In order to ensure complete deletion of files using a hard drive requires some knowledge, and when working with USB and SSD drives, you can fall into a trap. Do you consider the file to be permanently deleted? No matter how it is: most of the documents that you have erased recently are safely in their original form on your drive. In this article I will tell you how to get rid of them forever.
When you need to reliably and reliably delete information from a storage device, you need to do a little more than simply pressing the “Delete” key.
The essence of the problem of completely deleting files from hard drive in the following: operating system Windows is extremely sensitive to all files when it comes to deleting them. To protect against user error, after the user presses the “Delete” key, the operating system moves the file to be deleted to the Recycle Bin. You can erase it from the Recycle Bin manually, or after it is full, it first occurs automatic removal oldest files. The user can set the Basket size independently for each available hard system disk. It should be remembered that both after cleaning it and after deleting the file, bypassing the Recycle Bin (using the keyboard shortcut "Shift+Delete") the contents of the document still remain on the hard drive. The reason is simple: the file is physically erased only after the area it occupies on the hard drive is filled with other data.
Obviously, such a deletion would require the same amount of time as it would take to simply copy a file. That's why Windows simply marks the entries in the Master File Table corresponding to the erased data as deleted. This table combines file names with physical blocks on the hard drive. Thus, the contents of the file remain recorded on the hard drive, although the operating system has already “forgot” about it.
The same thing happens when you format the media. In this case, the OS completely replaces the main file table and other file system metadata with clean versions. In the data area, all files remain unchanged. The only difference between normal and quick formatting is that in the latter case the media is not checked for physical errors.
Why doesn't WIndows delete files completely?
Windows stores information about each file in a Master File Table. This hidden file, which only the operating system can access. It contains file names as well as metadata such as the username and permissions for the file. In addition, the MFT indicates where each file is stored on the hard drive and whether it is fragmented (that is, whether it is located in several blocks in different sectors of the disk). When you erase a file, it is simply marked as deleted in MFT. The contents of this file remain on the hard drive in original condition, and special utilities that examine HDD for the presence of a structure of known file types, they allow you to restore it without loss. That is why it is important not only to delete confidential data, but also to rewrite the disk using specialized utilities. Only this will make recovery impossible.
Today, methods of destroying information developed in the 1990s are considered outdated. Among them, for example, is the Peter Gutman method, which involves 35-fold rewriting with random and structured data. This algorithm must ensure multiple changes in the polarity of the magnetic carrier at each point, so that even a magnetic microscope cannot detect remnants of the original polarity of the hard drive. This is great, but a HDD with a capacity of one terabyte will be cleaned in this way for five days, while consuming the resources of the mechanical and electronic systems.
For hard drives manufactured after 2001 and with a capacity of more than 15 GB, Peter Gutman recommends a one-time overwrite with random data as the most reliable method. Scientist Craig Wright conducted tests in his laboratory, taking readings from the surface of magnetic plates using special measuring instruments. During the experiment, he found out that on modern hard drives simple overwriting free space zeros does not allow you to recover deleted files. He was able to determine with 56 percent probability the original content of the deleted bit at a previously known position. The probability of recovering a byte (that is, an individual letter) in a text document is 0.09%. If the bit position is unknown and the file size is large, then the probability of file recovery is practically zero.
Optical rewritable drives, such as CDs or DVD-RWs, must be erased before disposal, similar to hard drives, that is, the free space on them must be filled with random data. If we are talking about non-rewritable discs, then they should simply break into a large number of small parts (for example, using an office shredder). If technical means destruction optical disks are missing, then you can simply scratch to the maximum possible depth and over the entire surface the side of the disk on which the inscriptions are written. The fact is that under the layer of varnish there is a reflective layer on it that contains recorded information, and its destruction makes it impossible to read the data.
Required for daily use simple utility, which would ensure reliable file deletion in practice. Developers of open source software source code called Eraser, they set themselves the task of creating just such a tool. After installation, the utility is integrated into the Explorer context menu. By clicking right click mouse over the desired file, you must select “Eraser | Erase", after which the contents of the file are overwritten with a random set of data. The file deletion method can be selected in the Settings menu in the main window. A quick method called “Pseudorandom Data (1 pass)” is quite reliable, so even intelligence agencies are unlikely to be able to cope with recovering a deleted file.
