delete

[John Barnett MVP]

To permanently delete a file without using the recycle
bin you need to press the Shift key and Delete key
together. A message will appear asking if you permanently
want to delete the item. All you need do then is press ok.
As to your next question, it doesn't matter what you
delete off your pc it will always leave traces. Actually
nothing ever gets deleted as such. What happens is, when
you delete a file, the file area is marked as free space.
The file is still there until it is overwritten by other
files.
There are ways of over writing the free space by using
freeware software such as Wipeout
(www.securitysoftware.cc) (yes the .cc is correct i
haven't mis-spelt it) Actually this is an excellent
little utility. One word of warning, though, wiping free
space can take time, especially if you have a large hard
drive or partition. Security settings are set to wipe 16
times by default. At this level of security my 20gb
partition (12GB free) managed to over write 30% free
space in 4 hours. I finally settled for a setting of 2
but was still looking at around a 2 hour wipe. Use the
advanced settings tab and also adjust the over write
option to normal priority to quicken the process. Also,
when it wipes the free space it will also wipe all of
your restore points, so be aware! As well as clearing
free space it also clears history, temp internet files,
cookies, recent files. For more details see the advanced
settings.

John Barnett - MVP
Associate Expert
>-----Original Message-----
>How can I permanently delete a video file or mp3 from my
>computer other than using the recycle bin. Is it still
>stored anywhere on my computer, taking up space, even if
>I delete it through the bin? How can I see if there are
>random files still in my computer? Is there a way to
>look at all the files on your computer? Is there a
>record of everything that I download somewhere? like
>mp3's? or music video clips?
>.
>

[Peter Foldes]

"John Barnett MVP" > wrote in message =
...
> To permanently delete a file without using the recycle=20
> bin you need to press the Shift key and Delete key=20
> together. A message will appear asking if you permanently=20
> want to delete the item. All you need do then is press ok.
> As to your next question, it doesn't matter what you=20
> delete off your pc it will always leave traces. Actually=20
> nothing ever gets deleted as such. What happens is, when=20
> you delete a file, the file area is marked as free space.=20
> The file is still there until it is overwritten by other=20
> files.
> There are ways of over writing the free space by using=20
> freeware software such as Wipeout=20
> (www.securitysoftware.cc) (yes the .cc is correct i=20
> haven't mis-spelt it) Actually this is an excellent=20
> little utility. One word of warning, though, wiping free=20
> space can take time, especially if you have a large hard=20
> drive or partition. Security settings are set to wipe 16=20
> times by default. At this level of security my 20gb=20
> partition (12GB free) managed to over write 30% free=20
> space in 4 hours. I finally settled for a setting of 2=20
> but was still looking at around a 2 hour wipe. Use the=20
> advanced settings tab and also adjust the over write=20
> option to normal priority to quicken the process. Also,=20
> when it wipes the free space it will also wipe all of=20
> your restore points, so be aware! As well as clearing=20
> free space it also clears history, temp internet files,=20
> cookies, recent files. For more details see the advanced=20
> settings.
>=20
> John Barnett - MVP
> Associate Expert
> >-----Original Message-----
> >How can I permanently delete a video file or mp3 from my=20
> >computer other than using the recycle bin. Is it still=20
> >stored anywhere on my computer, taking up space, even if=20
> >I delete it through the bin? How can I see if there are=20
> >random files still in my computer? Is there a way to=20
> >look at all the files on your computer? Is there a=20
> >record of everything that I download somewhere? like=20
> >mp3's? or music video clips?
> >.
> >

[Peter Foldes]

To permanently delete. Move to a CD through a writer and use that CD as =
a Frisbee into a river <s>

Peter


"John Barnett MVP" > wrote in message =
...
> To permanently delete a file without using the recycle=20
> bin you need to press the Shift key and Delete key=20
> together. A message will appear asking if you permanently=20

[nedjm]

Does formating a disk eliminate all traces?
Low level formatting?
Had some difficulties trying the security software.


"John Barnett MVP" > wrote in message
...
> To permanently delete a file without using the recycle
> bin you need to press the Shift key and Delete key
> together. A message will appear asking if you permanently
> want to delete the item. All you need do then is press ok.
> As to your next question, it doesn't matter what you
> delete off your pc it will always leave traces. Actually
> nothing ever gets deleted as such. What happens is, when
> you delete a file, the file area is marked as free space.
> The file is still there until it is overwritten by other
> files.
> There are ways of over writing the free space by using
> freeware software such as Wipeout
> (www.securitysoftware.cc) (yes the .cc is correct i
> haven't mis-spelt it) Actually this is an excellent
> little utility. One word of warning, though, wiping free
> space can take time, especially if you have a large hard
> drive or partition. Security settings are set to wipe 16
> times by default. At this level of security my 20gb
> partition (12GB free) managed to over write 30% free
> space in 4 hours. I finally settled for a setting of 2
> but was still looking at around a 2 hour wipe. Use the
> advanced settings tab and also adjust the over write
> option to normal priority to quicken the process. Also,
> when it wipes the free space it will also wipe all of
> your restore points, so be aware! As well as clearing
> free space it also clears history, temp internet files,
> cookies, recent files. For more details see the advanced
> settings.
>
> John Barnett - MVP
> Associate Expert
> >-----Original Message-----
> >How can I permanently delete a video file or mp3 from my
> >computer other than using the recycle bin. Is it still
> >stored anywhere on my computer, taking up space, even if
> >I delete it through the bin? How can I see if there are
> >random files still in my computer? Is there a way to
> >look at all the files on your computer? Is there a
> >record of everything that I download somewhere? like
> >mp3's? or music video clips?
> >.
> >