Hi im new here

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Anonymous

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I just would like to ask how I can erase files that I previously have already erased on my computer prior to downloading the eraser program.
Because the files that I've erased can they be recovered.
 
Deleted file erasing

Hi Don,
Suggest you do a free space wipe-this should cover most eventualities.
 
Yes, right click on the drive in Windows Explorer and select 'Erase Unused Space'.

Regards,
Eraser Support
 
sorry admin but I dont fully understand how to do this could you explain it more.. Thanks
 
Open Windows Explorer (or My Computer) so it shows the various drives you have.
Right-click on the drive you want.
Choose Erase unused space.

This overwrites the areas that are not occupied by current files, so anything that was deleted previously will be overwritten.
 
Thanks, but I would also like to ask if this will delete video files also like movies or clips I viewed in real player and deleted etc.
 
Yes, *anything* that was previously deleted will be overwritten during a free-space wipe. You can choose to overwrite 1 time or multiple times.
 
Erasing

I suppose the flip answer is it depends on how high the level of confidentiality of the deleted material,or your level of paranoia! I guess for most ordinary purposes two or three overwrite passes would be enough.
 
Hi there,

I have just got eraser for the first time. Can i say its working great at the moment. I just have to ask some more dumb newbie questions, sorry, am new to this.....

So, I am running eraser on my unused disk space at the moment, and I am using the 35 pass overwrite...... Does this mean that all the stuff I have previously deleted from my computer on this drive will be gone forever? And all the stuff that is on my computer remains untouched and in its original form?

I guess what I am asking is, if you just want to remove the files that you have deleted, is using eraser on the complete drive in any way superior to using it on just the unused space?

Thanks for the help, please ask if you need another explanation, but I hope you understand what I am asking..... :)
 
When you delete files in Windows,you are in effect turning them into free space by modifying them slightly,so that Widows "knows" it can freely overwrite them if that space is needed. Sadly,this slight alteration means that your local nosey nerd could possibly still find out quite a lot about your files even tho Windows now sees them as free space,as probably only the first letter of the filename is changed,say to an "x".
A file called "Offshore account"-deleted might show up as "xffshore account" on your hard drive-not exactly secure if Windows has not yet got around to using that space!
Now,a 35 pass overwrite surely will make all the deleted material virtually unrecoverable-but the CIA might manage it! I would for normal purposes,just do a few random passes,but I leave that to you.
Erasing free space means just that,but erasing the complete drive means you want to remove everything,Windows and all-not normally required,except if you are disposing of the computer-unless I misunderstand your question!
 
Ok thank you friend, no you understood it and answered it perfectly.... I have been doing a lot of reading around since that post and I have learnt a lot... But I have already started a Guttman overwrite on my free space, so would it be foolish to stop it halfway rather than let it run through to the end?

Also, I have some sensitive information on DVD-RW, what do you recommend for completely wiping this data beyond all detection?

Thanks again....
 
Sorry, just to add a quick question to my other ones, say I do an overwrite of my free space; however, the deleted files I have just overwritten were used by a program on my computer. Will the program keep a tab of files opened and will this free space overwrite get rid of these records on the program of the file too? Thanks again.
 
How long has the Gutmann overwrite got to run now?If you shut Eraser down properly,it should be no prob. to stop.
I don`t use DVD-RW`s but I imagine they are cheap,so burn it if security is paramount. Backing up any data you wish to keep of course!
Can`t really say,it must surely often depend on the program in question.You thus always have to be careful that the filename is erased as well as the file itself,as they can often be very descriptive!
 
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