Why There is a Need to Wipe Free Space

There are practical reasons why you should always make sure you wipe free space on your personal computer. If you are moving out of the office and you have personal and confidential files stored in your office computer, of course, you would strive to delete those files. On the other hand, if your company is aiming to dispose old personal computers to buy brand new units, there is also a need to remove from the hard disk important corporate files that may contain the company's pertinent information, trade secrets, confidential provisions and management initiatives. The problem is that not all people are aware that deleting files on the Windows operating system is usually not enough.

If you have been constantly deleting files in your computer, you might have noticed that sometimes, some of those deleted files would surface and show up again accidentally in the future. That is not an unlikely occurrence. The truth is, when you erase files from the Windows operating system, the file may be nowhere in sight but the truth is, it is still stored in the computer hard drive. Thus, there is a need to wipe free space off your personal computer.

Why is there a need to wipe free space off the computer hard disk? As mentioned in the two scenarios above, there might be personal, confidential and pertinent information in files that have been previously saved and deleted in the personal computer. Even after deleting, you might not be aware of it, but the file erased is usually staying on the disk drive. Even if you empty the Recycle Bin folder, the files are certainly still in the computer memory, somewhere where you could not easily find and retrieve it.

The problem is that there are currently numerous computer programs that are aimed at recovering and retrieving deleted files. Thus, anyone who would get hold and own the computer you are disposing would be able to recover those files as well as the pertinent information. In these days, confidentiality and security of information is very much sought after. There could important and sensitive trade and personal secrets that could be exposed to just about anyone if you would not move to ensure data safety on your personal computer. You need to make sure that other people would not be able to restore and retrieve the information you have already deleted from the computer hard disk.

To wipe free space in your personal computer, you should install a file shredder program. The computer application would effectively wipe off all the files and information you have already deleted from your personal computer. No restoration and retrieval computer program could ever undo the deletion you have made using the file shredder. This way, you can be 100% sure that the sensitive and personal file you have deleted would not be accessed by anyone, who could intentionally use such pertinent information maliciously. What is more luring about file shredders is that you need not invest a significant amount for the program. File shredders are usually downloadable for free, or can be purchased cheaply for just a few tens of dollars.