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How to erase previously deleted files
using ShredIt X
Mac OS X File Shredder / Hard Drive Cleaner
You can use ShredIt as a hard drive cleaner to erase data you've already deleted.
- To shred the data you have previously deleted, you need to shred disk free space. Disk free space is the area on your hard drive containing de-allocated memory. This is where all the data you have previously deleted is stored, until it is overwritten by something else. If you have a lot of disk free space or a slow hard drive, shredding free space can take a while.
- You could have this problem is you've done the following:
- You've moved confidential files to the trash can and emptied the trash
- You've used the delete function in your email program to delete email, that email is no longer in the email trash can and you want to erase the email instead
- You've used a "clear cache", "erase history", "clear history" or "clear private data" function in your web browser and you now want to erase your cache or history instead
- Your browser has already deleted your internet cache, internet history or other internet tracks and you would like to erase them instead
- For an simple, automatic solution to the problem of erasing instead of deleting internet tracks, use NetShred, the automatic Internet Track Eraser that will erase, not just delete cache, history, deleted email and more
- If you shred the free space on a disk by mistake, don't panic. Using this procedure will only shred your free space, not your data. We've made it easy to shred the free space of a disk and more difficult to shred the contents of a disk. This is intentional, so that you don't accidentally shred the contents of a disk (i.e. your data).
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Requirements
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Instructions
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There are three ways to erase the free space on a disk using ShredIt X.
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Notes
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- For more detailed information about ShredIt X for Mac OS X, refer to the
- Tutorials are available for other versions of ShredIt
- There's an important difference between the technical terms "delete" and "secure delete".
- The technical computer term "delete" refers to the type of computer function where the data is marked as deleted, but not really gone. Functions such as dragging a file to the trash/recycle bin and then emptying it marks the data as deleted so the space can be used again, but the data itself remains on the hard drive and recoverable until it is overwritten by something else. On a hard drive with lots of free space, this could take months or even years.
- On the other hand, the technical term "secure delete" refers to the type of computer function where the data is overwritten by other characters so the data can't be recovered. "Secure Delete" is also referred to as "clean", "wipe", "erase" and "shred". Computer software that performs this type of function is often called a "file shredder" a "data shredder" or "secure delete utility".
- ShredIt will not shred files/folders still sitting in the trash can. To shred these files, do one of the following:
- drag the file/folder out of the trash can and on to the ShredIt X icon (see How to shred a file)
- empty the trash can and then shred your disk free space, which could take a long time
- For more information, see "Shredding" in Wikipedia
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