Can a hard drive actually "delete" a file?

RisingSun

RisingSun

Member
Is it possible for a hard drive actually to delete a file? I mean we talk about "deleting" a file, but from what I've been reading, the file isn't actually deleted from the disk when you empty the recycle bin; its space on the disk is simply marked as available. In order to get rid of it, you have to overwrite it. Does this mean that a hard drive only has the physical ability to write? And is the same true of other media?
 
If you have a program that will "shred" a file for you that means it will overwrite that space for you so the file is completely unrecoverable. I believe CCleaner adds a shred option to the recycle bin.
 
Military standard x o writes will make it very very difficult however not impossible.

The only real way to make it unrecoverable is to physically destroy the platter.
 
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Erasing is writing. A HDD's head can either read or write. The only way to truly erase would be to demagnetize the platter surface but even then there would be residual magnetization.

The main reason that the space is simply marked as available is mainly for performance reasons, why do unnecessary writes?

If someone is really determined and has the right equipment, they can recover data that has been overwritten.

In the 80's, a place I worked at repaired disk drives used in subs. The Navy insisted we remove all platters from the drives, no matter what the repair was, fold them in half and put them in a locked (we couldn't open) container. They would then haul them off. My guess is that they probably took them someplace and melted them.
 
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sliminem said:
It usually does not. The file is forgotten and if the computer needs the space it overwrites it and the iti is lost forever.
If you want to CLEAN the HDD do a hard not a quick format.
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No format in windows makes it 'clean' as you call it. You need to do what i said previously.
 
bigfellla said:
No format in windows makes it 'clean' as you call it. You need to do what i said previously.
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Well doing a full format does help some what to be fair, it writes full 0's, which is hardly ideal or completely secure compared to several full passes, but it is much better than just making the space writeable again
 
Ive had problems before and decided to quick format and reinstall. Won't ever do again. Had same occurrence as the previous installation. Full format and clean installation is the best and get er done. I agree though. And if i had a business i would be interested in destroying or formatting as mentioned. I do not have a business though.
 
No one seems to have answered my original questions. (1) Does a hard drive only have the physical ability to write?, and (2) Is the same true of other media (e.g., optical discs, flash drives)?
 
RisingSun said:
No one seems to have answered my original questions. (1) Does a hard drive only have the physical ability to write?, and (2) Is the same true of other media (e.g., optical discs, flash drives)?
Click to expand...

I think someone has answered it already.
Erasing is writing. A HDD's head can either read or write.
Click to expand...
CDs are similar, the laser overwrites the old values with new ones and flash uses an electric current to change the contents.
 
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