Combatting Recuva

[SteveJSnell]

Does anyone know any Freeware to completely (and safely) clear my C: drive of unwanted files ?

Even running CCleaner doesn't stop Recuva from recovering 4,000 files on my PC and short of formatting it - I am at a loss to get rid of them all

Recuva is basically TOO good

[Glenn]

Eraser

[Augeas]

CC set to secure deletion (one overwrite) will erase files beyond any possibility of recovery by any software known to mankind.

 

To securely erase deleted files run a scan with Recuva. Click on the tick box at the top of the list of filenames. This will tick all the file names. Richt (I mean right) click and chose secure delete checked. You will probably have quite a wait. All your deleted files will then be erased beyond any etc.

 

Alternatively as you create files in normal use you will be overwriting any old deleted but recoverable files: use CC to overwrite your files as you delete them. Eventually you will be left with very few deleted but recoverable files which can be wiped with Recuva. Windows will delete some files of its own accord. If you're worried about them you can 'Recuva' them too.

[SteveHat]

Hi

This topic best alludes to my problem. I have done all of the suggested actions and I am reasonable confident that the file contects are completely irrecoverabe.

However, the reference to that deleted file, or filename, continues to exist. Can you please suggest how I might rid my drive of these completely so that when I run RECUVA the results will be zero rather than a host (1000's) of filenames?

[Augeas]

There is no way you can achieve this. You may reduce it, or disguise it, but you can't eliminate it.

 

Every file is given an entry in the MFT when it is created. When the file is deleted the entry is kept but flagged as deleted. The MFT never removes these entries. They are available for reuse, and are reused, whenever a new file is deleted. Recuva, in normal scan mode, is looking for those deleted entries in the MFT.

 

You could create enough zero length files to overwrite all the 'spare' entries, and then set Recuva not to display zero-length files, and they would appear to be gone. I believe that this is what Eraser does (among many others). You could, as I do, manage your pc use so that you clean regularly and maintain a relatively small buffer of say three to four thousand deleted files, but this precludes extensive surfing or other heavy use.

 

Or you could just live with it. Even if you managed, by some rare ocurrence (I think I once had a list of five entries after doing a Windows update) the first time you touch your pc the list will start growing again. It's just the way Windows, and NTFS, works.