Groups | Search | Server Info | Keyboard shortcuts | Login | Register [http] [https] [nntp] [nntps]

Groups > comp.misc > #4058

Re: Deleting files

Show all headers | View raw

In article <alpine.LNX.2.02.1407171356300.1266@darkstar.example.org>,
Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> wrote:

> On Thu, 17 Jul 2014, Peter Percival wrote:
> 
> > It is my belief (and you may be quite sure I know absolutely nothing about 
> > the matter) that when I delete a file under Windows 7 what actually happens 
> > is that the space used by the file is marked as available for new file 
> > creation.  So the supposedly deleted file might hang around for sometime 
> > before it gets written over; and even then it might be readable because
> > some 
> > residual magnetism (? or something) remains on the disk which can be read
> > by 
> > specialised hardware or software.
> >
> Yes, this happens, but if you are making lots of saves, chances are the 
> space will get reused fairly fast.
> 
> I remember scrambling some floppy disks, wiping out the FAT table. 
> (The FAT is where the location of the starts of files is kept.) And it 
> wsa a big drag to resurrect those files.  They were't necessarily in 
> sequential order, so even when you found the starting point, you might 
> have to leap around.  It's been a long time, most of what I remember about 
> that is that it had to be pretty important to follow through on.  I dont' 
> think I ever did bother resurrecting any files, too much trouble.
> 
> So if you're worried that someone might get ahold of your hard drive and 
> find deleted files, that's less likely the longer you keep using that 
> drive. And for someone to go to the trouble of finding deleted files, 
> there has to be some incentive to do so.  Why bother with the hard drive 
> of John Q. Random?  Might as well wait and find a hard drive tossed out by 
> royalty or someone who might have stuff worth knowing about.
> 
> There's always a risk, but it diminishes fast.  IN everyday use, unless 
> you were doing something illegal, deleted files shouldn't be an issue. 
> Getting rid of the hard drive probably is worth some effort to make sure 
> things are deleted, but even then there are more steps that can be taken 
> if someone knows the information is worth it, while without any value 
> placed on the information, nobody will bother unless they are just 
> practicing.

Pay no attention to this idiot. If you're getting rid of a computer, or
a hard drive, you should wipe it (format it and write zeroes
everywhere, using another computer) and then re-install the OS (if
you're selling or giving it away).

Unless of course you don't mind people seeing copies of old bills, your
credit card details or bank details, and the like.

-- 
"I am enclosing two tickets to the first night of my new play; bring a
friend.... if you have one." - GB Shaw to Churchill "Cannot possibly
attend first night, will attend second...  if there is one." - Winston
Churchill, in response.

Back to comp.misc | Previous | Next — Previous in thread | Next in thread | Find similar | Unroll thread

Thread

Deleting files Peter Percival <peterxpercival@hotmail.com> - 2014-07-17 13:55 +0100
  Re: Deleting files Huge <Huge@nowhere.much.invalid> - 2014-07-17 14:28 +0000
  Re: Deleting files scott@alfter.diespammersdie.us (Scott Alfter) - 2014-07-17 14:30 +0000
    Re: Deleting files Peter Percival <peterxpercival@hotmail.com> - 2014-07-17 18:09 +0100
  Re: Deleting files Adrian C <email@here.invalid> - 2014-07-17 15:30 +0100
  Re: Deleting files Rich <rich@example.invalid> - 2014-07-17 16:12 +0000
    Re: Deleting files Tim Streater <timstreater@greenbee.net> - 2014-07-17 17:58 +0100
      Re: Deleting files Richard Kettlewell <rjk@greenend.org.uk> - 2014-07-17 20:14 +0100
    Re: Deleting files Dario Niedermann <dnied@tiscali.it> - 2014-07-22 00:10 +0200
  Re: Deleting files Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2014-07-17 17:28 +0100
  Re: Deleting files Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> - 2014-07-17 14:01 -0400
    Re: Deleting files Tim Streater <timstreater@greenbee.net> - 2014-07-17 19:04 +0100
  Re: Deleting files Peter Mc Donough <mcd-mail-lists@gmx.net> - 2014-07-17 21:12 +0200
    Re: Deleting files Peter Percival <peterxpercival@hotmail.com> - 2014-07-18 11:41 +0100
      Re: Deleting files Peter Mc Donough <mcd-mail-lists@gmx.net> - 2014-07-18 13:36 +0200

csiph-web