Secure deletion

[Ramro]

Good evening,

 

I need to use the secure deletion program (3 passes),but I note that "Ccleaner can only securely delete files which have not yet been deleted from the Recycle Bin.If you have already deleted files insecurely (e.g using Windows Explorer),you can use RECUVA."

As I have regularly used 'disc cleanup' and 'emptied recycle bin' in the past,is this relevant ?

 

Thankyou

[Augeas]

It is simply (or not so simply) saying that CC will only securely delete files that are included in its secure delete run. Any files that have been deleted using a non-secure method (whether CCleaner or not) are beyond CC's reach. It would make more sense if 'from the Recycle Bin' were omitted. I think it was written before Wipe Free Space was offered as an option in CC.

[Ramro]

Thankyou AUGEAS.I don't wish to appear obtuse,but not being tech proficient,I want to make sure I've got this right.Does this mean that all the deletions of temp files,history etc I have made are,in effect in the same status as if they were done under the Cleaner unsecure mode ? In this case,why should I use RECUVA ?

 

Hope this makes sense

[Augeas]

Anything that hasn't been previously securely deleted, and that includes anything deleted by Windows disk cleanup or simply emptying the recycler, are in the same status as CC Normal Deletion. If they haven't subsequently been overwritten by new file allocations, the deleted files can be recovered.

 

You can use Recuva to show all deleted files, and then select some or all and select Secure Overwrite. This will be the equivalent of CC's secure deletion. Or you can use CC Wipe Free Space to overwrite all of your free space, which will take some time but is a few clicks' work. Whether your data is worth doing this is up to you to decide.

 

(I should add 'In general terms' to all this, and probably everything I post.)