SSD and USB drives: pieces of information remain
Due to the fact that the memory cells of flash drives have a limited number of rewrite cycles, manufacturers integrate a larger amount of memory into SSD hard drives than indicated in the datasheet. During operation, the controller distributes access to the cells so that all of them are used evenly. This misleads the Eraser program, since instead of the necessary sectors, the controller gives it completely different cells.
In principle, the contents of freed cells can only be erased if you give your SSD the Trim command in manual mode. This is only possible when using utilities from the manufacturer. But even in this case, you will not be able to completely control the process. Thus, to permanently eliminate one single file, you will have to clear the entire SSD hard drive. In this case, data will be deleted not only from those cells that Windows sees, but also from the entire flash memory, including backup areas. This can be done using utilities from the SSD hard drive manufacturer, such as Intel SSD Toolbox or OCZs Firmware Update and Toolbox.
If there is no such utility available for your SSD drive, you can practice using the command line with a DOS program called HDDErase. To do this, use UNetboot to create a bootable USB flash drive with Free-DOS and copy the HDDErase.exe program to it. After that, in the BIOS, switch the SATA controller to IDE compatibility mode and start the computer from the boot boot you created external media. Please note that the bootable flash drive will not be identified as drive A: - the letter of this drive will most likely be C: (but maybe something else). After launching the HDDErase program, you should indicate to it the correct letter of the drive that needs to be cleaned. Both the utility from the SSD hard drive manufacturer and HDDErase transmit SATA commands to internal SSD drives and hard drives, thanks to which their controllers allow you to completely and reliably rewrite all memory. A side effect of this “low-level wipe” is that the old SSD will run faster. If your SSD hard drive is not equipped with technologies for maintaining high performance (the “Trim” or “Garbage Collection” commands are a procedure for assembling and deleting unused data), then after prolonged operation it begins to slow down. The procedure of rewriting memory cells allows you to speed up the drive to the level of a new one.
If you want to save the installed operating system and (or) programs on the SSD, then before you start cleaning the media, you should create an image of it (described how to create it). Please note that for this purpose it is necessary to use an application that only accepts files visible to the operating system. Suitable, for example, True Image from Acronis.
So, after cleaning the SSD, transfer the previously created image to it and work as before. If you are installing a new operating system on an SSD, we recommend that you immediately create an encrypted container for sensitive files - for example, using the TrueCrypt program.
Cleaning the SSD in Windows
In order not to leave parts of deleted files on the SSD, there is a simple, but not very recommended software technical reasons way. It is only suitable if your SSD hard drive has only one partition that occupies the entire disk, and it is at least 10% free. So, first delete all files by pressing the “Shift+Delete” combination. After that, run the Eraser program and in its settings set the default method for erasing free space, that is, in three passes. Then in Explorer, right-click on the letter of the SSD drive and select “Eraser | Erase Free Space." After this, the program will write random data to the erased solid-state disk, including working memory and backup cells. Thus, many spare cells will be overwritten. The remaining data, which is located in separate memory cells, can, of course, be restored, but the result of this procedure is completely unpredictable. After all, to completely restore a file, it would be necessary to read the entire memory capacity of the SSD drive, including backup cells that the controller diligently hides from the operating system. I would like to warn you right away that this method should not be used too often, as it shortens the service life of the solid-state drive due to the total overwriting of the cells.
Deleting files from NAS and deletion problems on Windows
Along with the risks described above, there are other problems associated with the reliability of file deletion. Thus, you access hard drives installed in a home network-attached storage (NAS) not directly, but through a network interface, which makes it difficult to guarantee erasure of information. The file systems of such storages (Linux-based) partially work with special data recovery logs. Thus, to have absolute confidence in the reliability of file deletion, before selling, you should remove the disks from storage and clean them using any of the methods described above, and then install them back.
Regardless of the media type, the Windows operating system sometimes refuses to delete some files. In this case, caution is needed, since the reason for the OS “strike” may be either the need for this file of the system itself, or running program, which refers to the file to be deleted. In Windows 7, the error message contains information about which application opened this file. If this utility does not close or its window has disappeared from the monitor screen, then look in the Task Manager (launched by the key combination “Ctrl+Shift+Esc”) for a running process and forcefully terminate it. If this does not help, you will have to restart the computer and try to delete the ill-fated file after restarting. The Eraser utility has a corresponding option for this called “Erase on Restart”.
