download file shredding software

[boater sam]

I would hope that they would but I am not going to trust them.
Judging by the number of times I had to tell them that I would not accept a repair only a refund, they don't listen too well.
My friend's similar computer has been returned from Acer, working, but they had to replace the mother board. Not good for modern computers that are only 6 months old.
Now that I have sorted the software out ( It took 4 days ) mine is working very well. But the problem with the touch pad falling into the base remains The local Acer service center's lack of concern, suggesting that lots do this, has destroyed my confidence in this computer.
I should have bought an abacus perhaps.

[terrybull]

I think that Sam is aware but some others may not be aware that merely deleting a file does not erase it from the drive. The data is still present but the operating system marks the area of the disk as useable so it may be overwritten. The deleted data can be recovered using dedicated software freely available and more specialist software can delve even deeper into the past. Even formatting and installing an OS may not erase data completely. Unlikely but if my life depended on it you need to use secure delete software which overwrites the data on the disc with random characters. I beleive that is why Sam seeks file shredding software. I no longer use Windows but when I did I seem to recall Norton antivirus had a secure file delete function. Other security suits may have similar options too.

[Murphyv310]

Hi.
Indeed even file shredder software doesn't give you a clean hdd. Let's be realistic, any employee of DSG found to have opened customer files will be dismissed and possible court proceedings. So long as you have deleted anything that is your personal information etcetera, done a restore there is no need to worry.
When Gary glitter handed in his pc to PC World and the engineer found the offensive files and highlighted this to the police and did the country a service he still was dismissed by DSG.

[ppppenguin]

Clean wiping a disk is no problem. Free software such as killdisk will erase a disk to well beyond casual recovery. Even the spooks might well find it difficult to recover anything. Selective erasure is more tricky. Yes you can get software that will do a good job of making specific files unrecoverable but I doubt it will deal with all the temporary files and other debris that's left behind when using a computer.

Note that solid state disks require different methods to wipe them securely. Don't know enough to comment sensibly.

[Murphyv310]

Snag with a full wipe is the recovery sectors could be compromised, some companies are difficult enough as is, you of course demand that you see the engineer wipe the HDD when you return it, no harmin telling them as its still your property.

[Nick]

Disks are now so cheap that commercially its cheaper to shred them (grind them into aluminium grit) and replace them with a new one than it is to securly erase them.

As has already been mentioned, solid-state drives are a whole different ball game...

[boater sam]

I think PC World would object if I took it back with ground aluminium dust inside!
Excellent idea though, I'd like to grind the whole thing and give it back in a bag.
Had another session of "no wifi" again. Fault given as missing protocols, I think the disc is missing sectors sometimes.
Another 2 hours+ restoring back to 2 weeks ago and the damn thing works again.
I'll buy something else- a Dell maybe?

[Murphyv310]

Bet you a pound to a penny it would work perfectly with a Linux Distro installation.

[boater sam]

Too true Trevor but the whole purpose of buying it was to give me a Microsoft system now XP is gone. Its only for travelling abroad with.

My old computers at home run Linux and the only draw back is getting them to talk to printers and anything new, I can't be bothered wading through loads of nerd speak.

[ppppenguin]

For travelling might you be better off with a tablet rather than a laptop? I will probably buy a Samsung tablet soon. Along with a bluetooth keyboard that doubles as a protective cover.

unless you really need windows this strikes me as a better solution than a small laptop.

I've been away this last week and typing everything on my phone gets tedious. A tablet plus keyboard would have been ideal