How to permanently and safely delete files so that no one can recover them: You may want to sell your old computer or hard drive, but you're worried that your personal data on the hard drive might be stolen, so you might first consider deleting this data.
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These methods are not as safe and effective as you might think. You may believe that you have already erased all the data on your computer by deleting it, but in reality, data on the hard drive can be easily recovered using professional data recovery software at any time!
Using data recovery software, deleted files can be restored, even if the data has been overwritten, as long as the new data hasn't completely occupied the space previously held by the deleted data.
Therefore, the way to permanently and safely delete files so that no one can recover them is to use data wiping software.
Data wiping software is essential for anyone who wants to securely delete their personal information from their devices. This software erases all information on the storage device, making it impossible to recover. It employs advanced methods to ensure that the data is gone forever.
We recommend that companies and organizations dealing with sensitive information use data destruction software, as it is a very secure way to protect your privacy and sensitive information. It is crucial for anyone concerned about the safety of their data.
How do data destruction programs work?
Data destruction programs work by repeatedly overwriting data on the storage device with random data. This process makes it impossible to recover the original data using data recovery software. Additionally, some data destruction programs may use advanced encryption algorithms to make deleted data encrypted and unreadable, even if it falls into the wrong hands.
The data wiping process typically begins by selecting the drives and devices to be wiped, after which the software overwrites the existing data on the storage device multiple times with random data so that the original data cannot be recovered. The number of overwrites may vary depending on the chosen data wiping program and its method of wiping data.
Best Free Programs to Permanently Delete Data from Your Computer
Here’s our list filled with great options that are user-friendly:
1- MiniTool Partition Wizard
MiniTool Partition Wizard is designed to be a comprehensive solution, with many powerful tools available within the program, such as disk/partition/storage wiping, creating/resizing/extending/formatting drive partitions, cloning disks, and more.
You can manage hard drives, external hard drives, USB flash drives, SD cards, RAID devices, and much more. This free tool will wipe the hard drive of your Windows 10/8/7 system, permanently deleting data within a minute.
2- DBan
This program is the best free tool for wiping hard drives, working on all types of operating systems like Windows and Linux and Mac OS, etc.
To use the DBan data wiping program, you need to copy a version of DBan onto a CD, then restart your computer and select the boot option from the CD. After that, you will see the DBan interface and can type "autonuke" for automatic mode or press Enter to use interactive mode.
Then you need to select the wipe method (key M), the verification method (by pressing V), and select a hard drive to wipe (Space), and when you're ready, just press F10 to start the data wiping process.
3- Disk Wipe
Disk Wipe works a bit differently; it allows you to create a bootable CD, which will enable you to wipe a hard drive without an operating system. You can use it on all Windows operating systems, but you won't be able to wipe the hard drive that is running the operating system. However, you can use it to wipe data on internal SSDs or external hard drives.
4- KillDisk
KillDisk is a tool for wiping hard drive data. This tool allows you to permanently erase data on hard drives, cameras, RAID arrays, USB devices, and SCSI storage devices.
It also wipes data from both 32-bit and 64-bit Win executable files and embedded DOS executable files, plus you can wipe other hard drives running on different operating systems like Linux and OS X, using a bootable wipe.
5- CCleaner
With the help of CCleaner, you can wipe the hard drive of your computer as well as the external drive. It works with the Windows operating system. You can wipe data to help free up space on your drive, or you can remove everything completely. There is a paid version that offers more features.
6- PCDiskEraser
PCDiskEraser will permanently wipe your stored data on the hard drive, but the downside of this program is that it is downloaded as an ISO file, and you will need to either burn it to a disc or USB before using it.
7- CBL Data Shredder
This free hard drive wiping tool can be used with Windows 10/8/7 / Vista / XP, it can wipe external drives, and can be booted from USB or CD, and also allows for custom wipe methods.
8- Eraser
This is another excellent tool that allows you to completely wipe all sensitive data on hard drives. Eraser is an open-source program that works only on Windows, relying on complex algorithms by overwriting existing files on the hard drive multiple times and deleting them efficiently and thoroughly.
Using Eraser is very straightforward; just right-click on a file, folder, or drive, then click the Eraser icon and hit the "Erase" button. Additionally, it supports the following techniques: Guttmann, Random Data, Schneier, RCMP TSSIT OPS-II, GOST R 50739-95, DoD 5220.22-M, AFSSI-50-20, HMG IS5, AR 380-19, and VSITR.
9- Super File Shredder
This program allows you to drag and drop the hard drive into the program, then you can choose a wipe method to erase your data. It supports traditional hard drives and SSDs and can work on Windows 10/8/7 / Vista / XP.
10- WipeDisk
With this wiping tool, you have several methods to choose from, including DoD 5220.22-M, Gutmann, Random Data, Write Zero, and more. Choose to wipe data to free up some space or completely wipe the hard drive. It supports Windows 10.
Conclusion
In this article, we discussed how to permanently and safely delete files so that no one can recover them, along with information about the top 10 programs. Safely wiping your hard drive can protect you from fraud and theft, meaning that if you do not properly wipe all data on your hard drive, there is a significant chance it could fall into the wrong hands. Professional scammers know how to recover data from hard drives, even if you think the data has been permanently deleted.
