How to delete files permanantly

[Walker11]

Hi, I'm new here. I use Recuva & CCleaner and they work OK. I need to know how I can permantly erase all deleted files off of my HD. I'm not a tech so tell me in layman's words. Thanks.

[tomkay44]

Hi, I'm new here. I use Recuva & CCleaner and they work OK. I need to know how I can permantly erase all deleted files off of my HD. I'm not a tech so tell me in layman's words. Thanks.

On the "Windows" tab of CCleaner you can check the "Wipe Free Space" box on the very bottom under "Advanced". The warning that comes on just tells you it's going to take a long time (not lying). Only danger is that the deleted files on your hard drive will not be recoverable. In most cases that's good. Below is a link to the help topic.

 

http://docs.piriform.com/ccleaner/using-cc...free-disk-space

 

You can also reinstall back to factory settings. This re-formats the hard drive wipes everything off. Only do this when all hope is lost.

[marmite]

On the "Windows" tab of CCleaner you can check the "Wipe Free Space" box on the very bottom under "Advanced".

Note that you also need to tick which drives are to be have their free space wiped from the 'Options' / 'Settings' panel.

[Walker11]

Note that you also need to tick which drives are to be have their free space wiped from the 'Options' / 'Settings' panel.

 

I checked the settings and I already had the "free space wiped" check mark next to the "C" drive. How do I delete any files that may have been deleted before I installed CCleaner? I can recover them, but it recommends they be sent to another location.

 

I just want them GONE 4 ever & don't want to re-format my O.S./drive. Thanks.

[marmite]

I checked the settings and I already had the "free space wiped" check mark next to the "C" drive. How do I delete any files that may have been deleted before I installed CCleaner? I can recover them, but it recommends they be sent to another location.

Two possibilities are ...

 

1) Do a free space wipe ... which means running ccleaner with the check-boxes mentioned above ticked.

 

2) If you're saying you can potentially recover them (presumably using recuva) ... then you can also select all of those files in recuva and do a secure delete (configured via recuva's Options). Obviously that only overwrites the files that you specifically select.

[Walker11]

Two possibilities are ...

 

1) Do a free space wipe ... which means running ccleaner with the check-boxes mentioned above ticked.

 

2) If you're saying you can potentially recover them (presumably using recuva) ... then you can also select all of those files in recuva and do a secure delete (configured via recuva's Options). Obviously that only overwrites the files that you specifically select.

 

Hi, I found that after recovering deleted files from all my drives by clicking Right in the list area there's a dropdown menu that has a "Secure Overwrite" feature. I used it to write over all the files with a few exceptions.

 

I reformatted my personal HD only to find out now that the drive was NOT wiped as I believed??? I thought when a drive is wiped ALL files are GONE??? It appears that that was not the case SO I wrote over them using the 35X setting.

 

I did, however wipe that drive before I installed Recuva. Hmmm?? If I need to get rid of files again on the "C" drive I will reformat that drive as it will be alot easier & take far less time. I don't understand why files aren't really deleted when you think they are. Computers are strange at times.

[campervan]

i'm also having this problem... why say wipe free space completly removes the files when it doesnt?

 

does anyone know how you can? or a programme that can do this? or do you have to wait until that part of the harddrive is overwritten?

 

cheers

[hazelnut]

Hi campervan, can you keep you posts about this matter in your thread here

 

http://forum.piriform.com/index.php?showtopic=24730