If unsuccessful, use the Unlocker utility. Right-click on the name of the file to be deleted and select the “Unlocker” menu item. The program will show which process is blocking the file being deleted. You can “kill” it immediately or select from the drop-down list the action you need for the file (delete, rename or move). This action will be performed immediately after clicking the "OK" button. Default this utility moves the deleted file to the Recycle Bin, so it must then be emptied using Eraser.
Complete deletion of files using a USB flash drive
Darik's Boot and Nuke utility specializes in cleaning hard drives a computer that no longer starts due to a software glitch. When the software stops functioning, clean hard disks This utility will help your computer. To do this, unzip the archive to any folder on your working PC and run the creation program bootable flash drive- Universal USB Installer. From the top drop-down menu, select DBAN 2.2.6, and from the bottom - the letter of the empty USB drive and click the “Create” button. After this, start the computer from the created bootable media by pressing the “F8” or “F12” key after turning on the PC. If nothing works out, then BIOS settings You must select a USB drive as the first bootable media. Immediately after startup, a menu will appear, and if you want to clean all the hard drives in the system at once, then enter the autonuke command, press the “Enter” button and let the program do its job. This may last several hours.
If you need to clean only a specific hard drive, then after launching DBAN, press “Enter”. An interactive menu will appear in which you can select the hard drives from which data should be completely erased.
Checking for complete file deletion
Most The best way checking the effectiveness of a particular file deletion method is an attempt to recover deleted information. There are many different utilities for this purpose.
Program for deleted files
Install the program PC Inspector File Recovery. Then delete files from the media (it must have a FAT or NTFS file system) by pressing the “Shift+Delete” key combination. After that, launch PC Inspector File Recovery. Select the “Search for lost data” tab in the window that appears and start the search procedure with preset parameters. You will be surprised to find how many files you deleted can be recovered after this. The audit documents should appear in a folder called "Deleted". Recovery the desired file is done by right-clicking on it. During our testing, PC Inspector was unable to recover data from formatted media, just like its competitor, NTFS Undelete.
Another utility called DiskInternals NTFS Recovery found a number of files on formatted media, but did not determine their names. PC Inspector is free program, and NTFS Undelete and DiskInternals NTFS Recovery are paid.
Good afternoon. Today I will continue the article “”. Many users quite often encounter a situation where they need to delete everything from their computer.
This can happen for various reasons. Home, protecting your confidential data. For example, many people often need to sell a computer. Mostly, in order to obtain a new, more powerful model. You can, of course, sell a PC by unit, but we will consider the option when a person wants to sell the entire system unit.
I think it is clear to you that before selling your computer, you must remove all confidential information from it. It is advisable to do this, because valuable confidential information can be stored on the hard drive. For example, video materials, photos and other data that you do not want to leave to strangers.
How to delete everything from your computer Formatting during system installation
I won’t describe to you the reinstallation of the system itself, especially since I already did this in the article “?”, I’ll just add. During the system reinstallation, when you are in the disk selection window, click on the line at the bottom of the “Disk Settings” window.
Then, select the disk to format and click “Format”. In our case, because we want to delete all information from the computer, we will select each of the disks in turn.
We formatted all drives except the system drive (if we used methods 1 and 2). To complete deleting all information, go to system disk(usually this is drive C), and delete all folders except Windows folders(it cannot be deleted, our system is located in it). After that, don't forget to empty our trash.
How to permanently delete everything from your computer
Now you know how to delete everything from your computer. All that remains is to choose the method you like and completely format the computer. Personally, I prefer formatting during a system reinstall. Good luck!
Friends, I recommend installing the system not on a normal HDD drive, and on solid state SSD drive like I did. Buy it You can go to AliExpress. Disks on a page range from 120 to 960 GB, i.e., actually 1 TB. Judging by the description, the disk is suitable for both Computers and (laptops).
From the screenshot you can see the disk volumes. If you need to install the system, it is enough to purchase a disk with a capacity of 120 GB. If it’s a full-fledged hard drive, then, at your discretion, from 480 to 960 GB. Why do I recommend installing Windows on a solid-state hard drive? Your system will boot in seconds! If you purchase a 1TB disk, all your programs will work!
