Computer Essential

[KillerGremlin]

Originally Posted by manasecret

Simply making sure to rewrite over the actual data of your files is sufficient, which is probably one of the options below Gutmann.

You'd be amazed at what you can recover from a "secure deletion." You can download government-level programs (like KillDisc) that will run a 'thorough' deletion process. But it takes a long time as the program literary writes and re-writes over every byte of space on the hard disk. The guys at MIT have recovered 'securely deleted data.' And, if optical scientists can recover data from charred hard drives in the 9/11 rubble.....

It's all kind of pointless for the casual user though.

[manasecret]

Originally Posted by KillerGremlin

You'd be amazed at what you can recover from a "secure deletion." You can download government-level programs (like KillDisc) that will run a 'thorough' deletion process. But it takes a long time as the program literary writes and re-writes over every byte of space on the hard disk. The guys at MIT have recovered 'securely deleted data.' And, if optical scientists can recover data from charred hard drives in the 9/11 rubble.....

It's all kind of pointless for the casual user though.

Yes, but the Gutmann method is an overkill method that isn't meant for the hard disks of today. So one of the options below Gutmann will be just as sufficient, and probably faster. Assuming you want to be secure about your deletions, that is. If not, then just do a simple delete and that will be the quickest.