Last week I changed the cleaner's setting to = NSA level of file cleaning.
Does this mean that all files that were deleted prior to that change remained cleaned at the less intense default level instead of the newer more secure cleaning setting?
If so, is there a way to clean previously cleaned files to the stricter level?
Changing a secure delete setting will not affect anything previously done, so files deleted using normal or other deletion types will remain as they are. I think that if you investigate a little you will find that one overwrite will be sufficient security for any pc user, unless your name is Putin or Bush, and even then I'm not convinced. The paradox is that one overwrite will render the overwritten data unrecoverable by anyone except very clever aliens, but there's almost certainly other bits of the file remaing on the disk that can be discovered by forensic experts.
If you want to re-clean previously securely deleted files then use Recuva. Select the files and right click and select Secure Delete. The delete option used is specified in the Options box. All securely deleted files (using CC) will be renamed ZZZ something (display them by settings in the Option box), so there may be a lot to do. You'll probably guess that I think it's not worth the effort.
Changing a secure delete setting will not affect anything previously done, so files deleted using normal or other deletion types will remain as they are. I think that if you investigate a little you will find that one overwrite will be sufficient security for any pc user, unless your name is Putin or Bush, and even then I'm not convinced. The paradox is that one overwrite will render the overwritten data unrecoverable by anyone except very clever aliens, but there's almost certainly other bits of the file remaing on the disk can be discovered by forensic experts.
If you want to re-clean previously securely deleted files then use Recuva. Select the files and right click and select Secure Delete. The delete option used is specified in the Options box. All securely deleted files (using CC) will be renamed ZZZ something (display them by settings in the Option box), so there may be a lot to do. You'll probably guess that I think it's not worth the effort.