Andrey Zimin 09/29/2015
To be sure that no one will use your confidential data after you have erased it, advice from specialists and special programs selected by them will help.
User information is becoming increasingly valuable, which means reliable protection against theft is required. Important confidential documents, account information and credit cards- all this can become easy prey for inquisitive attackers. By deleting documents and other important secret data from the Recycle Bin or immediately bypassing it, many users think that they have destroyed them irrevocably and nothing threatens their security.
However, in reality this is not always the case. Any person well versed in computers, if desired, can easily restore information deleted in this way. In addition, a lot of service data is stored in the operating system and on the hard drive in various forms, including about the user’s actions, such as visiting sites, copying and transferring files, what programs he worked with and even when and what flash drives he connected .
If special devices known as shredders can be used to destroy paper documents and optical discs, and fingerprints can be erased, then with traces left in a PC, everything is not so simple and obvious. For example, even when creating an encrypted file, a temporary, unprotected copy of it can be generated, which an attacker could theoretically later restore. In addition, many programs such as Microsoft Office or Adobe Photoshop, leave service information in files, including information about previous versions, where confidential data that is subsequently erased by the user can be stored.
We'll tell you about the main ways to remove personal information from the system and when working in different programs and subsequent cleaning free space on the disk to eliminate the chance of recovering deleted files. In addition, you will learn about the features of cleaning solid-state drives.
Destroying temporary files
Temporary files that are created by various applications, such as MS Office, and, of course, browsers can tell quite a lot about the user. To destroy temporary files, it is best to use special utilities that do their job automatically.
CCleaner. Free Windows cleaning utility. Among other functions, it allows you to clear free space on the HDD from previously deleted files and safely erase information. To do this, go to the “Service | Erasing disks." Specify what exactly you want to remove, as well as the method (for example, “NSA (7 passes)”), and select the drive. To destroy data, CCleaner provides the user with a choice of algorithm: single overwrite, 3, 7, or 35 cycles.
Mars WinCleaner- this is no longer a new, but very reliable utility for deleting temporary files - the result of the work of many programs. Unfortunately, this program does not have a function for completely erasing information, but it can be configured to automatically clean the system of temporary files on a schedule, as well as when the computer is turned on or off.
Kaspersky Internet Security Thanks to its “Remove Activity Traces” function, it allows you to remove most of the temporary files that can tell about your work with your PC. You can find this option in the “Tools” section.
Clearing data in programs and documents
A document you've edited many times often carries part of the story, and when using standard or special means its past versions can be partially restored.
For example, files with the PSD extension of the Photoshop photo editor contain a history of changes, which can be used both for good - to edit the image, and to identify some details that the user would like to hide. To avoid this, you should copy the completed version of the document into a new, clean file and send it to the recipient. This way you will get rid of the change history. You can check this by comparing the sizes of the new file and the old one that was edited.
In addition, when using older versions of Microsoft Office, it may be useful to install a plugin from the manufacturer - Remove Hidden Data, which allows you to remove Microsoft documents Office 2003/XP various service information. In the 2007 version, to do this, click on the round button with the program logo and select “Prepare | Document Inspector”, then in the window that appears, mark the necessary menu items with checkboxes and click on the “Check” button. After scanning, the wizard will prompt you to delete the found data. In Office 2010, this feature can be found in the File | Details | Troubleshooting | Document Inspector."
Browser cleaning
To automatically or manually remove personal information from Internet browsers one-time, you must change their settings.
Mozilla Firefox . To remove traces in this application, you need to go to “Tools | Settings" and on the "Privacy" tab, check the "Clear history when closing Firefox" checkbox or configure the program in a way convenient for you, for example, so that the browser does not initially save information.
Internet Explorer . You can use the keyboard shortcut “Ctrl+Shift+Del” or the menu item “Tools | Delete browsing history."
Opera. Click on the "Opera" button and go to "Settings | Delete personal data." In this window, you can use the drop-down list to specify in detail what data should be deleted.
Apple Safari. Click on the gear button and select “Reset Safari” from the menu that opens.
