Failed to erase pictures from unused space

[mnb]

I tried to post this answer on the "Eraser bug", but, I have no more access to it.
As I mentionned on a topic posted on april the 15th, I tried to erase unused space on which some deleted pictures were stored.
It failed, and you gave me an answer :
"Yes. Did you cancel the erase halfway? Also are you sure that the file contents are the actual file and not thumbnails? Windows keeps thumbnails all over the disk."

My question is probably simple but what do you mean by cancelling the erase halfway ? (I am no so familiar with Windows)
Other questions : you say that Windows and Vista seem to systematically keep all thumbnails over the disk. Are the thumbnails associated to pictures suppressed when I delete (simple erase of the recycle bin) pictures from the disk ?
If it is not the case, how can I know where are the thumbnails ? (which names, extensions and so on to find them)
My purpose is to securely delete pictures from disk before selling the computer.

Thank you

 

[jackjack]

My question is probably simple but what do you mean by cancelling the erase halfway ? (I am no so familiar with Windows)

When you run eraser manually (right click on file and select erase) there is a cancel button under the progress bar, I think this happens under an erase of the recycle bin too, someone correct me if I am wrong I don't have the recycle bin context menus to check this.

Other questions : you say that Windows and Vista seem to systematically keep all thumbnails over the disk. Are the thumbnails associated to pictures suppressed when I delete (simple erase of the recycle bin) pictures from the disk ?
If it is not the case, how can I know where are the thumbnails ? (which names, extensions and so on to find them)

The thumbnails won't get deleted when you delete the image, you need to manually to this. I don't have vista to hand but I believe the it stores image thumbnails in: C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer.

 

[mnb]

Thank you.
I am sorry, but, I didn't find this path on my Windows PC (not vista) ? Could you tell me where I can find them on Windows ? after I will try on a Vista. What is the extension of thumbnail files ?
Does Windows / Vista systematically create thumbnail for each picture copied onto the disk ?
Do I understand that erase cannot delete totally pictures, as associated thumbnail are not deleted ?

to summarize :
To suppress the pictures initially deleted by a simple Windows erase , I used erase unused space, using pseudorandom data (1 pass) then algorithm with 3 passes and each time (it took a long time as the disk is large), pictures were not deleted except a few on them.

 

[Joel]

Thank you.
I am sorry, but, I didn't find this path on my Windows PC (not vista) ? Could you tell me where I can find them on Windows ? after I will try on a Vista. What is the extension of thumbnail files ?

I believe under XP it is stored in thumbs.db files in the same folder.

Does Windows / Vista systematically create thumbnail for each picture copied onto the disk ?

Yes, but can be turned off. http://www.tunexp.com/tips/work_with_multimedia/disable_the_thumbnail_cache/

Do I understand that erase cannot delete totally pictures, as associated thumbnail are not deleted ?

Not if you erase the thumbnails as well

to summarize :
To suppress the pictures initially deleted by a simple Windows erase , I used erase unused space, using pseudorandom data (1 pass) then algorithm with 3 passes and each time (it took a long time as the disk is large), pictures were not deleted except a few on them.

I don't get you here, can you rephrase your statements?

Joel

 

[mnb]

Hello,
thank you for your help, on thumbnails.
So to complete my question : If I want to totally suppress pictures on my Vista PC on which pictures were previously deleted in recycle bin (then recycle bin emptied). I have to :
- use eraser (erase unused space)
- suppress the thumbnail cache stored into "C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer" by erase file
- turn off thumbnail creation by opening Windows Explorer, clicking the Organize button and selecting Folder and Search
Options. Then click on the View tab and check Always show icons, never thumbnails. After no thumbnail will be cached

Normally after these tasks, the pictures totally disappear from the disk and a picture recovery tool shouldn't find anything. Is it right ?

In Vista, Is there anything else to do, after or before using eraser, to securely erase pictures previously deleted by emptying the recyclebin ? For a basic user it is not easy to have to navigate through Vista options.