Re: Deleting files after emptying the "Recycle Bin" using DOS

From: Alaa Abdelhalim [MSFT] (alaa_at_online.microsoft.com)
Date: 06/10/03 

Date: Mon, 9 Jun 2003 16:15:16 -0700

If you simply want to make sure the files don't go the recycle bin, you can
hold shift while you choose/press delete to delete them permanently. You can
also edit the recycle bin properties to configure it to delete files
permanently.

However, as you probably know, deleting the files only removes them from the
list of valid entries on the file system. Anyone with access to the hard
drive and an "undelete" tool could be able to retrieve your sensitive files.
We've always seen these tools for DOS and Windows9x operating systems. I'm
guessing that such tools would have been developed for the NTFS file system
as well.
So, the safest method to "wipe out" these sensitive files is to use some
third-party tools (e.g. Norton Utilities) to overwrite the contents of these
files with zeroes or ones. E.g. The DoD standard stipulates that this
process should be repeated 3 times for each bit in a sensitive file that is
being deleted. (And several tools do provide this option)

Thank you 

-- 
Alaa Abdelhalim [MSFT]
-----
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<hal@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:3ugvdv87n9r4kfv4h5ao4kq8glbjeof12a@4ax.com...
> On Thu, 5 Jun 2003 13:35:47 -0700, "DDS" <bsms12@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> >I want to make sure any and all files, folders and
> >applications are permantley deleted off my system.  I do
> >not want to reformat and reinstall the OS.  I am sure
> >within DOS there is command line string which will delete
> >all files from Cache and any file which is deleted after
> >emptying the recycle bin.
> >
> >I have very sensitive information which cannot be restored
> >from any user at anytime after I have "emptied the recycle
> >bin".  Any DOS Experts out there?
>
> If you delete (del) in a DOS shell it doesn't go into recycle bin.
> Can't say 100% sure that it isn't somewhere, but it doesn't go into
> recycle bin.
>
> Hal
>
>
>
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