Recovering Deleted Data & Securing Deleted Data

Recovering Deleted Data

Data loss is one of the huge problems for almost all the computer users. Sometimes files get lost due to some program crashes, or files get deleted accidentally, or by a virus or maybe some other problems. It is possible to recover files easily which are deleted permanently, even if you empty recycle bin and even if you format your hard disk. To do the recovery process, you need a software to do it. I found a list of data recovery software in Wikipedia, and also Jaa and Bondhalhey have also posted an entry on data recovering which may also help.

Securing Deleted Data

Now that the deleted files can be recovered, I’ve been thinking then how to erase those deleted files in the hard disk like a clean new born one. After hours of surfing the web I found an article which explains the data recovering and securing them (Secure Deletion of Data from Magnetic and Solid-State Memory by Peter Gutmann) and some software which erases the deleted files. I found that Killdisk also does that job so I tried with it and it works but, because I got the free version some features are disabled so I didn’t like it at all. So then I tried Darik's Boot and Nuke 1.0.7. Darik's Boot and Nuke is freeware and is available to download from the project page. I found that Darik's Boot and Nuke 1.0.7 has the Gutmann method feature which is a high security method but following this method will take a lot of time depending on the hard disk capacity you have. Darik's Boot and Nuke software first create a bootable floppy disk/USB flash drive. It is very easy use and by entering “autonuke” command, it wipes out all the devices connected to the computer automatically. Here are some screen-shots and features of it. So I hope this will help many people and specially for companies, offices, shops and others who sell their old computers to buy new ones.