Delete old files?

General Topics
1

Hi!

Today while I was on the web I saw a video about a program who
could restore old files that you had deleted. So what I’m wondering now
is if there’s any way to delete old files (like old files that you’ve deleted,
and basically just unnecessary files. I do use CCleaner but does it delete
stuff like that)? Because I guess they stay in my hard-disk and takes up
memory, right?

Thanks! :smiley:

2

Files on your hard disk deleted or not ‘don’t’ use up RAM only hard disk space.

Files when deleted aren’t actually deleted, this the reference to where the file is in the index (for want of s better term), so when you look in windows explorer you won’t find an entry for that file. The space that it took up becomes available for use (freeing up that hard disk space). So at some point in the future another file could be allocated to that space and that could overwrite all or a part of the file that was there previously.

So these tools to restore files are not 100% effective and the longer it is from the file having been deleted the lower the chance there is to actually recover it.

So the short answer is you don’t need to take action to completely remove deleted files, inless you are of a paranoid disposition there is nothing to worry about.

3

Okay, thanks for the answer. I appreciate it! ;D

4

Hello Pierolle,

if you have the latest version of ccleaner, then there is an option for wiping the free space with that, select the secure deletion option. eg NSA (7 passes).(images enclosed-attachments). no they do not take up any memory.

5

Wipe free space/erase files completely: Eraser. Ccleaner.
Recover deleted files: Restoration. Recuva. (by the makers of Ccleaner)
“Restoration” also can wipe free space. “Eraser” can shred files, wipe free space, and delete the MFT entry for said file.
Once a deleted file is overwritten, in part or full by another file, it should be considered non-recoverable. Sometimes it can be recovered, and the serious computer forensics folk (say, local law enforcement/CIA) might be able to recover them, too. (Who really knows?) Once a deleted file has been deliberately overwritten by one of these programs, it’s highly doubtful if anything can be recovered.

6

You’re welcome.

You now have a list of tools for these of a paranoid disposition to completely wipe deleted files, unfortunately using these would scupper the other tools to recover accidentally deleted files.

So you have to exercise care when deleting, but better still is to have a good back-up and recovery strategy.