What is the exact procedure for deleting files to RB?

V

vector

New Member
I'm wondering when a file is deleted to recycle bin is it moved there (like defragmenting) or what? Because if it is simply moved and a hidden copy left on the previous place, what is the point of erasing the recycle bin? The file will be recoverable.

I'm asking because it's much easier for me to just delete the files and at the end to erase all from RB instead of manually erasing every time. But is this secure?

Thanks in advance.
 
vector said:
I'm wondering when a file is deleted to recycle bin is it moved there (like defragmenting) or what? Because if it is simply moved and a hidden copy left on the previous place, what is the point of erasing the recycle bin? The file will be recoverable.

I'm asking because it's much easier for me to just delete the files and at the end to erase all from RB instead of manually erasing every time. But is this secure?

Thanks in advance.
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The Recycle Bin is just a folder like any other on Windows. If you move a file there, a record will be left. Perhaps not the original file itself but a pointer towards it.

If you want to securely delete a file or folder, far better to use eraser and just wipe it. If you have a need for deleting several files at a time, there are better ways of doing this than using RB. Eraser has a "secure move" option, if that helps - you could create a "delete" folder or whatever name you want for a folder and securely move things there, then wipe them using Eraser.

Far better to securely delete them to begin with, if you can.
 
Yes, I know for the direct erasing from context menu, but it's too inconvenient for me. Especially if the files are over 100MB. It's much faster to just delete and when I finish all my work with the PC to start wiping Recycle Bin.

I was thinking that since there is such feature in Eraser (Recycle Bin erase) may be I'm missing something? May be when a file is normally deleted it's not moved anywhere, but only assigned to Recycle Bin or anything similar. So when RB is wiped everything is completely gone.

Just want to be sure what exactly happens.


edit: I forgot to add that for 500-800MB files moving is also a big hassle.
 
Think of the RB like a holding pen, to give you a second chance to think about not deleting the file. When you finally delete the file from the RB, the ID tag is removed from the file and it is "deleted" but not really. It is just not reconized by the OS, but the file still exists on the HD and still be recovered. It is easer to "ERASE" the file (with eraser) where ever the file was originally located, but for some reason you can't do that with some files. Then you just delete to the RB, then you just ERASE all files in the RB. Deleting from the RD puts the file in unused space, and can be finally Erased when you Erase Unused Space.
 
vector said:
Yes, I know for the direct erasing from context menu, but it's too inconvenient for me. Especially if the files are over 100MB. It's much faster to just delete and when I finish all my work with the PC to start wiping Recycle Bin.

I was thinking that since there is such feature in Eraser (Recycle Bin erase) may be I'm missing something? May be when a file is normally deleted it's not moved anywhere, but only assigned to Recycle Bin or anything similar. So when RB is wiped everything is completely gone.

Just want to be sure what exactly happens.


edit: I forgot to add that for 500-800MB files moving is also a big hassle.
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There's a post - and you'd have to dig well into the past of this forum to find it - about someone who had a similar query as yours. The answer was similar to mine, but was a bit more technical. It involved creating a folder to securely move the files to (if you like, a replacement RB but bypassing the Windows tracking system that RB has) and to then run an erase on that folder.

I think the post may be from 2003 or 2004, but as I said you'd have to dig deep in the forum to find it.
 
OK, thanks for your input Robbie.

I should find another solution, because when tried to securely move only one 650MB file it took me forever.


Regards
 
vector said:
OK, thanks for your input Robbie.

I should find another solution, because when tried to securely move only one 650MB file it took me forever.


Regards
Click to expand...
650MB is quite a hefty sized file and I'd imagine it would take sometime! Out of interest, how long did it take?
 
vector said:
May be when a file is normally deleted it's not moved anywhere, but only assigned to Recycle Bin or anything similar. So when RB is wiped everything is completely gone.
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You are correct. The physical location of the file does not change.

The complete path and file name is stored in a hidden file called Info in the Recycled folder. The deleted file is renamed, using the following syntax: D<original drive letter of file><#>.<original extension>

When you Erase Recycle Bin, you erase the deleted file in its original location.

One caution ... if you exceed the capacity of the Recycle Bin, it will remove older files automatically. If that happens, Erase Unused Space.
 
This explains everything. First that deleting to RB is so fast while normal moving is slow (over 2 min for a big file) and availability of erase RB in Eraser which in other way will be totally obsolete.

Thank you very much!
Regards
 
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