I'm really not qualified to give technical advice, but I just wanted to throw two cents worth of info out to you, ok? Actually, I just received notification via email today that Piriform has a NEW version (2.14) of CCleaner available, so I will be uninstalling my old one and downloading the new one shortly.
OK...I just want to ask you exactly which box did you check in the secure delete feature (under Options and then Settings)? Of note is that in the 2nd circle of choice, you then can also choose how many times you want it erased...up to 35 times. "If" you did not notice that, please take a look, ok?
Btw...if you had not selected one of those extra wipe options, and decide to try it out, I would be very interested in knowing whether or not Recuva would be able to retrieve it then...providing you would have time to come back and report your findings!
I hope this is of some help, but if you've already tried the multiple swipe selection choices, then please forgive me for taking up your time, ok? Either way...good luck!
If data is overwritten once, by CC or any other means, then it cannot be recovered, by Recuva or any other means. If you doubt this then just edit one word or character in a file, save it, then try to get back to the original. So if CC overwrites something and you can still see, or recover, that data then you are looking at something else. If you are looking at the original data, then CC did not run its secure delete against it.
I don't use CC on the recycler, so there may be some simple explanation for this, and CC is not performing the overwrite, which appears to be the most likely prognosis. It's strange that the recycler has been emptied. When you run an analysis does CC list the recycler or its entries as to be deleted? Does it say secure deletion at the top of the list of files?
I'll wait for someone to give recycler advice before going into more esoteric reasons for recovereing 'deleted' data.
Instead, after CCleaner completes execution, I see the bin emptied, but if I use Recuva I can recover most files,
Is it possible Recuva did NOT recover the precise files that had been securely erased ?
Are you in fact seeing previous versions that were NOT available for secure deletion ?
e.g. If you edit and save a file, the original version will be automatically deleted and left in free space.
If you then delete the final version to the Recycle bin and later securely erase the recycle bin, a subsequent RECUVA operation should retrieve the earlier versions that the editor discarded as it saved the latest version.
You need to use Notepad to create and save "Test.txt" with the contents "test number 1".
Then edit and save Test.txt, changing it to "test number 2".
Then delete Test.txt to recycle bin, and then securely erase recycle bin.
Your complaint will be valid only if RECUVA is then able to retrieve the version that holds the text "test number 2"
nb I stipulate Notepad to avoid any automatic backup saving which some sophisticated editors / word processors (and also so M.$. Office stuff) do automatically in the background.
File edit is the first thing that sprung to mind.
There are other possibilities I will think of if I can't sleep tonight !!!
Yes, but I don't think you will see edit versions unless you run Recuva in deep scan (the OP doesn't say what mode was chosen). Normal scans just plough through the MFT, I believe. We need more info from the OP.
I checked the "secure delete" option. Doing so, I assumed that all files I have in the recycle bin are securely erased by CCleaner, when run.
Instead, after CCleaner completes execution, I see the bin emptied, but if I use Recuva I can recover most files, which have been NOT securely erased.
Then what?
I dont understand what is wrong. Either Recuva is too powerful, either CCleaner is not doing what promised.
Anybody can help me to understand?
For developers, is it possible to add a real "secure delete" feature in CCleaner?
Thanks!
Hi Ya blackpage,
The other guys have given you some good tips but the most important question I think is "Did you find the recoverable file with the name that you were aware of when you think you put it in the Recycle Bin?".
It may be just as the others have suggested.
If you found the same named file using Recuva then it definitely was not in the Recycle Bin.
See this about what names to look for when trying to "Recuva" files from the Recycle bin at
There are some things that have been missed by CCleaner in the past and we are trying to find out if there is still a problem.
Let us know,please.
Thanks, davey
P.S. Like the others, I do not use CCleaner to Empty my Recycle Bin. I treat the Recycle Bin just like my office trash can. Nobody empties it except ME. That is why it is called "File 13". Many members have a special Shredder folder that they drag and drop files to be "secure deleted". They have an INCLUDE entry for that folder at Options > Include . Everything contained in that folder gets "secure deleted" if "secure delete" option is set . Also, 1 overwrite is sufficient. CCleaner overwrites with zeros and the file name is changed to a bunch of ZZZZs.