No problem, I'm not going anywhere for another 5 hours at least.

OK, I'm back. I just figured out why it takes longer to overwrite a file with 1s and 0s with a secure delete than it takes to write those files in the first place.

I think you are saying you want to MAKE SURE some data on a hard drive is really gone and can't be recovered?

Oh and if what I said is true, why does it take longer?

Actually, I didn't particularly want to make sure that data is unrecoverable. I was just experimenting with secure delete – how long my computer takes to do it, how hot it gets, etc.

It takes longer because, when there a file on the disk, every sector has some wasted empty space; when you secure delete, it overwrites the entire thing, including the wasted empty space.

I figured that was what you were going to say but wasn't really sure. Is it true that when you "normally" delete something that all it does is get rid the information for that file on the Fat?

It think so. I think it just reformats it when you delete, just tossing the directory to recover the file, rather than actually erasing the file.

I'll be back in a moment. I need to get a snack.

Yeah I had read somewhere years ago that if all you do is a "normal" delete that's all it does until the computer actually overwrites data on that file.

Snack away, I'm not going anywhere. Matter of fact I just finished supper/breakfast or what ever you would call it for me myself.

OK, I'm back with a chunk of cheese.

Cheese. The other day I made a pot of spaghetti. Cook the spaghetti and AFTER it cools, mix in chopped green onions and chopped black olives and Mayonaise with some crispy fried bacon! Yummy!!! IF you make this make sure the ghetti is fully cooled down before mixing in the mayo.