Google Chrome . Go to settings by clicking on the right top corner button with three lines, or just enter in address bar chrome://chrome/settings and on the settings page that opens, click on “Show additional settings", and then click the "Clear History" button.
Automatic and manual system cleaning
If you don't want to install additional programs, you can use Windows registry, browser settings and local OS security policies.
Swap file. This storage may contain elements of the processed confidential information. To automatically clean it, you need to do the following: Press the key combination “Win+R” and in the line that appears, enter the command “secpol.msc” (without quotes). Click OK. In the window that opens, go to “ Local policies| Security Settings" and on the right side of the window select "Shut down: Clear virtual memory page file". Double click on it. In the settings window, set the mode to “Enable” and click the “Apply” button. Now, when you turn off your PC, the page file will be automatically cleared.
Information stored on the Internet
It's not just your computer that may contain user data - in social networks even after you delete previously downloaded photos or your pages, they remain in storage and can be restored at the request of intelligence services. All records about the IP addresses you use when connecting, passwords, correspondence, etc. are also stored for a long time.
Therefore, try not to transfer important and unencrypted information to cloud storage: they can be hacked or be under constant surveillance by various intelligence services and security services of a competing company. Even when deleting data from the cloud, you have no guarantee that copies of it will not remain in storage and will not be transferred to outsiders or captured by attackers.
Clearing free disk space
At standard deletion the file is not completely destroyed - the operating system only erases the address of its location. The data itself can be stored on the HDD for quite a long time until it is overwritten by other information. And even after rewriting, such information can be partially restored. To ensure the destruction of data, we recommend that you use publicly available programs that ensure irreversible deletion of information.
eraser. This is the most popular free utility, which allows you to truly reliably destroy documents, including the Guttmann method, in which the file is overwritten 35 times with random data. Eraser also offers the function of clearing free space on the HDD to completely destroy erased information.
Kremlin. This is a real data harvester, and file destruction is only part of its functionality. Also, with its help, you can encrypt information and remove traces of computer work. Among other things, Kremlin offers useful function cleaning random access memory, where important information may be stored.
Acronis True Image Home 2013. In addition to the basic functions of backing up data, the application will help you irreversibly delete specific files and folders, as well as clean up already empty disk space. In this case, you can choose a data destruction algorithm.
Flash drive tracking
The operating system can even remember information about previously connected flash drives. Using the USBDview program, you can see when and which flash drive was connected, and also erase this information. You can also delete such information in the Registry Editor in the following branches:
"HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Enum\USBST OR"
"HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\U SBSTOR."
Wiping SSD
A technique for repeatedly rewriting data to delete it without a trace for solid state drives destructive due to their limited resource. In addition, studies have shown that not a single software method of deleting information guarantees its complete destruction - from 4 to 91% of “safely” erased files can be restored. Therefore the only one reliable way Permanently deleting data from an SSD means physically destroying the media.
Hardware erasers
If your HDD or flash drive contains important information, which needs to be destroyed quickly and irreversibly, one way is to use hardware.
For internal hard drives
Now there are devices on the market that allow you to reliably and in a short time destroy all information stored on a “protected” hard drive. There is even a function for extreme cases - physical damage to the HDD. One of such devices is the domestic development 2S-994 “Priboy”. The cost of such a device is almost equal to the average PC performance and is about 16,000 rubles.
For portable drives and flash drives
In the age of mobility, transporting confidential information on portable drives can be safe if you take special care in advance. For example, there are special media with the ability to remotely monitor their position, block recorded and encrypted information upon command, and even physically destroy the drive. The Security Guardian flash drive, developed by ExactTrak Ltd., has similar functions. It can also automatically self-destruct, block or delete information if the drive is removed from the specified perimeter. Servicing such a flash drive will cost approximately 1,300 rubles per month, while the cost of the 32 GB drive itself is 20,000 rubles, including the first year of security service.
Order in the computer is the key to user well-being - no glitches, maximum performance. And it’s visually clear where which file is located, what programs are installed, and what they are for.
But if, on the contrary, chaos reigns on PC disks... this is definitely a problem. But, fortunately, it is fixable. Any obscenity (files and folders, unnecessary programs) can be removed from your computer manually and using special utilities. For information on how to properly and quickly clean hard drives, read this article.
