[New Dutch translator, please]

Deleted.

[Permantly Deleting Files from Hard Drive]

From the docs (http://docs.piriform.com/recuva/using-recuva/advanced-mode/recovering-deleted-emails) and from previous posts in the forum.

 

cool. thx.

[Permantly Deleting Files from Hard Drive]

No secret. It's a logical entity, and indicates that there are deleted emails that could be recovered, if you so wish. The zip file is only created when you issue the recover command. So it cannot be securely deleted as it doesn't exist.

 

mmm... my file "Outlook Express emails.zip" is there all the time - so before and after recuva command. Funny thing is I don't use email but this file varies in size. Its either zero byte or "unknown". The Unknown size does recover to dozens of small files containing only zero zero characters. I am going 100% cloud, so gmail, facebook, etc. Outlook is on the PC but no e-mails.

 

I'm sure you're right, but puzzled about specifics. Where did you get the info?...

 

Cheers, Meadows.

[Permantly Deleting Files from Hard Drive]

Is it something.or.other.emails.zip, Meadows?

 

Yes - thats the one. What's the secret?

[Permantly Deleting Files from Hard Drive]

Thanks for the advice, this does work to some extent although some files remain recoverable. I have a couple of programmes that will do this including Microsoft File Shredder. What I find frustrating is the experiance described above where after following the search you highlight or check the files for overwrite and then run overwrite only to get a message that says 0 files deleted in xxx seconds. If you follow this with recovering the files, many of them are fine. Cheers Graham J.

 

Hi Graham.

I'm curious to know if your remaining files are of a particular type. I have one which remains recoverable - it's a .zip.

Cheers, Meadows

[Permantly Deleting Files from Hard Drive]

I share this exact problem, does anyone have the answer? Graham J.

 

Try this: use CCleaner. Check the option to wipe free space and wipe MFT. (I'm assuming you mean "wipe" or "overwrite" and not "delete" as Recuva is dealing with already deleted files which can be recovered.) This should overwrite all the files Recuva doesn't. Then look in Recuva to see if anything has changed.

 

P.s. you'll need the latest version - v2.29.xxxx. Let's know if it works.

[Wipe MFT only.]

Sure. Use the cancel button - that should clean up before exit.

[Wipe MFT only.]

P.S. Just seen your PS. That explains how you do it (but 20 days after the thread started!). I can't see any great danger. What happens to the deleted file names in the MFT after running Wipe MFT this way?

 

 

Oops, sorry about the 20 days - holiday in the sun.

[Wipe MFT only.]

Hi Meadows, I was curious to know what advantage there was in overwriting the MFT before overwriting free space, as opposed to overwriting free space first and then the MFT.

 

This thread http://forum.piriform.com/index.php?showtopic=27221&hl= indicates that it is not possible to overwrite the MFT without overwriting free space. So how are you overwriting the MFT on its own? When you overwrite the MFT what indication is there that this has indeed been done?

 

P.S. Just seen your PS. That explains how you do it. I can't see any great danger. What happens to the deleted file names in the MFT after running Wipe MFT this way?

 

Hi Augeas, the indication that it has been done is also in Recuva. After MFT wipe in CC go to Recuva and scan for recoverable files. The MFT is full of recoverable files of 600 zero bytes in the incremental zz...........zz format. The way CCleaner "wipes" the MFT is to create enough of these files to fill all the free space in the MFT and then delete them, thereby (I suppose) completely deleting or overwriting all the old filenames.

 

Cheers, Meadows

[Wipe MFT only.]

What's the advantage of overwriting the MFT before overwriting free space?

 

Hi Guys. I notice that no-one sees any advantage in wiping MFT without doing a full disk wipe.

Let me explain: I have a fast way to clean the disk.

 

Lets assume we can start with a clean MFT and a clean disk. After use, especially online, we are going to have a number of deleted temp and other files which are recoverable. To overwrite them I go into RECUVA, scan for files, check all files in the "recoverable" list and select the option "Overwrite checked" . Disk free space is totally overwritten again (I know, maybe not totally...) Done in seconds instead of an hour or more required to overwrite disk free space in CCleaner. What I have is an incremental operation instead of a complete re-run.

 

The only problem remaining is that Recuva can't overwrite in the MFT. Message "not overwritten...file is resident in MFT". So first I "wipe" MFT in CCleaner, then overwrite recoverable files in Recuva. Three minutes.

 

Cheers, Meadows

 

 

P.S. FearNothingProductions, I do run WFS and then stop it when MFT is finished. It is probably a "terrible idea" but seems to work for the mean time. Do you see any real dangers?

 

Best idea is definitely separate options in a future release. Piriform?

[Wipe MFT only.]

Hi guys,

Congratulations on the option to wipe MFT. I'm delighted with the results. I would like a menu option to go directly to wiping MFT, rather than having wait for a full free disk space wipe. Any suggestions?

Cheers, Meadows.

 

 

I can now answer my own question! My latest update (v2.29.1111) does the MFT wipe before the disk free space wipe. Very useful.

Cheers, Meadows.

[Wipe MFT only.]

Hi guys,

Congratulations on the option to wipe MFT. I'm delighted with the results. I would like a menu option to go directly to wiping MFT, rather than having to wait for a full free disk space wipe. Any suggestions?

Cheers, Meadows.