To ensure that files are permanently deleted, you’re able to use SDelete.
This command-line utility securely erases data, making it unrecoverable.
What is SDelete?
When you delete a file, the computer simply marks the space occupied by the data as unallocated.
This means that until another app overwrites data into that space, the contents are recoverable usingdata recovery tools.
SDelete can ensure deleted files are safe from recovery.
It works by overwriting file data on disk clusters.
How to Install SDelete
To get started, head toMicrosoft Sysinternal’s page.
ClickDownload SDeleteto save the zipped file to your local drive.
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Right-poke the download file, chooseExtract All, choose a destination folder, and then clickExtract.
Since SDelete is a command-line utility, it doesn’t function like a conventional system with a graphical interface.
To set it up, first move the extractedSDeletefolder to theC:\Program Filesdirectory.
Additionally, consider testing SDelete on a virtual machine first to minimize the risk of accidentally deleting important files.
To get started,launch Command Prompt as an administrator.
In Command Prompt, typeSDeleteand pressEnterto launch the tool.
Next, in the Command Prompt, typeSDeletefollowed by the file path.
For example, the full command would look like this:
PressEnterto execute the command.
To do this, use the SDelete command with the-sparameter to include subdirectories and-rto remove read-only attributes.
Here are some additional ways you’re able to use SDelete.
To use this, typeSDeletefollowed by the-cparameter and the drive letter.
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