All in one fell swoop, out of sight...
Before globally deleting everything on your computer, you must, of course, first look at all the partitions one more time. Suddenly, somewhere in a folder, there was something useful: photos, videos, text files with passwords and logins, reports or other valuable documents.
When you are 100% sure that you do not regret anything from the existing data in the directories, start cleaning.
Option No. 1: if the disk is not a system one
If you need to quickly “unload” a disk partition that does not have a system, that is, delete everything from it completely, do not bother yourself with painstakingly dragging files into the trash, but simply go ahead and format it.
1. Right-click on the drive from which you want to delete all files.
2. In the system menu that appears, click “Format”.
3. In the formatting settings panel, in the option “ File system", set the value to "NTFS", in "Cluster Size" - 4096 bytes.
4. Click the “Start” button.
5. In the additional window “Attention! ... "confirm the launch of the formatting function: click "ok".
That's all! Now the disk, as they say, with “ clean slate" No files, no folders - nothing.
This procedure can also be performed in command line:
1. Open the console.
- Windows 7: open the Start menu; Type cmd in the line and press “Enter”.
- Windows 8: Right-click on the “Windows” icon (the very first icon in the taskbar).
2. At the command line, enter the command:
format:
(for example, to format drive D you need to enter - format d:)
3. Press "Enter".
4. At the “Start formatting…” prompt, type the letter Y (Yes) and press “Enter” again.
Option No. 2: formatting drive C (system partition)
The partition on which Windows is stored cannot be deleted using the method described above. Disk C is formatted using a special utility from the operating system installation disk and then the OS is installed accordingly.
1. Insert into DVD drive installation disk Windows.
2. In the Start panel, in the Shut down menu, launch the Restart function.
3. While the computer is restarting, hold down the “F8” key.
4. Select the boot from DVD option from the menu that opens.
Note. The boot setting on your PC may be activated by a different key (such as "F2" or "F11").
5. In the window " Windows installation» select the interface language “Russian”. Click Next.
6. Select the disk on which the system is installed by clicking the mouse in the list.
7. In the control panel, click “Disk Settings”.
8. Select the "Format" command.
Upon completion of the operation, all files, programs and other elements from drive C will be deleted, and you can immediately begin installing the OS completely.
How to remove everything unnecessary from drive C?
Selective cleaning system partition should be carried out regularly. This requirement is primarily related to the specifics of operating Windows. (During its operation unnecessary files accumulate randomly in separate directories, without user intervention). And then, you have less risk of losing useful content and valuable data (that is, deleting something very necessary from the C drive during the formatting process).
Method No. 1: using the standard function
1. Launch system utility cleaning your computer.
- Windows 7: open "Start"; In the search bar, enter “disk cleanup”; Select drive C from the drop-down menu; click “ok”;
- Windows 8: right-click on the “Windows” shortcut (in the taskbar); click "Find"; in the panel that opens, type “disk cleanup”; In the menu, click “Free up disk space...”.
2. Wait for the directory analysis to complete (on average, the utility takes 2-3 minutes to complete this task).
3. In the settings window, on the “Disk Cleanup” tab, check the boxes with a mouse click next to the items that need to be deleted or cleaned.
4. In the window that opens, click “Delete files”.
Advice! You can get rid of OS restore points (if you don't plan to use them!). Go to the “Advanced” tab and in the “Recovery...” block, click the “Clear” button. In the additional window, confirm the launch of the function.
Method number 2: cleaning the disk with cleaning utilities
There are a huge number of programs that free drive C from “digital junk” in automatic and semi-automatic mode. As part of this quick guide we will look at the most popular solutions.
(https://www.piriform.com/ccleaner/download)
1. B vertical menu program by clicking the mouse to activate the “Cleaning” section.
2. On the Windows and Applications tabs, select which items you want to remove or clean up.
3. Click the "Analyze" button.
4. After scanning is completed, click to launch the “Cleanup” command.
(http://www.chemtable.com/ru/organizer.htm)
1. Select “Disk Cleanup” from the vertical menu.
2. In the adjacent panel, click the “Scan” button.
3. Wait a little: the utility will analyze the partition directories.
4. Upon completion of the procedure, click “Perform cleaning”.
Destroying useless media content
Remember Plyushkin from the book “Dead Souls” by N.V. Gogol? Well, mountains, or rather tens and hundreds of gigabytes, of seemingly useful, but seemingly useless content on the disks of your PC clearly indicate that you are very similar to this literary hero...
