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| Thread ID: 149163 | 2020-07-27 00:49:00 | Making deleted files irretrievable | Misty (368) | Press F1 |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 1470727 | 2020-07-27 00:49:00 | I am donating an old laptop running Windows 10 to a Women's Centre. I have deleted all my personal files, passwords, etc, partly by using CCleaner. However I want to ensure that nothing can be recovered from the files deleted. By doing a google search various options are shown, including a third party "Eraser". Is that a good one to use, or are there better alternatives please? | Misty (368) | ||
| 1470728 | 2020-07-27 01:38:00 | If it's running Windows 10, you can use the Reset function to put it back to factory settings. Inside the reset function there is also an option to do a "full" wipe. It takes quite a bit of time but will overwrite everything on the disk. Go to Start > Settings > Update and Security > Recovery > Reset This PC > Get Started. When asked, tell Windows to "Fully Clean my Drive" |
baabits (15242) | ||
| 1470729 | 2020-07-27 01:44:00 | That sounds good, baabits. In the last week I have replaced the Windows 7 that was on it, with Windows 10. Presumably this procedure will leave Windows 10 in place? | Misty (368) | ||
| 1470730 | 2020-07-27 02:46:00 | Presumably this procedure will leave Windows 10 in place? Yes. But will also remove all installed software (MS Office etc) then Disconnect from internet , add local user & then login afterwards & make sure none of your files are there : in C:\users\... Just to be sure :-) |
1101 (13337) | ||
| 1470731 | 2020-07-27 05:48:00 | Mmm! Am hoping that there is an app that I could safely use to just get rid of all deleted items, without having to re-install the software? :( | Misty (368) | ||
| 1470732 | 2020-07-27 06:28:00 | To ultimately clear it, you need to zero the drive with software. But why be so paranoid? Even as a tech I couldn't be stuffed running undeletes to trawl through someones boring pictures or whatever. And undeletes are a lot harder on the modern big drives, no guarantees of success as those who don't back up find out the hard way. And SSDs....forget trying... |
piroska (17583) | ||
| 1470733 | 2020-07-27 06:55:00 | CCleaner has a delete and wipe all clear space in tools I believe with choices over what level of security you want. It's called Drive Wiper. |
zqwerty (97) | ||
| 1470734 | 2020-07-27 07:25:00 | CCleaner has a delete and wipe all clear space in tools I believe with choices over what level of security you want. It's called Drive Wiper. This is a good way, it will take a while depending on the size of the drive and number of passes you select. You can set it to wipe the drive of all free space upto 35 passes. Once a file is deleted its marked as free space so it really gets overwritten. The BUT (there's always a Butt) it is not best to try and wipe a SSD - in fact from memory it wont do it. Edited: Thought I'd give it a go to get a time -- Drive S on this thing is a STD 500GB Drive, with 300GB free, set Ccleaner to 3 passes - The time is below ( and this PC is not exactly a low spec) :) 10437 It does it in Two stages, the first wipes the MTF, goes through reasonable quick, then it wipes the actual Free Space. |
wainuitech (129) | ||
| 1470735 | 2020-07-27 07:39:00 | Edited to above should be MFT not MTF. MFT = Master File Table which is a database in which stores information about every file and directory on the System. |
wainuitech (129) | ||
| 1470736 | 2020-07-27 08:21:00 | That time seems reasonable and what I would have expected. Depending on the level of security required it is going to add a series of patterns of noughts (0's) and ones (1's) to all the parts of the drive deemed to be blank, this is not a forbidden operation in SSD's unlike defragging. | zqwerty (97) | ||
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