#Old windows xp file shredder how to

#Old windows xp file shredder how to

You may also like: How to boost your Wi-Fi for good Anyone with knowledge of how to recover that information - or even someone using a program like RecoverMyFiles - may be able to recover that data from the reformatted hard drive. That basically means that not all information will be cleaned out of your computer by reformatting it, and there will be traces leftover. This creates the appearance that there are no files, directories, or data on the drive, but reformatting doesn’t actually delete the binary files. When you reformat your hard drive, you are essentially creating a new, blank indexing scheme, which will make every sector available to write new files.

While you may be able to get away with reformatting your hard drive using your PC or Mac’s native software, this option isn’t always as thorough as you’d think. One of the obvious options you have to clear your hard drive is simply reformatting it. Let’s look at when and how you should erase your hard drive and the options for doing so. RELATED: 5 downloads to secure your devices. You don’t want someone else to have access to your files and other information that could be left on your computer. You definitely wouldn’t want to clear your hard drive accidentally, or you’d lose important files, images, and other data forever.īut, there are times when erasing your hard drive is perfectly acceptable and even recommended - like when you need to get rid of an old computer or are selling a laptop you no longer need.

The idea of erasing your entire hard drive can be terrifying.