Delete filename (not contents) permanently ... how ?

[NoobyDoo]

OK, one can permanently delete a file and then overwrite it. But the filename still remains in the 'deleted files' list. How can I remove even that.

To clarify : I delete a file, say p0rn.avi ;-), and then empty the recycle bin ( or just shift+delete it). I then use Recuva, scan the drive, it still shows p0rn.avi. So I choose the file and select 'Secure Overwrite'. And assume all's OK.
Later on wife runs Recuva, sees p0rn.avi in list of deleted files (even tho it is unrecoverable) ...

So how does one ensure filename "p0rn.avi" never appears anywhere again ?

 

[Ika]

rename it, then delete and scrub?

 

[M0RPH]

I've never used Recuva, but it seems to me that it's just keeping a list of the files that it deleted. You should be able to clear that list somewhere within Recuva. I know that if you use some other program like Eraser to securely wipe files, they won't show up anywhere as deleted files.

 

[EagleKeeper]

The list of deleted files may be being kept in the Registry

 

[baskins]

I googled about Recuva, it's an undelete application. Seems to be free.. Good to know!




The way Windows some or most other operating systems work, is when you delete a file, it doesn't delete the contents of the file. It just deletes a pointer to that file.

Perhaps like the programming data structure, the linked list.
Say you have items. A B C D E F. in whatever order.
They may be stored as
F
D
A
C
A
B

in that order^^
But intended to be read A,B,C,D,E,F
So say they are in locations.. 1,2,3,4,5,6

1 F
2 D
3 A
4 C
5 A
6 B

Now, each item could point to the next one. I use the third column as pointer.
see.. start at item 5 (A), that points to item 6(B) which points to item 4 e.t.c. (you can see how the rest would be filled in)
START=5
1 F
2 D 3
3 E
4 C 2
5 A 6
6 B 4

So in such a situation, if item C is "deleted", then C is left there, but the thing pointing to C will be made to point to whatever C points to
1 F
2 D 3
3 E
4 C 2
5 A 6
6 B 2 <-- notice change

So can read them now A B D ...

I don't know what system windows uses.. I guess it's to do with NTFS and FAT and some physical org.. I don't know about..

So it's not a thing of deleting the filename not the file. it's am issue question of windows deleting the pointer to the contents of the file, but not the contents itself.

There are programs if you
google delete files permanently
you see things about it..

You are looking for a program that writes over the contents of where the file was.

Not programs to wipe your hard drive of course.. just a program to do the above.. basically delete the file and write over where it was. It could write 000s over it for example.

 

[pcgeek11]

OK, one can permanently delete a file and then overwrite it. But the filename still remains in the 'deleted files' list. How can I remove even that.

To clarify : I delete a file, say p0rn.avi ;-), and then empty the recycle bin ( or just shift+delete it). I then use Recuva, scan the drive, it still shows p0rn.avi. So I choose the file and select 'Secure Overwrite'. And assume all's OK.
Later on wife runs Recuva, sees p0rn.avi in list of deleted files (even tho it is unrecoverable) ...

So how does one ensure filename "p0rn.avi" never appears anywhere again ?

P0rn.avi

This story made my day That is some funny shit.

Tell your wife that you are over 21 and are allowed to look at anything you want. Show her your ID Card.

 

[pcgeek11]

Look to see if she has been going to *hotsweatymen.com!!!!!!!!!!

 

[baskins]

recuva seems to look a bit rubbish..
I just tried creating a .txt file like notepad let.txt , then del let.txt Recuva didn't see it. (it seems even when I enter *.txt or choose to show all, it doesn't show the txt)
I noticed Recuva saw some .log files
I then did the same with a .log file, notepad let.log, and del let.log Recuva saw it.


I then highlighted it , right clicked and chose "Secure Overwrite Highlighted",
it said "Not overwritten - File is resident in the MFT"

So I couldn't reproduce what you said 'cos it couldn't even undelete a file I just created and deleted.

It seems like a funny program..

If you do an overwrite deletion with it..
try uninstalling it , reinstalling it.. scanning.. see if it picks it up.. see if it's in the undelete list of it. try another scanner..

your wife is intelligent!

 

[NoobyDoo]

Recuva has always worked for me.

http://docs.piriform.com/recuva/troubleshooting/recuva-faq-frequently-asked-questions

What types of files can Recuva not securely delete?

Recuva cannot delete files that are resident in the Master File Table (MFT), or files of zero size. Resident files are very small files (typically a few hundred bytes) which are so small that Windows stores them directly in the MFT. Zero byte files have no size and therefore have nothing to delete.

http://docs.piriform.com/recuva/using-recuva/advanced-mode/securely-deleting-your-files

Secure deletion does not overwrite file names, which continue to exist in the MFT (Master File Table). In order to overwrite names of deleted files, please use the Wipe MFT Free Space option in CCleaner.

http://docs.piriform.com/recuva/technical-information/secure-file-deletion

If you're looking for a freeware solution that can securely delete files and protect your privacy, speed up your PC, and clean out the junk in Windows, be sure to check out our companion product, CCleaner.
Note: When CCleaner securely deletes files, it renames them with all Zs in the file name (for example, ZZZZZZZZ.ZZZ) for increased security. Since Recuva is recovering files that have already been deleted, it cannot change their names before it overwrites them.

^ It may not work if you shift+delete a file. So you will have to delete (recycle bin) the file, and then use CCleaner. Will test today.

CCleaner, Recuva and Defraggler from Piriform are pretty good. Freeware too.
http://www.piriform.com/

And, don't take the first post literally ! I was just joking.

 

[pcgeek11]

and, don't take the first post literally ! I was just joking.

ok.

 

[JimKiler]

stick with using pron i mean private browsing in firefox instead of downloading your pron.