Deleting files

[Ads]

When you delete something from a laptop or a computer, where does it go?

[ludwig]

Normally it doesn't go anywhere. What happens is the area where the data sits on the disk just gets flagged as 'usable'  by the operating system, but the data stays intact. That's what Gary Glitter failed to take into account.

[Loosehead]

Yes all files on a computer have directory entries all that happens when you delete a file is that the directory entry is marked as usable and the data associated with it is fair game. There are programs that can recover a file by simply finding and resetting the appropriate directory entry. This can only be done if the space has not been reused. You can buy software that truly deletes something, by over writing it several times.