How to not let deleted files on my hard drive be seen by computer person

[Zwack]

My mum is taking my laptop (Sony Vaio C VGN-C25G/P) to her friend to find out why my computer runs so slowly, but there are deleted files that i do not want them to see, and i heard that even if i deleted the files from the recycle bin they will still be in the hard drive memory, could someone please help me? I want to know how they can access my hard drive and whether they can see all the deleted data and how i can prevent them from looking through my deleted data? please help! I really need help! Thank you so much!

[Shark Fin 101]

It's true, deleted files CAN be seen by other people, but you have to be actually looking for deleted files. You can't just come across them in Windows Explorer. There are a couple ways to delete something permanently.

(1) You can completely fill your HD with some random data (movie files, etc.), and then delete the random data and repeat.

This, however, could take awhile.

(2) The other option is to find an application that does it for you. Something like this will do the overwriting for you. But I believe this only works if you haven't already deleted the file.

I'm sure there are other, better and more complete applications out there, but I haven't come across any.

Nihil sine Deo,
Sharkfin

P.S. Personal details are probably unnecessary for a computer problem.

(2)

[JJ 3000]

Are you serious? You're trying to hide porn, and your name is Zwack? Really?

How much time do you have till your mom gets your computer?

How did you go about deleting the files?

We may be able to help you speed up your computer.

List as much about your computer as possible. This includes operating system (what version of Windows you are using), service packs, computer make/model, RAM, hard drive, sound and video cards, current adware/spyware/virus programs being used on a regular basis, do you have a "real" Windows CD, etc.
Be as thorough as possible with your description of your problem. What happens exactly, error messages, if any, what happened before this started, what you have tried, are you the only user, type of internet connection, what you have done inside the case, etc.

You may want to have a look at this program
http://www.ccleaner.com/
it may help you cover your tracks

[Beware the talking cat]

Something else to note is the computer person will probably not be looking for deleted files; unless the point is to find traces of that material, there is little reason to do so. Speed problems are more about what is there than what isn't, generally. And if this person isn't a pretty high level computer person(that is, not someone who works with computers for a living) then they likely won't even have the programs needed to find deleted files. On the other hand, if someone is going through your computer with the objective of finding pr0n, you will have a hard time preventing them from finding traces. It's one of those things where there is little you can do.

[ThrowingShapes]

I don't think you have anything to worry about.  If somebody is trying to figure out what is causing slow-downs they're more likely to see what's on the drive, not what used to be.
You can try giving us some more information and we may be able to help you speed your computer up without the help of your mum's friend.  Anyways the odds of him running a file recovery program are slim. I'd be more worried about hiding other evidence if I were you.


Funniest Topic of the Year award.(You can always try and say it was a pop-up )

[Zwack]

No,No,No!! Its not porn -.- its just my own personal pictures, not those downloaded from the internet or something. Is it if i have deleted some of my own files they can still see them? Oh, and i have tried the trial version of ccleaner like you suggested and it worked pretty well! But im not very sure it actually works, actually, how do i check if it really did what it said? Is there any way to make sure that my deleted files get deleted for good or any way to make them disappear? Tomorrow morning's the date. Thanks everyone for your help! You guys are very helpful, and very fast! 

[CBMatt]

Honestly, there isn't much you can do, unless you want to completely reformat your hard drive a few times.  If someone really wants to find your deleted files, it's not hard.  But I wouldn't worry too much...I doubt this guy has much reason to waste his time (it often takes hours) looking for your sex/rape/crossdressing/murder/underage drinking photos.

[Geek-9pm]

Reboot in safe mode. Run dicks clean up. After that run de-fragment program. Most of the deleted files will be overwritten. Next make a huge backup file that almost fills the drive. Then delete it. 

[Szpixman]

There is a program call East-tek Eraser.  It has an option to search all your HD's for previously deleted stuff
and scrub it from the disk so it is not readable anymore.  It's not free but I think there is a trial version.

http://www.east-tec.com/consumer/eraser/

Good Luck.

[BC_Programmer]

Reboot in safe mode. Run dicks clean up.

we've already established that the files he wants to prevent recovery of are not porn. 

[Szpixman]

Wasn't implying it was porn...he asked how to delete files so as not to be viewed by a tech.  The mentioned software does this???

[Raptor]

Reboot in safe mode. Run dicks clean up.

we've already established that the files he wants to prevent recovery of are not porn. 

Haha! Freudian slip much? 

But I wouldn't worry too much...I doubt this guy has much reason to waste his time (it often takes hours) looking for your sex/rape/crossdressing/murder/underage drinking photos.

Did I tell you about the time I came across this collection of homemade man lovin' when I was working in a repair shop? Really, my colleagues were so intrigued they had to burn a copy of it.

The last thing the tech guy is going to be interested in is attempting to recovery deleted data. There must be BILLIONS of files he'd have to sift through each day. He'd probably have no more time for fixing the computers..

IF you don't entrust others with your data, disconnect the hard drive and have 'm solve the problem without it. Chances are that your problem is software-related, though.

You know, you could just fix it yourself? Or ask us how to fix it.. Hey, saves money.

[BC_Programmer]

Wasn't implying it was porn...he asked how to delete files so as not to be viewed by a tech.  The mentioned software does this???

heh, I know- I was merely picking on an innocent typo for kicks