[carl in alaska]

Yes, that's an important point to understand about hard drives: when you delete data, the data isn't actually erased from your hard drive. The deleted area is just marked as unused and then can be overwritten with new data. Numerous people have been nailed for various offenses when they thought they had permanently deleted files from their hard drives. To really get rid of data on a hard drive, you have to destroy the hard drive's storage disk.

[goldstategop]

Isn't there software that destroys hard drive data so as to make the contents unrecoverable? If Libby had really wiped his HD as opposed to just deleting the contents, he'd be a free man today. Oh well.

("Denny Crane: Gun Control? For Communists. She's a liberal. Can't hunt.")

[Dems_R_Losers]

They can also trace the time that the hard drive was wiped. If it was after the DOJ's request for documents came down, Libby is toast.

IMO, he was indeed "overcharged," and will plead out to the false statement charge, and maybe do 6 months in jail. No trial.

[expatpat]

To really get rid of data on a hard drive, you have to destroy the hard drive's storage disk.Nah, you just have to write over the area that was used. Copy all your biggest files and save with new names. Then defrag, and the odds are you have overwritten the area, tho' not guaranteed.

[TChris]

To really get rid of data on a hard drive, you have to destroy the hard drive's storage disk.

Nah, there are good security programs that will perform a multi-pass secure wipe of data. If you put lots of random data over the top of deleted data five or ten times, they aren't going to get any residual magnetic echoes that can be deciphered.

[chronic_loser]

"Yes, that's an important point to understand about hard drives: when you delete data, the data isn't actually erased from your hard drive. The deleted area is just marked as unused and then can be overwritten with new data. Numerous people have been nailed for various offenses when they thought they had permanently deleted files from their hard drives. To really get rid of data on a hard drive, you have to destroy the hard drive's storage disk." Linux has freeware programs called "secure delete" and "shred" "SHRED" goes over the file 20 times and then overwrites where the file was with data. "Secure delete" overwrites all free space on your drive with data. On any hard drive I sell (I have an insurance brokerage and my clients personal data is often on them), I hook it up to a linux box and run "shred" recursively (starting from "root" or the main file back down the chain, or 'from the c: prompt' for the dos heads), and then run secure delete. The defense department standard for "wiping" data from a disk is three times and then overwrite with random characters.

If you are on a network, backup files, email them, or something else, you still may have copies laying around you don't know about. However, just because you erase and then format the drive doesn't mean anything. It is like tearing the cover and title page off a book. The book with all its stuff is still there.

[Pirate21]

One can shred, overwrite, and defrag all one wants, but the only way to truly "erase" a drive/disk is with a sledgehammer.

[DCPatriot]

To really get rid of data on a hard drive, you have to destroy the hard drive's storage disk.

You would think the White House resources would have covered this point.

[webheart]

To really get rid of data on a hard drive, you have to destroy the hard drive's storage disk.

The simplest means of getting rid of your files is to delete them, then delete all of the temporary files in the temp folder (on Windows OS), and clear the internet cache. Make sure to empty the recycle bin. Then, defrag the drive. I doubt if there will be any recoverable data after that.