Professional Documents
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It is believed that a lot of Windows users have saved private or sensitive information on
their hard disk or removable storage device, and most of them know it is a must to clear
these files when they are no longer useful so as to avoid privacy leakage. Well then, what
measures are you taking to erase private data permanently?
--Source from
http://www.partitionwizard.com/partitionmanager/how-to-erase-private-data-perma
nently.html
Read boot sector of the volume to locate file allocation table (FAT), root directory,
and data area.
Locate the entry which is allocated for DATAtxt in root directory to find the starting
cluster number of the file. For example it starts from cluster 5.
Go back to FAT to find all clusters the file takes up according to cluster link (FAT
records information of all clusters in this partition) . Supposing the file occupies cluster 5,
6, and 8, information for cluster 5 will show the next cluster the file takes up is 5, and
cluster 5 will show the last cluster is 8.
Reset the first byte of the entry for DATA.txt to E5 in root directory.
After these steps, we can say the target file is deleted. From this example we
know deleting a file just operates root directory and FAT (on NTFS partition, Windows
just modifies master file table (MFT)), and the real file is still saved in data area. At this
time, a piece of data recovery software can recover it with ease.
After a logical partition is created in extended partition, the extended boot record and
extended partition table will be created, and simultaneously partition attributes for this
partition will be recorded to extended partition table. Extended partition table is shown
below (EBR functions like MBR, so we use the template of MBR to view EBR):
This partition table also records partition state, starting position, file system, partition size
(in sector), and so on.
To delete a partition just changes all or some of partition parameters to 0 or directly empty
these parameters so that Windows cannot locate it. As a result, the very deleted partition
will be invisible in Windows Explorer and unallocated in Disk Management. But in fact, the
real partition like partition 1 and partition 2 shown in MBR disk structure is still intact
before new partitions are created. Under this situation, a piece of partition recovery
software can recover it as well as its data.
is the most effective method. Next, lets see the following demonstration to get detailed
steps.
Next, open the newly created file in Winhex by taking these steps:
1.Click Open Disk icon on menu bar.
3.Double click the partition which saves the target file to open the partition.
4.Double click the target file namely New Text Document.txt to open it.
After opening the file we can see all its content below:
5.Write new different data to replace all original values in this file, and then shut down the
file. It is suggested that users write random data, because data recovery may be possible
if we fill up the target data area with the same value.
After all these operations are done, we can open the file in Windows Explorer to view its
content, only to find this:
At this time we can say the file has been overwritten. However, what I erase is just a very
simple and small file. If the file takes up dozens or thousands of sectors or there are a
huge number of files, we have to cost lots of time to do the overwriting, which is so
troublesome and time-wasting. So is there an easy way to erase private data permanently?
Of course there is. Nowadays, there is third party partitioning tool which helps write
random data like 0 and 1 to data area of a partition to permanently overwrite all original
sensitive information. The biggest reason for recommending this kind of software is that all
operations will be performed automatically by the program, and users only need to
perform several mouse clicks.
or device while the latter just wipes files stored on a single partition.
Tip: If you just want to overwrite one or several files, Winhex is suggested. After all, third
party tools will erase all data saved on a disk or partition.
After successful installation, we need to launch the program to get its main interface
shown below:
All disks and partitions are listed here. To overwrite data in certain partition, we need to
select the partition and choose Wipe Partition function from the left action panel. To
erase a disk, we should select the disk and choose Wipe Disk. After that, 5 wiping
methods are shown:
Fill Sectors with Zero: write the number 0 to every sector of the partition to overwrite all
original data. Fill Sectors with One: write 1 to replace original data.
Fill Sectors with Zero & One: write 0 and 1 alternately to every sector so as to wipe
original data.
DoD 5220.22-M (3 passes): fill every sector with a group of random data for 3 times.
DoD 5220.28-STD (7 passes): fill all sectors with random data for 7 times.
From the top to the bottom, time spent in overwriting data increases, but the effect
becomes better and better. We have said data recovery may be possible if we fill up data
area with the same value. Therefore, the former 2 methods are not suggested thought
they are time-saving. And in general situations, we highly suggest choosing the last one
although it costs much time, because data recovery is no longer possible after we are
making such a wiping. Please see DOD Standard 5220.28 STD to get more information.
If you do not believe what I said, try wiping a partition or disk with MiniTool Partition Wizard.
Then download a piece of data recovery software to check whether wiped data can be
recovered.