This archive report was first published on 1 July 2021.
When it comes to disposing of a hard drive, selling it, or donating it, it's essential to understand the difference between deleting and erasing files.
Deleting a file may seem like a straightforward process, but it's not as secure as you might think. Even after deletion, files can still be recovered using powerful data recovery tools.
On the other hand, erasing a file is a more secure process that ensures the data is gone forever. This is especially important when dealing with confidential information.
What is File Deletion? ¶
File deletion can occur in various situations, including:
- Transferring data from one device to another
- Removing unwanted photos, videos, files, etc.
- Accidental drive formatting
- Emptying the Recycle Bin
However, the method of file deletion is also crucial. There are two primary methods:
- Using the 'Del' key to remove data, which generally goes to the Recycle Bin
- Using the 'Shift+Del' key to delete files permanently, without reaching the Recycle Bin
What Happens When You Permanently Delete a File? ¶
When a file is permanently deleted from a hard drive, it gets removed from its existing location. However, the file remains there, only the file pointers get deleted. The space becomes available, or a new index for file storage gets created. But, if you consume this space by adding more data, it will gradually overwrite the existing (inaccessible) files, and chances for data recovery will be lesser.
It's essential to remember that deleted files will be overwritten with new data over time. This process may take days, but there's no assurance that the file will be erased permanently.
What is File Erasure? ¶
File erasure involves using external software to overwrite the data on every sector of the storage drive using zeros and ones or random patterns. This method aims to overwrite the data beyond the scope of recovery. The process of overwriting can be done once or multiple times.
Why is File Erasure Important? ¶
File erasure is directly related to the drawback of the file deletion process. As discussed earlier, when a file is deleted, only the file pointers get deleted, but the file remains there until overwritten with new data. The deleted files can be recovered using powerful data recovery tools, putting you at risk of data theft, data breach, and other IT threats.
How to Erase a File Beyond Recovery? ¶
Now that you understand the difference between file deletion and file erasure, you can use a reliable and robust data erasure tool, such as BitRaser File Eraser, to permanently erase any data with system/app traces, browser history, and more.
