When a file is deleted it can often be easily recovered with UNDELETE
software. I'm wanting to completely remove any trace of certain deleted
files, including the file name from FAT's.

I've googled and found the following; there are shredder or WIPE tools which
will overwrite the space a deleted file resided in, but I've found none
which can remove the deleted files name. In fact one comment stated, "in NT
it's not possible to remove (delete) a deleted files name"! Thought that
sounded strange, could do it in W98 with Nut's and Bolts software.

Is it true that XP (NT) does not allow a deleted files name to be removed
from the file allocation tables (i.e. it can be easily seen with undelete
software even though the freespace has been wiped)? It seems EVERY trace of
any file should be able to be deleted ... but how?

 

"someone watching" <nospam@bogusaddress.com> wrote in
news:ubSQxo7wKHA.3304@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl:

> When a file is deleted it can often be easily recovered with
> UNDELETE software. I'm wanting to completely remove any trace of
> certain deleted files, including the file name from FAT's.
>
> I've googled and found the following; there are shredder or WIPE
> tools which will overwrite the space a deleted file resided in,
> but I've found none which can remove the deleted files name. In
> fact one comment stated, "in NT it's not possible to remove
> (delete) a deleted files name"! Thought that sounded strange,
> could do it in W98 with Nut's and Bolts software.
>
> Is it true that XP (NT) does not allow a deleted files name to be
> removed from the file allocation tables (i.e. it can be easily
> seen with undelete software even though the freespace has been
> wiped)? It seems EVERY trace of any file should be able to be
> deleted ... but how?


"Eraser" -- at least the 5.x versions -- have the option to erase the
file names.

An except from the Eraser help file:

---- quote ----
Finally, the names of all previously deleted (or erased) files will
be overwritten. On FAT{12,16,32} partitions this is done by going
through all directory entries and overwriting deleted file entries.
On NTFS partitions (Windows NT and 2000 only), Eraser creates maximum
length files until the unused entries in the Master File Table are
overwritten
---- /quote ----

I assume the reference to NTFS applies to XP as well (i.e. the Help
file is dated).

Eraser
<http/eraser.heidi.ie/>

HTH,
John

 

Re: how to remove deleted file names?

Thanks for the info and the web link ... will check it out!