Deleting stuff!!

[wonderwoman1]

Ok i am a complete idiot when it comes to computers. I have heard that when you delete files to the trash can, its not really deleted?? How do you completely delete files from your computer?

thank you

WW1

xx

[Mac70]

Once you delete it from the Recycle bin the space it occupied awaits to be overwritten by something else. If you want something more securely deleted use a shredder like this
http://www.heidi.ie/eraser/download.php

[fo3nix]

The trash can is just a temporary place where you delete things to, in case you press delete accidentally then decide you don't want it deleted.

Open the recycle bin, and go file->empty recycle bin, in order to properly empty it and have more free space on your computer.

As Mac70 points out though, due to the technical way that computers work, even now it isn't totally destroyed, so you can use a program like eraser to truly destroy and erase something, if it's very sensitive information like your bank details or something.

[wonderwoman1]

thank you xx

[mikeyp]

If you press Shift + Delete, this will delete files without moving them to the recycle bin, be careful though it's easy to accidently delete stuff like this.