Books, films, TV series, huge software distributions, games that are not particularly needed take up precious free space. disk space. And they also burden the user with the need to constantly increase it when something else needs to be loaded.
1. Right-click on the file or folder you want to destroy. And then in context menu click "Delete".
2. When you finish cleaning, don’t forget to empty the Trash. Also, hover over it, right-click and select “Empty Trash”.
Getting rid of unnecessary programs
Standard uninstallation
1. Open system menu"Start". Go to "Control Panel".
2. Click the “Uninstall a program” section.
3. In the list of available in the system software right click unnecessary program.
4. Click the “Delete” option that appears.
5. Follow the instructions of the uninstaller.
Removing software using special utilities
(instructions for using Soft Organizer)
If for some reason a useless application cannot be removed from your PC in a standard way, or you want to perform a more thorough cleaning of disk directories, it is more advisable to use uninstaller programs (for example, Revo Uninstaller, Uninstall Tool). They not only remove software elements, but also neutralize their remains in other folders, in system registry.
Let's consider the uninstallation option using the Soft Organizer utility:
1. Click on the application you want to remove in the software catalog.
2. Click the “Uninstall a program” button.
3. Perform a standard uninstallation, and then remove the remains of the application (follow the prompts of Soft Organizer).
Happy cleaning! Don't be lazy, your diligence and efforts will pay off handsomely. The computer will work faster, you will spend a minimum of time searching for useful data in the directories of disk partitions.
Family of the most popular operating rooms Windows systems it is designed in such a way that it does not have built-in means of reliable (final, irreversible) deletion of data from the hard drive.
Simply put, deleting a file and then emptying the recycle bin does not actually erase information from the storage device, and any, even the simplest and free tool will allow you to recover all data with almost 100% probability.
What does this threaten? to a simple user? With any act of transferring your hard drive to another person, be it a gift or sale, you risk that all the private information stored on this drive and prudently “deleted” will be available to the new owner.
Moreover, when using a data recovery tool, this person will be able to find something there that you yourself have already forgotten about, since you deleted some old files quite a long time ago, and then they will pop up again.
Features of data storage on hard drives gave rise to a whole science of competently deleting information without the possibility of recovery. At the same time, advanced means of recovery also developed, including for “interesting” situations related to violations of certain laws by people and organizations. In general, if the scenario goes further than a normal user situation, then you should not count on any programs - only complete physical destruction (sledgehammer + acid) will ensure the final disposal of information, and for simple scenarios specialized software will be enough.
We don’t think that for such a rarely used and specific task you need to buy some kind of paid product, especially since there are quite advanced free solutions on the Internet that have proven their effectiveness. We'll walk you through the process of securely deleting data using a free tool (DBAN). Its beauty lies in the availability of several disk cleaning methods, providing varying levels of removal reliability, as well as in the very method of its use.
DBAN is distributed in the form of an ISO image, which can be simply written to any disc, thus creating a bootable disk.
The advantage of this approach is the ability to quickly and efficiently clean up even the system disk of a computer on which the operating system is installed, or to help another person by simply coming to him with this disk.
The simplest method of destroying a source file is to completely overwrite it with #FF bytes, that is, a bitmask of eight binary ones (11111111), zeros, or any other arbitrary numbers, thereby making it impossible to software recovery software available to the user.
Actually, this is what all modern utilities work from (hardware recovery methods may not help).
DBAN's interactive mode allows the user to select devices to clean. Selected required disk, after which you need to determine the method by which the cleaning will begin (command key prompts at the bottom of the screen).
There are several options here, each of them provides a different degree of guarantee of irreversibility of recovery.
One has only to say that a wipe using the Gutman method is 35 data recording cycles, that is, a VERY long time. At the same time, experts (and Gutman himself) recognize the redundancy of such a number of cycles for modern models disks, so there will be enough or more simple methods like DoD Short.
When the disks and methods are selected, press F10. This will start the cleaning procedure indicating the current stage, write speed, elapsed and remaining time until the process completes.