Re: How do you erase deleted files ?

mg wrote:
On Feb 7, 5:06 am, Gary <n...@xxxxxxxx> wrote:
I'm thinking about giving an old computer to a young great-niece (12).
Trouble is that over the years I may have had files on it that I would
not want her to see. Bank accounts, stock accounts, passwords, etc.
(posts to usenet:) All that stuff has been deleted but I understand
that deleted files can be recovered. Is there a program -- or any
way to permanently erase deleted files ?

I, personally, don't put anything on my computer that I don't want
others to see because I figure there is probably malware out there
that could read your hard drive(s) off the internet anyway.

However, the question depends on how paranoid you are. If you're just
a little bit worried, I would use the Windows (non-quick) format
option -- maybe do it a couple of times. I'll bet it would costs
thousands, if not tens of thousands, to recover data from a hard drive
that has been reformatted this way.

If you want more security than that there's a free program called
Active@ Kill Disk that's probably pretty safe for erasing your hard
drive data. I would guess the free version would be very safe,
especially if you had the patience to run it a dozen times.

For even more security, get the US Department of Defense 5220.22 M
compliant version. It costs $39.95 to $59.95 depending on what version
you buy.
http://www.killdisk.com/orderform.htm

Then finally, if you are totally paranoid, you can physically destroy
the disk and then maybe put the parts in different garbage cans. Or,
you could cut it into a couple dozen parts and then take the parts to
an airport and try to get people to take them to foreign countries and
then throw them away :-) Or, if you are really into the physical
destruction thing, there's some tips at the following website:
http://www.boydcreative.net/1/5-ways-to-destroy-your-hard-drive/

Reminds me of the time of the Pueblo capture by the North Koreans. There was a lot of interest at the time in quick destruct techniques for classified hardware. One project attempted to package classified chips with a thermite armed lid. They had a very difficult time finding a contractor who would agree to package chips for them!

I applied for a patent back then which was a data safe. Pull the handle and it would automatically destroy any data within. Completely tamper proof. As it turned out a very similar approach was already patented for the safeguard of nuclear warhead arming circuitry. Nice to know that they are protecting that stuff!

For all practical purposes, it is sufficient to use any of the software that overwrites the disk with random data several times. Seven seems to be a popular recommendation.

Why destroy a perfectly good disk?
.

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