g4techtv.com and
look around there. Post on the forums there
(probably 'The Screen Savers' forum) and see if they come
up with anything.

There is also google.

I hope this helps

 

[John Wunderlich]

I just received the strangest call from
someone requesting that I remove a file from his computer and make
sure it is gone forever. Is there any way to actually do this?

One popular freeware program that will do this is "Eraser".

<http://www.heidi.ie/eraser/>

HTH,
John

 

[Jebdeh]

Thanks for the responses. As it turns out, formatting is not an option. From
what he says, the PC needs to stay just as it is with the exception of the
deletion of the files. I am looking at the programs everyone recommended.
That said, I am assuming that I can be safe that they will do the job.
Thanks to all,

Joseph