Remove protected files from System Restore

[Guest]

It is my understanding that Windows XP System Restore maintains copies of
protected files, such as .doc and .xls files in My Documents, and that
erasing or wiping the original file does not affect the copy that System
Restore maintains. If one is disposing of a computer and wants to remove all
privacy type files from My Documents, what can be done, if anything, to
remove the protected files from System Resotre. Thank you,

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

It is my understanding that Windows XP System Restore maintains copies of
protected files, such as .doc and .xls files in My Documents, and that
erasing or wiping the original file does not affect the copy that System
Restore maintains. If one is disposing of a computer and wants to remove
all
privacy type files from My Documents, what can be done, if anything, to
remove the protected files from System Resotre. Thank you,

System Restore is designed to restore system files, not
user files. Files with an extension of .xls and .doc are
user files and are not covered by Sysem Restore.

If you wish to dispose of your computer then you should
at the very least format your hard disk. If you don't then
the new owner will find it very easy to access lots of
personal files belonging to you.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

It is my understanding that Windows XP System Restore maintains copies of
protected files, such as .doc and .xls files in My Documents,

Sorry, your understanding is wrong. System Restore monitors system
files only, and not user files like .doc and .xls.

 

[Guest]

Pegasus; Ken Blake:

The understanding I expressed came from a statement in the Help menu of Wipe
Info a utility in Norton SystemWorks Premier 2005 which states: "In general,
you cannot recover files that have been wiped. Windows Me/XP System Restore
can restore files that have been wiped if they are one of the protected file
types. By default, many document types, such as .doc and .xls files in My
Documents, are protected. Windows Me/XP System Restore maintains copies of
protected files. Wiping the original file does not wipe the copy that Windows
Me/XP System Restore maintains."

 

[Bert Kinney]

Hi Robert,

Here's a list of files and folders System Restore monitors:
http://bertk.mvps.org/html/filesfolders.html

Regards,
Bert Kinney MS-MVP Shell/User
http://bertk.mvps.org
Member: http://dts-l.org

 

[Guest]

If one is disposing of a computer and wants to remove all privacy type files...
You are correct, “deleting†a file does nothing of the sort. File
information is maintained in a directory so your operating system can find
it. All that “delete†does is erase the file’s reference information. Your OS
can’t find it, but the data is still there. That’s what those “file recoveryâ€
programs look for: data in blocks that the directory says aren’t in use. But
did you know that your disk drive has a built-in system for the secure
erasure of data?

"Secure Erase" is a set of commands embedded in most ATA drives built since
2001. You probably haven’t heard of it before because it’s been disabled by
most motherboard BIOSes. WARNING:Secure Erase is a loaded gun aimed right at
all your data, so do not play with it until it's needed. Secure Erase simply
overwrites every single track on the hard drive. That includes the data on
“bad blocksâ€, the data left at the end of partly overwritten blocks,
directories, everything.
There is NO data recovery from Secure Erase!! Download " Freeware Secure
Erase Utility" @ http://cmrr.ucsd.edu/Hughes/subpgset.htm, read the ReadMe
file and you’re good to go.
To use it you’ll need to know how to create a DOS boot disk - in XP you can
do it with the “Format†option after you right-click the floppy icon in My
Computer. If you want to know more, read CMRR’s 12 page Tutorial on Disk
Drive Data Sanitization
@http://cmrr.ucsd.edu/Hughes/DataSanitizationTutorial.pdf.

 

[Guest]

I thank everyone who responded to my query. The responses were very helpful.
I now have a further question. Would my privacy be protected if I formatted
my hard drive to remove everything, including System Restore and it’s
protected files, then reinstalled Win XP, but created no personal documents,
and then ran Norton’s Wipe Info to wipe all of the free space on the hard
drive?

 

[Uncle Grumpy]

I thank everyone who responded to my query. The responses were very helpful.
I now have a further question. Would my privacy be protected if I formatted
my hard drive to remove everything, including System Restore and it’s
protected files, then reinstalled Win XP, but created no personal documents,
and then ran Norton’s Wipe Info to wipe all of the free space on the hard
drive?

Yup.

It would also help if you wore a tinfoil cap during all future
excursions surfing the 'net.