Permanently delete files from harddrive

After I send unwanted files to the recycle bin, then empty the recycle bin, how do I permanently delete those same files from my hard drive? This thread is locked. You can follow the question or vote as helpful, but you cannot reply to this thread. I have the same question Report abuse. Details required :. Cancel Submit. SpiritX Volunteer Moderator. Hi, CCleaner has the ability to wipe the freespace. Click " Recovery " option on the left navigation options and then click " Get Started " button under " Reset this PC " section.

Step 3. Select " Remove everything " option. This will remove all of your personal files, apps, and settings and start over. Step 4. Select " Remove files and clean the drive " when you are asked to whether to clean the drives too. The cleaning process may take longer time but it makes sure no one can recover erased files. Step 5. Click " Next " and " Reset " button on following steps to complete the task. The secure way to erase data for good is overwriting data and refill hard disk using zeros or random data, so that nobody can recover wiped data with disk recovery software.

Sounds complex? Actually, nowadays cleaning hard disk is not a complicated work, and you can easily and securely erase disk using disk wipe software. DiskGenius is free software for permanently data wiping. With this hard disk eraser, you can wipe all data on by filling disk sector by sector, making files unrecoverable.

Here are features of disk wiping function:. The following content introduces how to erase data in difference situations, and you can choose which to use in line with actual demands, for instance, you want to clear an SD card or other removable devices, Case 1 is the proper solution; if you want to wipe computer, then go to Case 2. By way of the free disk erasure DiskGenius Free Edition, you can completely wipe hard drives and removable drives via rewriting sectors to 00 or random characters.

Thus, files on the hard drive cannot be recovered by any method, ensuring privacy. Connect the removable device to your computer and make sure it can be recognized by Windows.

Install and run DiskGenius from your PC and you can see all local disks and portable devices on the main interface. Select the external hard drive or SD card you want to erase data, and select " Erase Sectors " option under Tools menu.

Select items to fill disk sectors and click Erase button on the popped-up window. There are four options to fill disk sectors in the drop-down list, i. You can either choose one from "00, FF and Random Data", or specify item to fill disk. DiskGenius asks confirmation for the action, click Erase button to continue. Since the process wipes data permanently, you should make sure you are erasing correcting disk and important files have been backed up.

Step 6. The disk eraser starts wiping data on selected drive and the process may take long time if the disk has very large capacity. In this example, you can learn how to wipe a computer's main hard drive where Windows is installed. Operating system does not allow to erase system while it is running, and we can only wipe non-system partitions.

The following steps show how to reboot computer to WinPE version directly and then erase system disk. Launch the free disk wipe tool DiskGenius from your Windows computer. It takes about two minutes to create booting information for Windows PE, please wait it to complete with patience.

Once the application is ready to reboot, it prompts to restart and backup data. Click " OK " button and computer reboots. Select computer's system hard drive where Windows is installed and click " Erase Sectors " option which can be found under Tools menu. Click Erase button and the software starts wiping the disk. Note: Once the process finishes, the computer cannot boot to system, as system partition have been erased.

You need to make a clean system installation on the hard disk. Case 3: Wipe a single file or folder on hard drive. Erasing an entire hard drive takes too much time, and you don't have to do that if you just want to erase certain existing files on the disk. On account that deleting files by emptying Recycle Bin does not wipe data complete, we should do extra operation to make files unrecoverable. Files deleted in this way cannot be recovered by any recovery software or professionals.

Let's have a close look at how to wipe files and folders:. Launch DiskGenius again, and locate files you want to permanently delete. Select those files and right-click them to choose " Delete Files Permanently ". Click " Permanently Delete " button on the popped-up window. In order to completely delete the file, the application will refill hard drive sectors taken by the file during deletion.

By default, it overwrites data by filling zeros which can be modified to random data as well. Click " Delete " button to confirm the action to be done. Learn more Simply putting files in the trash and emptying it leaves them on your hard drive in a form that is fairly easy to recover. This solution is free, and requires only a bit of time and access to an internet source.

Follow some simple steps given below and remove the files. Log in Social login does not work in incognito and private browsers. Please log in with your username or email to continue. No account yet? Create an account. Edit this Article. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. By using our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Cookie Settings. Learn why people trust wikiHow. Download Article Explore this Article methods. Tips and Warnings. Related Articles. Author Info Last Updated: May 6, Find a "low level format tool" application online by searching freeware sites.

Format the partition on which you keep the files you want to get rid of, with the low level format tool. The easiest way is to find a bootable DOS floppy and copy the. Reboot the computer using the floppy disk and run the tool. The physical space on the hard drive where your files are saved will be filled with zeros or random data. Afterwards, you can recreate the partition and store new files without any problems. Method 1. Download and install CCleaner.