Where Do Deleted Files Really Go When Erased?

TL;DR

Deleted files are not truly gone; they remain on your device until overwritten or physically destroyed. When a file is deleted, the space it occupies is marked as available, but the actual data often remains recoverable until completely erased through multiple overwrites or physical destruction. For absolute deletion, methods like shredding or polarizing the storage media are necessary to prevent recovery.

Transcript

Hey, Vsauce. Michael here. But now I'm not. I'm gone like 90% of the original silent films ever made. Six of the seven wonders of the ancient world deleted, like that text you thought twice about sending or a Snapchat photo, right? When Stalin decided that Trotsky was an enemy of the state, he had Trotsky removed from photos he appeared in with Len... Read More

Key Insights

• 💋 Deletion is a complex process that involves marking files as empty, but the actual content often remains on the storage.
• 📁 Data recovery tools can retrieve deleted files, but there is a risk of corruption if the file has been partially overwritten.
• ❓ Physical destruction, such as shredding or polarizing, is necessary to completely remove the possibility of recovery.
• 🛝 Ghana has become a digital dumping ground for unsalvageable electronics, where organized criminals can recover sensitive data from unregulated e-waste dumps.
• 📜 Even shredded physical documents can sometimes be reconstructed through scanning and matching.
• 🥵 The ultimate deletion may occur with the future heat death of the universe, where usable energy becomes homogeneous and no difference or gradient exists.
• 🇦🇸 The American flags planted on the Moon have likely been bleached by the Sun's radiation, representing the inevitability of deletion in the universe.
• 💄 Despite the concept of deletion, our focus is often on creation and making things.

Questions & Answers

Q: Where does deleted data go?

When a file is deleted, it is moved to a temporary directory on the computer, where it awaits a more ultimate deletion. However, the actual content of the file remains on the storage until it is overwritten.

Q: Can deleted files be recovered?

Yes, there are data recovery tools available that can scan through the marked empty space on a storage device to find and save deleted files. However, if the file has been partially overwritten, it may be corrupted and difficult to recover.

Q: How can files be deleted so completely that they cannot be recovered?

To ensure complete deletion, the unwanted file needs to be overwritten with new data multiple times. Some experts recommend performing up to 35 overwrites. Additionally, physically shredding or polarizing the storage device ensures that no data can be recovered.

Q: Can deleted physical documents be reconstructed?

Shredded physical documents can sometimes be reconstructed by scanning and matching the pieces together. However, the difficulty increases with smaller and more numerous shredded particles. The Department of Defense sets a requirement for shredded documents to limit particle size.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Deletion is not a permanent erasure, as files can often be recovered from temporary storage or overwritten data.

• Some data recovery tools can retrieve deleted files, but there is a risk of corruption if the file has already been overwritten.

• Physical destruction, such as shredding or polarizing, is necessary to completely remove the possibility of recovery.